Investigations


NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
PE03010CHRYSLER GROUP LLC02/27/200309/02/2003THROTTLE CONTROL FAILURE
 Based on the low failure rate, the absence of failures over the past year, the absence of injuries, and odi's field investigation of incident vehicles, a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances. see attached report for additional information.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL - ACCELERATOR PEDAL
PE03010CHRYSLER GROUP LLC02/27/200309/02/2003THROTTLE CONTROL FAILURE
 Based on the low failure rate, the absence of failures over the past year, the absence of injuries, and odi's field investigation of incident vehicles, a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances. see attached report for additional information.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL - CABLES
PE03010CHRYSLER GROUP LLC02/27/200309/02/2003THROTTLE CONTROL FAILURE
 Based on the low failure rate, the absence of failures over the past year, the absence of injuries, and odi's field investigation of incident vehicles, a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances. see attached report for additional information.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL - LINKAGES
PE03010CHRYSLER GROUP LLC02/27/200309/02/2003THROTTLE CONTROL FAILURE
 Based on the low failure rate, the absence of failures over the past year, the absence of injuries, and odi's field investigation of incident vehicles, a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances. see attached report for additional information.

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
12/01/200511000111/01/1998
 Dt*: the contact stated while shifting into reverse the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. the sudden acceleration occurred on three occasions. during the first occurrences the vehicle stopped when the brakes were applied. the third time the vehicle bumped into a telephone pole before stopping. upon inspection the independent repair shop found the pin in the throttle body came out. the pin was reinstalled by the independent repair shop. the consumer paid for the repairs. updated 03/20/06. *jb
10/01/20041
 Vehicle unexpectedly and suprisingly took off at high speed from a complete stop. *bf (lawyer james scherr on behalf of client lucy garcy). *jb
08/05/200427956108/06/1998
 While driving at 70 pmph vehicle's speed suddenly dropped to 35 mph, and that was as fast as the vehicle would go. the speed sensor had to be replaced at consumer's expense. *ak *tc
01/01/200405/07/2001
 The throttle body of my car is defective and chrysler knows about this defect. they have sent service bulletins out to dealerships, but have failed to notify car owners. in the early stages the car runs very poorly, as the the throttle body begins to deteriorate more rapidly, it changes the speed of the car with no notice and without any effort from the driver. the car can actually lunge forward at a complete stop because of this defective part. i waited several weeks before i was able to obtain a throttle body on my own. the service dept. of the local dealership was useless in this effort. i believe that this second throttle body is no better than the first one. the car is beginning to act the same way. chrysler knows they have a problem, they've sent service bulletins to the dealerships about it. this very clearly is a safety issue, but to date i have received nothing in the way of notice from them. when i called the chrysler headquarters consumer division, my concerns and complaint were essentially dismissed by them. *la
1
 The vehicle surged forward when the consumer attempted to brake, and caused her to lose control of the vehicle which resulted in an accident. *jb
1
 The vehicle experienced sudden acceleration. *jb
03/22/200364000212/12/1999
 Speed control/transaxle. 2nd occurrence. 1st with 98 chrylser concorde. 2nd with this past saturday, 3-22-03. when the speed control module goes out, you are left with only 1st and reverse. according to the service tech at hemet chrysler, it happens more than it should. if it goes out while at highway speeds, it immediately shifts the car into 1st and you almost come to an abrupt halt. no accident, but it could result in one in heavy traffic and would probably hit in the rear with the sudden deceleration in speed. *jb
106/15/1999
 The consumer shifted from park into drive with brake depressed and the vehicle accelerated forward with a roaring noise colliding with a light pole. the brakes failed to stop the vehicle and the vehicle was totaled. *yh
12/07/2001206/15/1999
 When applying brakes to shift into reverse or drive vehicle suddenly accelerates, brakes would not hold, dealer contacted. *ak consumer states when shifted from park to drive with foot on the brake the vehicle shot forward with a roar at 30-40 mph, foot was still on the brake but vehicle continued to accelerate at high speed and crashed.*yd
08/10/2001110/01/1999
 I tried for over a mile to disengage the cruise control with the switch and brake. i started on level land, went uphill and down and had the brake to the floorboard. there were toll booths with a number of occupied vehicles in line. to avoid injurying or killing someone, i left the roadway hitting barriers and unoccupied vehicles. my wife suffered numerous bruising and bent glasses. i suffered a broken strernum and have developed fluid in my lungs and possibly around my heart. my prognosis is uncertain at this time.*ak
