Automatic Transmission Park/neutral Start Switch problems of the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee - part 1

My wife had stopped to get mail from rural mailbox. Stopped vehicle, placed transmssion lever in park and shut off engine. Upon return, could not start engine. Called me on cell phone to come to her aid. Car would not start and shift lever could not be moved. Suspected neutral safety switch, and attempted to force the shift lever, which caused a "crunching" sound and the engine then was able to start and the transmission was engaged. Removal of the console cover revealed a plastic "switch" with place for attachment of two cables. The front cable was disengaged and seems to be connected to the steering/brake pedal ( out of view). There is a pin in this assembly that aligns the plastic components and allows the button on the shift lever to move between positions. The pin had slipped out, and was re-inserted. The vehicle could now be started without depressing the brake pedal, and the steering wheel no longer locked when shutting the ignition off. The shifter worked normally, locking up in park and requiring the lever button be depressed when shifting. Apparantly the pin has slipped out again and my wife reported on 12/29/03 that the button no longer has any affect and is not required to go between positions on the shift pattern. This sounds like the problem I have read about with gr cherokees moving unattended. It is time Chrysler owned up to this potentially serious issue. This is our third Grand Cherokee and it will be the last.

Consumer parked the vehicle in the driveway with engine running. After a couple of minutes, vehicle rolled back and damaged the fencing of the residence. Vehicle was still in park. Please provide details.

Mfr# b02 & NHTSA# 02 v 053 000/inadvertent vehicle movemont: consumer states that the vehicle have difficulty of shifting out of parked at 50 degree or cooler since the recall repairs was made at the dealer adam Jeep, in aberdeen, MD. Phone# 410/879 5800. Dealer notified. Feel free to provide any further information. Ts.

Consumer states while putting the vehicle into park the vehicle went into reverse and started to move in reverse. This has happened twice and the second time the consumer had the key out of the ignition. Please provide further information.

Engine was running, emergency brake not applied. Vehicle suddenly went backwards. Consumer was able to jump in and shut off engine. Extensive damage to vehicle, open door got stuck on a parked vehicle, no injuries.

Vehicle was parked and engine running, emergency brake not applied. Vehicle suddenly kicked into reverse and took off, 2 young children inside. Vehicle ended up in a ditch, no injuries. Damage to vehicle unknown at this time. The vehicle has long crank time when cold due to fuel upmp module failure. The right front window mulfunctions but the dealer could not duplicate the problem. Yh.

Vehicle was sitting in park with engine running, when suddenly vehicle took off in reverse, and hit a moving vehicle. Please provide any further information.

Vehicle was parked with engine running, and emergency brake not applied. Consumer got out of vehicle, and at that moment, vehicle shifted to reverse and hit a mailbox. Consumer was able to stop vehicle. No injuries, damage to vehicle was $ 3100. 00.

Placed in park/exited car/car rolled and did not stop/rechecked park position & confirmed that car was in park, however car still rolled & did not stop until brakes applied. Called dealer and was told to use parking brake. Dealer did not have any other information on problem. Car to go to transmission shop to determine defect. Plan to save all repaired parts.

I parked car in a parking space; put car in park; as I was looking in my handbag I heard a crash. My car had backed up and hit a car in the next aisle. I then could not get the car out of gear or shut the car off. The manager of the store also could not get the car out of park of remove the key. The police officer was able to do this and said that my cell phone charger cord stopped the car from engaging totally in park. I plan to dispute this because I cannot recreate this.

While the vehicle was idling it jumped out of the park gear and started rolling backwards in reverse approximately 100 to 200 yards. Vehicle was stopped when it hit an embankment. No damage to vehicle or injury reported. Dealership is examing vehicle to determine a cause for this problem. Note: consumer reported previous incident over NHTSA webpage (odi reference number 750164). The dealership was unable to duplicate the problem.

I started my 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee in the morning to warm up. The vehicle was in park, but the emergency brake was not on. I went back inside my house while my vehicle was warming. When I went back out to my vehicle I noticed it was no longer in my driveway. The vehicle was in my neighbors yard! I couldn't believe what had happened. When I got in the vehicle to move it out of the yard, it was in reverse. Luckily it did not have enough power to make it up the bank of the yard or it would have went through my neighbors house. No one was injured nor was there any damage to the Jeep. It jumped out of park and slipped into reverse on its own. I am 100% sure of this!! I bought the car bc I wanted something safe to haul my family around in. . . We just had our first child. Now, after this incident, I don't feel safe at all. My wife is extremely afraid of it now especially since we have a newborn. . . Nothing like making a huge car payment for something that drives itself. I did some research on the net and it appears that I am not the only person who has experienced this problem. The figures are now approaching 1000 reports of this type of incident. I like the Jeep, I wish something could be done about the problem. If nothing is done by Chrysler in the next few months I am going to sell it bc my wife won't even ride in the car anymore. . Especially with the baby. If I do sell the vehicle, I hope it does not injure or kill of the new buyer!! Chrysler has problem, they need to fix it before people start getting seriously hurt.

