2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee Speed Control & Cruise Problems

The contact owns a 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 8 MPH through a parking area, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own. As a result, the vehicle traveled 100 feet before coming to a complete stop after colliding with two light poles and a tree. The air bags did deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact was transported to an area hospital by EMT and was treated for whiplash, hearing loss, and pain in his back and knees. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 101,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO SEVERAL OUTDOOR LIGHTING STRUCTURES AT A NEIGHBORING RESIDENCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE EXPRESS WAY AT A STEADY SPEED OF 70 MPH, WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MOVED SUDDENLY AWAY FROM THE FOOT AND STAYED IN THE FULL GAS POSITION ACCELERATING THE CAR TO WELL OVER 80 MPH. ATTEMPTS TO RETURN THE PEDAL TO A SAFE POSITION FAILED. THERE WAS NO FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE OF ANY KIND AND CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ACTIVE THAT DAY BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE TRUCK TRAFFIC. ONLY EXTRAORDINARY BRAKING SLOWED THE CAR TO ALLOW SQUEEZING BETWEEN TRUCKS ON THE RIGHT LANE AND EVENTUALLY COMING TO A STOP ON THE FREE WAY SHOULDER. AFTER LETTING THINGS COOL DOWN FOR A FEW MINUTES AND RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THINGS APPEARED TO HAVE RETURNED TO NORMAL AND THE TRIP HOME COULD BE COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVEN SUBSEQUENTLY UNTIL A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS ABLE TO INVESTIGATE THE EVENT. NOTHING WAS FOUND EXCEPT THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER DISPLAYS THE CODE INDICATING THAT BOTH THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE SYSTEMS WERE ACTIVE AT THE SAME TIME.- AT THE MOMENT WE ARE AT OUR SECOND DEALERSHIP AND ARE UNDER ADVISEMENT FROM CHRYSLER TO CONTINUE THE INVESTIGATION. HOWEVER NOTHING DIFFERENT HAS BEEN DETERMINED SO FAR. WE ARE UNWILLING TO USE THE CAR DUE TO THE IMMINENT THREAT OF A RECURRENCE OF THE UNKNOWN PHENOMENON.

MY VEHICLE'S CRUISE CONTROL (CC) LEVER HAS FUNCTIONS LIKE; ON-OFF, ACCELERATE, DECELERATE, SET, RESUME, CANCEL. THE SPEED IS SET TO THE DESIRED VALUES BY PRESSING THE LEVER UP (ACCELERATE) AND DOWN (DECELERATE). WHEN THE LEVER IS RELEASED TO ITS NEUTRAL POSITION, THE SET SPEED IS MAINTAINED UNTIL THE NEXT INTERRUPTION. TO DEACTIVATE THE CC WITHOUT ERASING THE SET SPEED, DRIVER HAS TO TAP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL OR PULL THE CC LEVER TOWARD HIMSELF. IN ORDER TO ERASE THE SET SPEED AND DEACTIVATE THE CC AT THE SAME TIME, THE DRIVER HAS TO SWITCH THE CC TO OFF POSITION. THE NONCONFORMITY REGARDING MY VEHICLE'S CC SYSTEM IS UNINTENDED DEACTIVATION OF CC WITHOUT PULLING THE LEVER TOWARD MYSELF OR TAPPING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE UNINTENDED DEACTIVATION OCCURS WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DEACTIVATION CAN ONLY BE REALIZED IF I, SOMEHOW, NOTICE THAT THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN BY ITSELF OR PRESSING THE LEVER UP BECOMES NON OPERATIVE. THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR IF I PRESS THE CC LEVER UP AND DOWN WITH RAPID MOVES, BUT IF I MOVE THE LEVER UP SLOWLY OR IF I HESITATE TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE FOR EVEN LESS THEN A SECOND AND HOLD THE CC LEVER AT A POSITION BETWEEN THE "NEUTRAL" AND "ACCELERATE", IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. WHEN IT OCCURS, ANY ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE BY USING THE CC LEVER IS VEIN, UNLESS YOU REALIZE THE SITUATION AND REACTIVATE THE CC SYSTEM AGAIN. OTHER THAN THE UNINTENTIONAL SLOW DOWN OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING, AN OTHER CONSEQUENCE OF THIS NONCONFORMITY IS THE UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE UP TO IT'S PREVIOUS SET SPEED. WHEN THE DRIVER REALIZES THE SITUATION AND REACTIVATES THE CC, THE VEHICLE COMES TO THE PREVIOUS SET SPEED ALMOST WITH A FULL THROTTLE ACCELERATION. I HAVE INFORMED THE LOCAL DEALER AND THE AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE SITUATION BUT THEY HAVE CLAIMED THAT IT WAS MY FAULT TO MOVE THE LEVER SLOWLY AND MOVE IT WITH HESITATIONS. *TR