Automatic Transmission Park/neutral Start Switch Problems of Jeep Grand Cherokee - part 1

Wife parked Jeep in driveway, placed in park with key out of the ignition. Wife exited the vehicle, walked to the back door, got my 4 year old out of her car seat and placed her on the driveway next to the vehicle. Wife turned around to get her purse off the front seat when the vehicle took off, rolling backwards down the driveway. Wife jumped into vehicle and tried to stop it. Open driver's door struck my fence, retaining wall and my 4 year old knocking her to the ground. The door was then bent forward, destroying the door, fender, scratching the side and the rear bumper and tailgate. Wife suffered scrapes, bruises, daughter transported to emergency room then via car flite helicopter - suffered scrapes, bruises, lacerated liver.

See all problems of the 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee 🔎.

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.

Vehicle went into full throttle reverse as it was shifted out of "park". Vehicle is equipped with a brake interlock that prevents shifting out of park without brake being applied. Vehicle left rubber marks from all four wheels for several feet before I was able to being it under control. Application of both feet to brake pedal didn't stop the acceleration and problem vanished as quickly as it appeared. All indications nominal after the event, but am now very concerned of personal liability in the event of an injury. This is a very dangerous situation and I can say with absolute certainty that the accelerator was not touched. One other detail I might mention is that as I was engaging the brake pedal to shift into reverse, something registered that the pedal "felt funny". I've attempted to recreate the problem. . . Using the brake with the engine off to remove any vacuum assist, then starting. . . Normal shifts from park to reverse. . . Nothing. My profession and training allows me to be somewhat objective in this matter. I have to assume that somehow the pedal "feeling" for the brakes and the instant throttle increase are related. Since there is no mechanical connection, it would lead me down the path of an electronics malfunction. I will inform Chrysler and the dealer as soon as business hours start on Monday, but I write this in case I am the "victim" of a similar event before the vehicle is repaired.

See all problems of the 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee 🔎.

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.

We own a small store and my husband had pulled up to the GA tank to fill up the Jeep. He got out and proceeded to put gas in the tank when it suddenly jumped into reverse and sped backward. The Jeep was going at an excessive speed and the door was open, it hit a post and bent the door back. My husband proceeded to jump into the Jeep and applied the brakes and skidded to a stop. My husband pulled some muscles in his chest and bruised some ribs. I have contacted Chrysler and a consultant has been sent out, but in my calls to the company I have not been able to talk with anyone that can tell me what to do or where to call.

See all problems of the 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee 🔎.

Car was in park with engine running with no one in the car and vehicle suddenly jumped into reverse, began backing up and picking up speed. The car traveled in a wide circle crossing backwards across all lanes of traffic. A man at the scene chased the vehicle got the door open and attempted to stop the vehicle. The car ultimately picked up more speed, jumped a curb and crashed into a metal fence. The man injured his shoulder as he attempted to stop the vehicle. Thankfully the only other vehicle at the scene witnessed what was happening and managed to escape damage or injury.

Nhtsa recall 02 v 053 00/recall b02 concerning inadvertent vehicle movement: vehicle inadvertently jumped out of gear while parked and idling with two children in vehicle. Vehicle continued through two fences, and hit a parked car and a house. Manufacturer notified. Feel free to provide any further information.

See all problems of the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 🔎.

SUV put in park in drive way, exited SUV and walked around behind SUV to talk to child in yard, left the driver side door opened. Turned from talking to child to return to vehicle and noticed it was moving quite fast in reverse. Attempted unsucessfully to enter car from passenger side. Noticed SUV turning into safe direction from people, pets, and property and toward trees. Closed door on passenger side. SUV driver side door hit tree, bending the door completely forward into the front quarter panel and riping interior of door off. Luckily no one was injured, or more property damaged.

While vehicle was in idle it went into reverse and ran into a street sign. Contacted dealer.

I had my car in park when the car proceeded to go back by itself with my child in it. I ran after the car and the car dragged and scraped me and smashed my right leg. It stop when it hit my neighboors fence. If it weren't for the fence it would have ran me over. I contected the manufauture and they send some one out to investicate and proceded to tell my that thier ws nothing I could do. I contacted several attorneys and they said they couldn't help me. I feel that the car is unsafe and I have three children and can not afford to purchase a new car to keep my children safe. I hope that you can please help.

See all problems of the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee 🔎.

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.

While idling in my mother-in-law's garage my Jeep jumped into drive and slammed into the garage wall. I was told by Chrysler that it was not a mechanical error.

