2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Speed Control & Cruise Problems

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH WHEN MY JEEP ACCELERATED, I TRIED TAPPING THE GAS PEDAL IN HOPES THAT IT WOULD AFFECT IT. THAT DIDN'T HELP, I HAD BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE, I PULLED THE E-BREAK AND IT STILL WOULDN'T STOP AND I WAS REDLINING. I FINALLY SAW A REDLIGHT AND DECIDED TO THROW IT IN PARK AND IT ROLLED ANOTHER 50 FEET OR SO BEFORE FINALLY COMING TO A STOP. I JUMPED OUT AND RAN BECAUSE IT WAS STILL STUCK AND REDLINING. EVERYTHING UNDER THE JEEP WAS RED AND FINALLY FLAMES STARTED COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HOSED IT DOWN FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES BEFORE TAKING THE KEYS OUT OF THE IGNITION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN HE REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

HAD CRUISE CONTROL ON AT 70 MPH IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS ON THE INTERSTATE (70 MPH SPEED LIMIT). PUT FOOT ON ACCELERATOR TO SPEED UP IN ORDER TO CHANGE TO LEFT LANE AND BETTER CLEAR THE TRAFFIC BEHIND ME. INITIAL ACCELERATOR PUSH YIELDED NO RESPONSE, SO I PUSHED FURTHER DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. WHEN THE PEDAL REACHED THE FLOOR, ACCELERATION SHOT UP AND I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR. CRUISE CONTROL WAS STILL ENGAGED AND I EXPECTED MY SPEED TO GO BACK TO THE SET CRUISE SPEED OF 70 MPH. I NOTICED THEN THAT THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED TO INCREASE AND I TRIED TO BREAK ONCE ON THE BREAK PEDAL. I GOT NO RESPONSE. I PUSHED HARDER ON THE BREAK AND FELT THE ACCELERATION CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND THEN SMELLED BRAKE HEAT. I PUSHED ON THE CRUISE BUTTON TO TRY TO TURN CRUISE OFF. NO RESPONSE. I FELT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHICH WAS FLAT TO THE FLOOR AND TRIED TAPPING IT TO GET IT TO SPRING BACK UP. NO RESPONSE. THEN I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND SAW THE ENGINE REV TO THE REDLINE ON THE RPM GAUGE. I TOOK IT BACK INTO DRIVE AND STILL THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED AS I HELD THE BRAKE HARDER AND HARDER. KNOWING I WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM I CALLED 911 THAT I WAS ACCELERATING OUT OF CONTROL AND I NEEDED THEIR GUIDANCE. THE 911 DISPATCHER TOLD ME TO: (1) PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND KEEP IT THERE, (2) START PULLING OVER AS THE CAR SLOWED, (3) ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, (4) PULL THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE, (5) TURN THE IGNITION KEY OFF AND BRAKE TO A STOP. I ASKED THE 911 DISPATCHER TO SEND POLICE WHO CAME AND WAITED WITH ME FOR A TOW TRUCK. *TR

