All Investigations » Investigation RQ03005

  Defect Investigation of Auto Trans Ignition-park Interlock

Investigation of Auto Trans Ignition-park Interlock

Subject: Auto trans ignition-park interlock
Components covered:
  • Automatic transmission lever and linkage floor shift
Investigations Summary: This investigation was opened on Apr. 8, 2003. It was closed on Jul. 16, 2003. Three of the manfacturer complaints and two of the manufacturer crashes reported above were duplicates of odi reports. The majority of crashes occurred after operators parked the vehicle without engaging park gear position; a non-functional ignition-park interlock system subsequently failed to prevent key removal before the operators exited the vehicle. Most of the crashes were minor and involved minor property damage. Four of the injury incidents occurred when unattended children moved the gearshift from the park position causing the vehicle to roll away, one injury occurred when the operator was struck by a roll-away vehicle after parking and exiting. All injuries were relatively minor. A significant number of interlock system failures appear to be related to disengagement of the interlock pin that rides in the interlock lever slot within the shift mechanism. An engineering analysis will be opened to further study interlock system failures.
Vehicles Affected by this investigation:
  • 1999 Chrysler Cirrus
  • 1999 Chrysler Sebring
  • 1999 Dodge Stratus
  • 1999 Plymouth Breeze

    Other investigations related to Chrysler vehicles

  Defect investigation of engine stall

  Defect investigation of loss of headlight illumination

  Defect investigation of loss of headlight illumination

  Defect investigation of front air bag crash sensor failure

  Defect investigation of engine compartment fire