While driving 45 mph vehicle shifted from drive to neutral, vehicle still at dealer at this time.

Vehicle was in park when it suddenly went into reverse and hit a beam in garage. Then, took off forward, hitting a wall. Please provide any further information.

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

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 parked with engine running, emergency brake not applied. It went into reverse on its own, and hit a building. Damage unknown at this time. No injuries.

Engine was running, emergency brake not applied, vehicle went backward on it's own into the garage. No injuries, damage to vehicle was $2121. 00 .

I left my job site, exiting at a gated driveway. I placed the car in park, or so I thought, and operated the parking brake. I then exited the vehicle with the motor still running, in order to close the gate behind the vehicle. As I turned back to the vehicle, after locking the gate, I immediately noticed that the "reverse back-up lights" were on. That was a positive indication that the vehicle's transmission was in "reverse" not "park. " luckily, the vehicle did not move towards me. I then re-entered the vehicle via the driver side door, and observed that the gear shift lever was actually in "reverse" confirming what was indicated by the back up lights being on. Puzzled that this happened, I attempted on several tries of shifting the gear shift lever to ascertain if I could recreate the same condition (I. E. , of shifting into "park" by "feel" and actually stopping in "reverse" one position short of the "park" position). I was able to do so, that is, incorrectly stopping at "reverse. " since I drive this car at night most weeknights, I would normally shift the car into "park" by feel. Please note that I spent nearly six years servicing Jeeps, trucks and other wheeled vehicles for the national guard as a reservist, and as such feel fully qualified to offer the following description of the problem. Suffice it to also point out that the parking brake will not hold the vehicle from moving while fully operational if the accelerator is pressed while the vehicle is in "reverse. " the "defect" or shortcoming in this case, appears to be the result of a faulty safety button that is an integral part of the gear shift lever mechanism. I noticed a distinct pattern of the shift lever stopping at "reverse" as if in "park" if the button is not completely pressed while shifting the lever forward towards "park. " the button mechanism has a range of motion that allows an incomplete protective action, stopping the lever at "reverse" one notch short of "park. ".

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.

Prior to the recall, NHTSA campaign id 02v053000, vehicle jumped out of park rolled back and caused damage to the vehicle. Consumer is asking reimbursement for the damage sustained.

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.

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.

The automatic transmission shifts into 1-2 very roughly. Took to the dealer and was told that the transmition needed to be replaced. Brake rotors are worn very severly and car shakes when brakes are applied.

After leaving vehicle in idle, vehicle started to roll back and ran into another vehicle. Contacted dealer who was not willing to do anything.

Jeep was in "park" in the garage - within 10 minutes of parking the Jeep rolled out of the garage and down the driveway impacting a parked vehicle on the street. The Jeep was found to be in park after the crash.

After turning into driveway, stopped about 3 feet from street, placed the gear shift in park with the engine running, opened the driver side door, leaving it open as I went to the mail box to retreive the day's mail. (this has been done routinely since purchase of the vehicle) I retreived the mail, looking at several pieces as usual and even dropped a few pieces due to the cold weather, then walked around the rear of the vehicle; all of this consumed 2 to 3 minutes and while walking past the rear of the vehicle I heard a sound typically heard in shifting gears. When I reached a position at the rear left side door, the vehicle started moving backwards; I tried to get into the car but immediately saw the daanger and backed away. The vehicle rolled out into the street, crosssing the street, and stopped upon hitting a mailbox positioned directly across the street. This is a slight downward slope to our driveway close to the street while the mailbox is on an upward slope, about two or three feet above street level. The entire left side of the vehicle was damaged severely due to its collision with mail box. When I got back into the vehicle after the collision, I saw that the gear shift was in the reverse postion. Two weeks earlier the same unepected gear shift movement from park to reverse occurred in my garage and the car began to move backward. Being in the vehicle I was able to apply the brakes and reposition the gear shift in the park. I was alarmed by the incident but dismissed it as an exception.

Started placed in drive gave gas and it went in reverse, placed in park, back to drive and again it went backwards, placed in park, back to low and it went ahead. Then placed into drive and it was okay. Reported to manufacturer and dealer, checked same and they stated that they could not find the problem. I was told to keep an eye on it.

See all problems of the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee 🔎.

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

I placed a brand new 2002 Grand Cherokee in park only to discover it had either slipped into reverse or I didn't clearly have it in park. I informed the dealer and they said this was not a problem with new Jeep Grand Cherokees. It clearly is still a problem. No question in my mind.