I WASHED MY 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE AT A COIN OPERATED CAR WASH. I CLIMBED INTO THE CAR, STARTED IT UP AND SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THE CAR WENT TO FULL THROTTLE INSTANTLY ON IT'S OWN. I APPLIED BRAKES BUT THAT HAD LITTLE AFFECT AND THE CAR RAPIDLY ACCELERATED OUT OF THE CAR WASH STALL TOWARD A BRICK WALL APPROX. 20 FEET AWAY. I STEERED THE CAR INTO A TREE AS I FELT IT WOULD BE A SOFTER CRASH AS OPPOSED TO A WALL. THE CAR BOUNCED OFF OF THE TREE AND CONTINUED AT FULL THROTTLE INTO THE DRIVEWAY OF THE CAR WASH AS I CONTINUED TO PUSH ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS I COULD. I FINALLY TURNED THE KEY OFF AND STOPPED. THIS HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY AND I WISH I WOULD HAVE REACTED SOONER. THE LEFT FRONT FENDER AND GRILL WERE DAMAGED AND I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. I FEEL FORTUNATE THAT NOBODY WAS HURT AND I AM VERY INTERESTED IN FINDING THE CAUSE OF THIS . *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE YESTERDAY MORNING AND HAD UNINTENDED ACCELERATION!! I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN GREAT CONDITION ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO AND HAD 0 PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION UNTIL THIS POINT, AND A VERY SHARP POINT AT THAT! I WAS TRAVELING UPHILL AND WENT TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE DOING APPROX. 20 MILES PER HOUR, I ACCELERATED PAST THE VEHICLE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE GAS PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AS IF THE CRUISE CONTROL CAME ON, BUT WHEN I TRIED TAPPING AND THEN(WHEN THAT DIDN'T HELP) I WAS HOLDING THE BRAKES AS FAR DOWN AS I COULD BUT WOULD NOT STOP THIS VEHICLE THAT WAS CHARGING FORWARD WITH THE ENGINE AT HIGH REVS.. I EVENTUALLY WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL WHICH CALMED THIS DOWN. IT TOOK THE WHOLE LENGTH OF THE STREET TO STOP THIS, AND IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS-SERIOUS ACCIDENT!!! I AM HOPING THERE IS SOMETHING I CAN DO TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BUT MY MECHANIC HAS NO IDEA WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS. I OF COURSE CAME HOME AND GOOGLED ON MY COMPUTER TO FIND OUT IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THIS, AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY WITH HORROR STORIES OF MAJOR ACCIDENTS! I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYTHING CAN BE DONE AS I LOVE THE VEHICLE BUT CANNOT PUT PEOPLES LIVES IN DANGER IF THIS IS TO HAPPEN AGAIN.. I HAVE HAD MANY CARS OVER THE YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING REMOTELY DANGEROUS AS THIS HAPPEN, AND I HAVE HAD NO ACCIDENTS TO THIS POINT!! WITH A V8 ENGINE, THIS VEHICLE IS LIKE A TANK CHARGING, AND VERY VERY VERY DANGEROUS!! I WAS VERY LUCK, THIS TIME!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED PERIODICALLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55,336.

I OWN A JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THREE OF FOUR TIMES I HAVE HAD UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION DUE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR BEING PUSHED AT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MANY JEEP GRAND CHEROKEES OF NEARLY EVERY YEAR. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT, BUT IT COULD HAPPEN IF IN A PARKING LOT. THE POSSIBILITY OF PEOPLE BEING HURT IS GREAT. I HAVE KEPT IT MIND MOST EVERYTIME I MOVE MY VEHICLE, BUT IT STILL HAS HAPPENED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE, AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 60 MPH IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL, STRUCK THE WALL OF A GARAGE, AND STOPPED AFTER CRASHING INTO AN ORNAMENTAL STONE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. ALLSTATE INSURANCE HAS PHOTOS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 63,000. *UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

MY VEHICLE, JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 2001 LIMITED ADDITION WITH AROUND 47,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER PERFORMED SATISFACTORILY UNTIL THIS MORNING WHEN MY WIFE WAS RETURNING FROM THE USUAL DROP-OFF OF MY SON TO THE PRESCHOOL. AS SHE WAS WAITING FOR THE GARAGE DOOR OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX WHERE WE LIVE WHILE HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR SUDDENLY SHOT UP AND CRASHED THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR AND CAME TO COMPLETE STOP 20 FEET FROM THE GATE. THIS HORRIFYING EXPERIENCE, FORTUNATELY, DID NOT CAUSE ANY PHYSICAL INJURY TO MY WIFE AND MY 15 MONTHS DAUGHTER SECURED IN THE BACK SEAT. LUCKILY, THERE WAS NO INCOMING CAR NOR PEOPLE INJURED. HOWEVER, WE ARE AFRAID THAT THE VEHICLE WHICH SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGES TO THE BODY WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY MORE PEACE OF MIND. IT IS DEFINITIVELY A WAKE-UP CALL FOR US TO SEARCH A MORE SAFE VEHICLE FOR MY FAMILY. *JB

ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL IN REVERSE. COULDN'T STOP THE VEHICLE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE AND SUDDENLY LURCHED BACKWARDS CRASHING INTO THE GARAGE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED BY THE GARAGE AND ITS CONTENTS. NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT THERE WAS MODERATE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND GARAGE. THE POLICE WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVER ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL AT 60 MPH. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THEN, DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL, AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. DRIVER HIT THE OFF BUTTON ON THE CRUISE CONTROL AND VEHICLE FAILED TO DISENGAGE. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE WAS UP TO 80 MPH AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. DRIVER PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND THE RPMS WENT UP TO 6,000. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. DRIVER PUT VEHICLE BACK IN DRIVE AND APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO 30 MPH. THAT WAS WHEN DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF. WHEN DRIVER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE ALL 4 BRAKE PADS WERE ON FIRE, AND THE ROTORS WERE GLOWING ORANGE. *AK

I HAVE A 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED. IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, WHILE ON THE EXPRESSWAY, MY CRUISE CONTROL CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF EVEN BY HITTING THE BREAK AND PUSHING THE OFF BUTTON NUMEROUS TIMES. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY PUTTING THE GEAR IN NUETRAL AND TURNING IT OFF. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHO TALKED MY THROUGH HOW TO LOOSEN A CABLE IN THE ENGINE WHICH APPARENTLY CAUSED THE CRUISE/ACCELERATOR TO STICK. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND EVEN ON MY WAY THERE, THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN, WITHOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL BEING TURNED ON. THE DEALERSHIP KEPT MY CAR FOR THE DAY AND WHEN THEY RETURNED, THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. TWO MONTHS LATER, I WAS LEAVING MY PARKING SPACE AT WORK AND MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN. I STRUCK THE BREAK BUT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPIN IN CIRCLES AND FORCED MY VEHICLE TO STRIKE THREE OTHER VEHICLE. JEEP CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION AND THEY SENT ME A LETTER STATING THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. I JUST WANTED TO SEND YOU THIS COMPLAINT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THEIR FINDINGS WERE FALSE AND POORLY RESEARCHED. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE TIRE MARKS AND THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED OTHER THAN BY I HIGH ACCELERATION AND MY FOOT BEING ON THE BREAK.*AK

WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD, THEN SUDDENLY IT WOULD LURCH FORWARD. ALMOST HAD ACCIDENT WHEN TRYING TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC. WHEN THE CAR WAS STOPPED, IT WOULD IDLE, THEN SUDDENLY JERK FORWARD. TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. THEY STATED THAT IT WAS A SOLENOID AND THAT THEY ARE SEEING THIS WITH GRAND CHEROKEES THAT HAVE OVER 50,000 MILES. VERY COSTLY REPAIR ON A CAR THAT IS 2 YEARS OLD!!! *NLM

JANUARY I WENT TO APPLY MY BRAKES AT A STOP SIGN AND IT LUNGED FORWARD. SHOCKED I SLAMMED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE HARDER AND IT LUNGED A SECOND TIME HITTING A CAR COMING DOWN THE SIDE STREET. THURSDAY WHEN I WENT TO APPLY MY BRAKES THE CAR SHOOK SO HARD I COULD BARELY KEEP MY HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THEM THE FIRST TIME, THEY WON'T DO IT THIS TIME. I HAVE HAD MY JEEP 2 YEARS AND THIS IS THE THIRD SET OF BRAKES. THEY TOLD ME TO EXPECT TO CHANGE BRAKES AND OR PADS EVERY 15,000 MILES? THERE FORE WRACKING ANOTHER BILL OF OVER $800. *AK

THIS SAME SITUATION HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES. ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT APPEAR UNTIL THE 4TH INCIDENT. EACH TIME I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON. I MISSED A TURN, STOPPED, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, STOPPED AND THEN PUT IT IN DRIVE. HOWEVER, THE CAR ENGINE JUST RACED AND WHEN I PUT THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO ABOUT 35 MPH. I'VE ALMOST BEEN KILLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP (JOE JACOBY) COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM AND NOW REFUSES TO RETURN MY CALLS. I'M NOW DRIVING ANOTHER HOUR FURTHER AWAY (2 HOURS FROM HOME) TO A DEALERSHIP THAT IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME I'VE HAD IT IN...LAST TIME I PAID $700 FOR SERVICE. IF I DON'T GET THIS FIXED SOON, EVENTUALLY SOMENE WILL HIT ME AS I PULL OUT AT 35 MPH ONTO A 65 MPH HIGHWAY. UNFORTUNATELY I THINK MY PRETTY SUV IS A LEMON.*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHEN HE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE THE MOTOR BEGAN TO ROAR AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED BACKWARD NO MATTER HOW HARD THE BRAKE WAS PRESSED, CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE SHIFT DOWNWARD AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED FOWARD WITH THE MOTOR STILL ROARING AND HIS FOOT STILL PRESSING ON THE BRAKE, AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT TWENTY FEET THE MOTOR REVERTED TO IDLE.*JB