While backing out of the drive way and then getting out of vehicle and leaving vehicle in idle, and without any notice went into reverse and ran into the neighbor's yard. Then, finally stopped when running into a tree. When looking into vehicle it was still in park and trying to reverse. Contacted dealer, and dealer claimed that they never heard of the problem.

Vehicle was backed into a parkinspace next to a utility box protected by 4 cement pillars. The vehicle was in park, the drivers door was opened placing the door between 2 of the 4 pillars and the driver was standing outside of the open door. The vehicle lurched backwards forcing the door into one of the pillars and causing the driver to move out of the way. The driver jumped back into the vehicle and put the brakes on then returned the vehicle to park and applied the emergency brake. The driver exited the vehicle and made sure none of the passengers or bystanders were injured, surveyed the damage and calmed his nerves. No other incidents have happened since.

Vehicle was started up with motor running, then door was opened, and consumer was standing on outside while vehicle rolled in reverse, consumers vheicle hit 2 other vehicles in its pathway. Consumer stated vehicle was put into park.

While vehicle was parked it jumped out of park into reverse an rolled backwards, hitting another vehicle cause unknown. Dealer has been contacted. Please give any further details.

Vehicle was parked with engine running/ emergency brake not applied, and vehicle suddenly went backward and came to a stop when it hit a tree. $ 2000. 00 damage, no injuries.

I stopped vehicle and put gear in park. I exited vehicle and was outside vehicle when, approximately 30 seconds to a minute later, the vehicle suddenly jumped into reverse, rolled backwards & hit a small tree before I was able to get into vehicle and stop it.

Vehicle was parked with engine running, park brake not engaged when vehicle suddenly started going backward, and stopped after hitting a fence. $ 2300. 00 damage, no injuries.

Consumer went out to start the vehicle and stood on outside of vehicle, and it started gradually rolling back in reverse, hitting parking gate. Consumer will have the problem looked at.

Vehicle was parked inside of parking lot at work, it was running and in park,and driver walked away a few feet. There was a 18 wheeler parked besides Grand Cherokee. Truck driver was blowing horn because vehicle's gear jumped in reverse and started towards truck, and then smashed into tryck. Dealership was aware of problem.

Consumer stated that while engine was running, he put the shift lever in park and exited the vehicle, and the brake was not engaged, then began to walk toward the rear of the vehicle and it began to back up, he attempted to jump in through the open door but the door jamb caught consumer and threw him to the ground partially under the car and the front tire rolled over his body which caused injuries and damage to the vehicle too.

I stopped the car near a dumpster and put the shift lever in park. I opened the driver door and exited the vehicle. The engine was running and the parking brake was not engaged. I began to walk toward the rear of the vehicle and it began to back up. I attempted to jump back in through the open door but the door jamb caught me and threw me to the ground partially under the car. The door caught the dumpster and was bent back to the front fender and the left front tire rolled over my left foot and right lower leg. A person nearby jumped in the car and stopped it a few feet from a brick wall. I was taken to an emergency room for x-rays and there were no broken bones. I had deep bruises on my left foot, both arms, my right shin and on the back of my right upper thigh. My left knee and my left hamstring were both strained. I am still having difficulty walking without pain in my left leg.

After shifting into reverse vehicle suddenly accelerated into house deck . Dealer was notified.

Consumer had parked vehicle and left it in park, then consumer got out of vehicle, and vehicle went into reverse and ran into consumer's gate before stopping. Contacted dealer, and the dealer was not willing to do anything.

Consumer placed the vehicle in park with the engine still on t and within 2 minutes vehicle jumped into reverse, went accross the highway, running into a building.

Not only does the transmission slip out of gear going down the highway, but I have already went thru one set of new brake pads on the front and now the second set is squealling like crazy so there has to be a problem with the brakes to, could you please make diamond Chrysler do recalls to fix these problems before any one else is killed or seriously hurt, I have been to your web site and seen and read hundreds and hundreds of complaints about these sqame problems. Thank you.

On 8-4-01, I placed my 1999 Jeep in park and left the SUV to get directions on parking at a sporting event. A friend of mine, was in a vehicle in front of me and looked back and noticed that my Jeep was backing up all by itself? I ran back, caught it and luckly my 2yr old son and no one around was physically injured or worse. No damage to any other vehicle was caused, but I am concerned that this occured and never has happened in the past. I called Jeep and all they could tell me was to report this to you and that they are cooperating with your agency on this issue. At this time, there is nothing they can do for me. ??.

Consumer put vehicle in park and vehicle jumped into reverse. Contacted dealer.

Unoccupied parked vehicle slipped out of gear and hit a car. 13-7418-982.

Unoccupied parked vehicle slipped out of gear and hit a car. 13-7418-982.

While the Jeep was in park, the gear shifted into reverse and hit a telephone pole.

When vehicle was shifted into reverse from the park it jumped backwards, approximately 7 to 8 feet, and was stopped when consumer slammed on brakes. Driver was experiencing back pain from this incident, and has not been examined by a doctor yet.

Put car in park with engine running and got out to take a picture when someone told consumer to watch out because vehicle had started to roll backwards. Consumer's arm was injured trying to get out of vehicle's path. Consumer has yet to contact dealer. Please provide any further information.

The gear jumped from park to reverse. 48-51-90-745.