Automatic Transmission Park/neutral Start Switch problems of the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee - part 1

Consumer states after placing vehicle in park, without warning vehicle jumped out of gear into reverse and rolled backwards. Dealer has been notified and stated because driver did not place the parking brake, the vehicle rolled back.

Vehicle was in a idling position of park and slipped into reverse, slamming into multiple vehicles. Vehicle was at dealership being serviced; consumer was outside vehicle, and service technician was operating vehicle at the time.

Emergency brake was inoperative, vehicle would still roll when emergency parking brakes were engaged. Dealer notified.

The vehicle was parked in front of an office building, engine running and gear shift in park. The driver got out to drop off an envelope at the office and as she entered the building the transmission shifted from park to reverse. The vehicle rolled, under power, backward into two other vehicles damaging all three vehicles. The parking brake had not been applied because the driver expected the "park position" of the shifter to be adequate to keep the car from moving. Daimler/Chrysler was contacted and they had an investigator look at the vehicle. He concluded that the parking pawl, transmission linkage and all associated parts are operating properly. Their decision was, that because the "recommendations" in the vehicle manual weren't followed, they had no obligation in the matter. The driveway where the vehicle was parked had enough slope that the vehicle would have rolled freely if it had not been placed in park. Although there is evidence that similar incidents have occurred, ( I. E. Consumer complaints in the NHTSA database) daimler/Chrysler has not notified us that thiscould be a possible problem.

Vehicle was in park and turned on with door open. As vehicle rolled backwards consumer ran to try and jump into vehicle. Physically saw gear shift click from park to reverse. Vehicle was moving too fast to slam gear shift back to park.

While vehicle was in park it unexpectedly shifted into reverse and hit another vehicle.

Gear shift jumped out of park into reverse and consumer's vehicle hit another vehicle.

My Jeep was in park ,engine running walked behind vehicle to store . Came out two minutes later and vehicle had moved in reverse 180 degrees. A rock stopped the Jeep from moving further .

The car was unatended, running, in park when the transmision slipped into reverse and rolled down the road hitting a house.

I pulled into my son's drive-way to pick him up. I put the car in park and put the emergency brake on while I waited for him to come out. He was saying something to me so I opened the door and stood so I could hear him. He was asking for me to come inside. Standing beside the Jeep with the door open, I reached in to shut shut the car off. I shut the car off and then it started going backwards. The car hit me and knocked me down. I hit my head on the cement. My son ran after the car and stopped it from going across the street. Then he took me to the emergency room. I had a CT scan and suffered head and tissue injuries, including black eye (wear glasses), head lump, neck, forehead and temple bruising, bruised shoulder, bruised behind, bruised arm and bruised leg.

While engine was running and shift lever was in park position vehicle jumped out of park and went into reverse. Vehicle rolled out of a service station parking lot and across several lanes on a highway. Another individual was able to stop vehicle without a crash or any injuries. Please provide any additional information / documentation.

Transmissin jumps in revese.

Vehicle was parked with engine running, park brake not engaged, and was pulling trailer when vehicle suddenly went backward, knocked over a person, consumer was able to jump in and stop vehicle. No injuries, damage to vehicle unknown at this time. Consumer stated that while brake was hit to stop the vehicle, the boat fell off the trailer, damaging trailer and putting hole in boat.

Vehicle was parked but idiling when it jumped from park to reverse, resulting in vehicle hitting a pole. Dealer has been contacted. Please provide further details.

While gear was in park and idling, vehicle started moving backwards. No determination was made for cause of this problem. Vehicle rolled into mailbox.

While vehicle was idling it shifted into reverse, and collided into another vehicle, consumer has contacted dealer.

Vehicle was put into park, driver was out of car with door open, vehicle started to move backwards, was able to get back in car - gear was now in reverse. No injuries, no damage. First time this happened driver was in car with gear in park, idling, car went into reverse. But driver questioned whether he might have just had it in reverse . . . So ignored it.

Vehicle was parked inside of consumer's apartment complex, consumer was going to newpaper stand, and vehicle jumped into gear and started traveling backward without prior warning. Dealership was aware of problem. Consumer was able to jump inside of vehicle to stopit. There were no injuries reported.

From park, vehicle shifted freely and lost reverse function. Total repair cost was $2,714. 43. Dealer was contacted prior to repair since transmission shop claimed the see a lot of these and they thought transmissions where defective. Dealer refused to take any responsibility.

Vehicle was in park and may have jumped gears into revers. 35-w709-576.

Car was put in park and as I started to exit car it started to roll. I was able to then stop car and prevent any damage or injury.

Owner put vehicle in park mode and went to mailbox. Car remained in park mode for a time, but then threw itself into reverse mode. Unoccupied vehicle backed into the street from the owner's driveway and circled back into the neighbor's yard. It traveled a long way across the neighbor's yard and did not stop until it struck a tree, resulting in over $3,100 damage to the car in the tailgate region. After reporting incident to manufacturer they sent a response letter that said to turn it into owner's insurance because driver did not deploy the emergency brake, turn off engine and take out keys.

While inside of vehicle with engine on and parking pawl in park it could jump and move to reverse. This problem had happened three times without a prior warning.

While car was in park and engine running vehicle jumped out of park into reverse, down driveway and into field, consumers wife ran and jumped in car ,and was dragged until emergency brake could be pulled and vehicle came to a stop.

Consumer advised that vehicle kicked out of gear and rolled backwards 42-1384-167.

Another vehicle was at stop light in front of the cherokee. Cherokee had jumped out of drive into reverse and then back into drive on its own. It then lurched forward and rearended vehicle in front. This caused the other driver, in the vehicle in front, to suffer head & neck pain. This information was furnished by catherine bocskor @3216 geiger avenue kensington MD 20895, the injured party. She received the information from the owner of the cherokee at the scene of accident.

I put vehicle in park and left it running to run into a store I was halfway in the store when the vehicle began to roll backward in reverse. It proceeded to back up over a curve and hit a building after I managed to reach inside and turn the steering wheel I was thrown to the ground. Fortunaltely my children who were in the car were not injured only frightened.

Vehicle went into reverse while traveling 40 mph causing rollover and ejection of three passengers.

When I parked to watch a fireworks display the lever slipped back into reverse. My wife yelled out to me and I was able to get my foot back on the brake before hitting a lady and young child who had walked behind the vehicle.

Gear shift jumped into reverse when consumer put lever into park. Vehicle was unable to make any movement because consumer applied brakes. Dealership did not examine vehicle. Please provide any additional information/attachments.

Vehicle jumped from park to reverse causing an accident with a mobile home and carport. Consumer was not parked on an incline. Consumer put the vehicle in park, got out to get the mail, as consumer retrieved the mail, consumer turned to see vehicle going in reverse and crashing into a mobile home.

While driving vehicle jumps out of drive into reverse. Vehicle downshifts by itself. Also, vehicle makes a humming sound and is jerking. Contacted dealer, and dealer stated there was no recall.

Pulling out of parking space, I thought I had a flat. I left car idling, in park, and got out to look at back tire. Driver side looked ok, I then went around back to look at passenger side and car started rolling in reverse. Open driver door knocked me down and ran over heel of shoe, couldn't catch car to stop it and it hit 2 parked cars in lot.

Engine was running, emergency brake not applied, and vehicle suddenly went into reverse. Consumer was caught by vehicle, and her right leg was run over. Consumer was hospitalized for 3 weeks. Damage to vehicle unknown.

Parking gear does not lock in park and will roll, vehicle does not start enless in neutral.