I STOPPED FOR A LEFT TURN AT A 4 WAY INTERSECTION, IN ORDER TO LET THE UPCOMING TRAFFIC PASS. WHEN IT WAS CLEAR, I STARTED TO TURN LEFT AND SLIGHTLY UPHILL. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE ENGINE REVVED INTO THE HIGHS AND WITH A LOUD NOISE, THE CAR ACCELERATED. I IMMEDIATELY HIT THE BRAKE, BUT THE CAR KEPT ON ACCELERATING SO STRONGLY THAT IT WAS OVERTURNING TO THE LEFT AND WHILE I WAS STILL ON THE BRAKES, IT THEN ACCELERATED INTO THE DOOR OF A CAR, WHICH WAS WAITING AT THE RED LIGHT AND WAS ACTUALLY STANDING 180 DEGREES TOWARDS MY LEFT, BEHIND ME WHEN I STARTED. THE DOOR OF THIS CAR WAS TURNED SIGNIFICANTLY INWARDS WHERE THE FRONT OF MY CAR HIT. THE OTHER CAR WAS EVEN PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE CURB UNTIL MY CAR FINALLY CAME TO A STOP. ALL THIS WHILE I WAS STANDING ON THE BRAKE. FORTUNATELY, NOBODY WAS HURT. ALTHOUGH I HAD 2 WITNESSES, WHO TESTIFIED THE UNUSUAL ACCELERATION AND BEHAVIOR OF MY CAR, I HAVE BEEN CHARGED FOR THIS ACCIDENT WITH SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE ON THE OTHER CAR, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A TOTAL. MY CAR WAS ABOUT 2 MONTHS OLD AT THIS TIME, BUT I HAVE BEEN A SECURE DRIVER WITH NUMEROUS MODELS FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. MY LONG EXPERIENCE ALSO INCLUDES DRIVING A 10 TON UTILITY TRUCK IN THE MILITARY AND I HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING SIMILAR HAPPEN. I ASKED MY 5-STAR DEALERSHIP TO CHECK INTO THE ELECTRONICS AND THE BOARD COMPUTER. THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING, SO I HAD NO CASE. HOWEVER, I READ ABOUT SIMILAR EVENTS AND ONE IN PARTICULAR MOST RECENTLY, WHICH PROVIDED A LINK TO THIS COMPLAINT FORM. I DIDN'T REPORT THIS EARLIER, BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS COMPLAINT POSSIBILITY BACK THEN. HOWEVER, THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE. THANK YOU. JM . NM

AT 67 MPH WITH SPEED CONTROL ON, JEEP ACCELERATED AT MAX. SPEED. HAD TO APPLY BRAKE TO DISENGAGE CONTROL AT 80 MPH. SPEED CONTROL BUTTONS WOULD NOT WORK. HAD TO STOP AND PUT JEEP IN PARK TO TURN OFF SPEED CONTROL. SPEED CONTROL BUTTONS FAILED TO WORK WHEN RETURNED TO DRIVE. LATER THAT DAY, SPEED CONTROL WORKED NORMAL.*AK

AT APPROX. 50 MPH A "WHINING" SOUND STARTS IN REAR OF AUTO. AS SPEED INCREASES, THE SOUND INTENSIFIES. TAKE FOOT TOTALLY OFF ACCELERATOR AND IT STOPS.....PICKS UP AGAIN WHEN ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED. DEALER SAYS IT IS COMMON IN NEW ALL-TIME 4WD TRANSMISSION. VERY LOUD. *AK