05/01/2001
 Vehicle goes from a normal idle to half throttle. it can go as high as 2400 rpm's. sitting still vehicle can lurch forward. consumer has to be prepared with foot on the brake at all times problem has been intermittent for over a year. dealer can't duplicate the problem. idling has affected brakes and wore out front tire. *ak
06/28/2001105/20/1999
 While wife was pulling out of parking garage vehicle suddenly accelerated, and driver could not control vehicle,hitting other people around. vehicle finally stopped, and had to be towed. dealer could not tell what was the cause of acceleration. *ak *slc
02/05/200105/01/1999
 I have investigated this vehicle owned by james leipper which was subjected to unintended acceleration in reverse from a start. i have researched your database for customer complaints and returned a high percentage of these vehicles have complaints about unintended acceleration. 1998 chrysler lhs: 2 of 3 complaints about unintended accel., 1998 chrysler concorde 9 of 54, 1999 chrysler 300m and 300 m, 8 of 51; 1999 chrysler concorde 9 of 46; i believe that this high incidence of owner complaints indicates that there my be problems and a defects investigation by your office may be justified. thank you, scott macdonald p.e.*ak
08/15/1999307/14/1999
 While backing out of garage vehicle suddenly accelerated in reverse at extremely high speed, cause unknown. *ak the acceleration incident occured three times, two of them resulting in accident and damage to the vehicle. the dealer replaced transmission after the first and last incidents. *yh
07/01/20001
 When driver put vehicle into reverse, it surged forward and hit a parked car. neither air bag deployed, vehicle was totalled. *ml
06/09/200006/01/1999
 Vehicle parked in garage. with right foot on brake started engine. still with right foot on brake released shift from park to reverse. the car accelerated at full speed engine roaring, wheels spinning on garage floor. went out of driveway across street and ditch into neighbors yard thru another ditch into another street. went airborne turning over against pole stopping the vehicle. engine stopped screaming only at time the left wheel bent under the car.*ak
12/12/1999
 Consumer was backing out of the garage. vehicle was in park and driver had foot on brake pedal when vehicle suddenly took off, and went inside of consumer's dining room area. vehicle stopped by the brick wall. consumer put vehicle in reverse, and it stopped. *ak
 Vehicle suddenly accelerated as soon as the key was turned and the vehicle was placed into drive, causing it to run into two other vehicles. dealer has been contacted. *ak
09/15/1999306/01/1999
 Had right foot on brake while pulling my car into gear from park. suddenly without warning my car accelerated on its own without my having depressed the accelerator. my car took off with a loud screech of tires. my right foot remained on the brakes the entire time as i desperately tried to stop my run away car. no matter how hard i tried to depress the brakes, they did not respond, or even slow my car down. a lady at the doctor's office where we were said that my car sounded like a jet engine taking off. my car jumped a curbing, climbed an embankment planted with shubbery and finally centered a pine tree which stopped the forward progress of my car. my daughter-in-law who was riding in the back seat with her eight month old son hit her head hard on the window. the car dealership and chrysler motors corporation said they found no problem with my car, and that this car is safe to drive. they refused to pay for damages or try to find a hidden malfunction in my car. *ak
08/17/1999
 When placing vehicle from park into reverse, vehicle accelerated and went into a semi circle. consumer has contact dealer and they cannot find cause of acceleration. *ak
01/07/1999108/01/1998
 Uncommanded acceleration of vehicle to 65 mph. only by long pumps upon the brake, was speed bled off to allow a safe stop. upon arriving at a complete stop and shutdown, the dealer was notified by phone. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for evaluation.
12/06/1998406/01/1998
 While backing out of a parking space the vehicle suddenly accelerated backwards, nearly causing a collision. cause unknown. *ak the vehicle accelerated in reverse on its own numerous times causing accidents. *yh on one occasion, the sudden acceleration caused a 6 car collision, consumer is requesting a response back, luckily there have not been any injuries in the four accidents caused by sudden acceleration. *slc
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL - ACCELERATOR PEDAL
10/23/200364500102/23/2002
 Chrysler lhs gas pedal stuck. *la
1
 Vehicle would not accelerate when depressing the gas pedal vehicle would lurch forward. *ak
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL - LINKAGES
06/28/2001105/20/1999
 While wife was pulling out of parking garage vehicle suddenly accelerated, and driver could not control vehicle,hitting other people around. vehicle finally stopped, and had to be towed. dealer could not tell what was the cause of acceleration. *ak *slc
02/10/20012
 When vehicle was shifted to drive it accelerated suddenly and unexpectedly, resulting in a collision. dealer has been notified.*ak