2005 Chrysler Town & Country Speed Control & Cruise Problems

The contact owns a 2005 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated while driving 35 mph, the parking brake warning light had illuminated the instrument panel. After she checked her parking brake and saw that it was not engaged, she continued to drive and noticed an abnormal rubber odor coming from the vehicle. She continued driving and then noticed white smoke coming from the dashboard. The contact panicked and attempted to stop the vehicle however, the vehicle continued to accelerate independently. The contact was able to drive the vehicle into a parking lot and placed the vehicle in park. The smoke then progressed from white to black as she tried to exit the vehicle however, she was unable to exit the vehicle since all the electrical features were inoperable. The contact then heard her doors unlock after multiple attempts to open them and immediately ran out of the vehicle. The contact called her husband who was a mechanic and he was able to drive the vehicle to their home. The authorities were not called to the scene and no injuries were reported. The contact's husband was able to assess the vehicle damage and discovered an active fire inside the dashboard module which he was able to extinguish. Her husband was able to determine that internal wiring within the module had caused the fire. Several electrical failures, as well as severe internal damage, rendered the vehicle undrivable. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

Y CAR ACCELERATES TOO FAST AT CERTAIN TIMES, LIKE AT INTERSECTIONS. IT ACCELERATES TOO QUICKLY THAT MY TIRES SCREECH LIKE I PRESSED THE GAS PETAL ALL THE WAY DOWN. THIS HAPPENS WHEN I HAVE THE BRAKE PRESSED AND THEN PUT MY FOOT ON ACCELERATOR. THIS HAPPENS PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY BUT NOT EVERY TIME. FINALLY, I SHOULD MENTION THAT ALL MY CARS HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS SINCE WE MOVED AND RENTED A HOUSE FROM MY EX-LANDLORD PAUL, WHO IS A MECHANIC.

EVERY TIME I GET GAS THE ENGINE STALLS A FEW MINUTES LATER CAUSING POWER STEERING AND BRAKES TO FAIL AND STOPPING ACCELERATION INTO TRAFFIC. A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

AFTER FUELING, THIS VEHICLE STALLS 1 TO 3 TIMES. WE DO NOT "TOP OFF THE TANK", BUT STOP FUELING WHEN PUMP SHUTS OFF. IT DOES NOT MATTER THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE. THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES ARE LOST. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT AN OBJECT, SUCH AS A MAIL BOX, IS ALMOST HIT BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THIS IS NO DOUBT A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE CONTROL OF THE CAR IS LOST. IF YOU PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC THINKING THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO ACCELERATE AND IT DOES NOT, YOU ARE IN DANGER OF BEING HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. APPARENTLY THIS IS QUITE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THESE VANS. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY CHRYSLER. *TR

EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE GETS A COMPLETE FILL UP OF FUEL. WHEN I DRIVE OFF ONTO THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE STARTS ACTING VERY ERRATIC AND HESITATES SEVERELY. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHERS AS WELL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND UNTIL REPEATED FORCE WAS APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED TEN TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL AVAILABLE THAT WAS RELATED TO THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000. UPDATED 6/14/13 *CN

GAS PEDAL IS STICKING. IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE TO PUSH DOWN HARDER ON THE PEDAL TO GET IT UNSTUCK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO THE DRIVE POSITION WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND IMMEDIATELY, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO RAPID SPEEDS AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT END OF A VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AND PROCEEDED TO CRASH INTO THE FRONT END OF A SECOND VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND CRASHED INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES AND A BUS. THE POLICE WAS NOT AT THE SCENE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT INVESTIGATE THE VEHICLE. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND THERE WERE NO FAILURES WITHIN THE THROTTLE, BRAKING OR ACCELERATOR LINKAGE SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 40,000.

2005 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY WITH 30000 MILES HAS HAD TO HAVE THE THROTTLE BODY CLEANED 3 TIMES, AT 13.5K, 23.8K AND 30.1K. EACH TIME ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEGAN TO STICK UPON SLOW ACCELERATION. SERVICE SAYS CARBON BUILDUP IS TO BLAME. I USE NAME BRAND GAS, MOSTLY CITY DRIVING. MY 3RD CHRYSLER VAN, NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. DEALER NOW CONSIDERS THIS 'ROUTINE' MAINTENANCE - AFTER INITIAL TWO CLEANINGS WERE DONE UNDER WARRANTY, HAD TO ARGUE TO GET THIRD TIME COVERED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND THE GAS PEDAL WAS APPLIED, NOTHING OCCURRED, THEN RAPID ACCELERATION OCCURRED SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAPPENED ON A PERMANENT TO WORSENING BASIS. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN EXAMINED. UPDATED 1/29/2007 - THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS PRESSED. AS A RESULT THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO APPLY PRESSURE AT WHICH TIME THE VEHICLE FINALLY ACCELERATED SUDDENLY. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ONLY BECOMES STUCK WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE THROTTLE BODY WAS STICKING. THE DEALER DETERMINED A LUBRICANT WAS NEEDED ON THE THROTTLE BODY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.

ACCELERATOR PETAL ENGAGED TO THE FLOOR AND TOOK OFF DOWN THE NJ TURNPIKE. I STARTED BRAKING TRYING TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN WHILE SIGNALING TO GET OVER IN ORDER TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP.(I WAS ON THE TRUCK SIDE..) ONCE OVER ON THE SIDE AND AT A FULL STOP THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AS IF I WAS GOING 55 MILES PER HOUR. I PLACED THE CAR IN PARK AND HEARD A LOUD SHIFT/CLANK NOSE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THE MOTOR FINALLY STOP RACING AND STOPPED. MY WIFE AND I WAS SO SCARED... WE STARTED TO GET OUT IF IT HAD NOT STOP RUNNING. WE THOUGHT IT WOULD START A FIRE. WE WAITED A WHILE, STARTED UP AGAIN, GOT OF THE TURNPIKE IMMEDIATELY AND DROVE HOME VERY SLOW. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY. THEY KEPT IT FOR A DAY AN A HALF AND TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. THE SUPERVISOR OF REPAIRS SAID THAT THE COMPUTER/DIAGNOSIS READS A CODE: P299S. HE ALSO SAY THAT THE CURRENT PROBLEM I STATED WAS SHOWN IN THE COMPUTER 260 MILES AGO. AND, THAT THE COMPUTER SHOWED THAT THE CAR WAS TRAVELING 50 MPH WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED(AT THE SAME TIME !). WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD DRIVE A CAR AT HIGH SPEED WHILE STEPPING ON THE BRAKE?. OH, ALSO THE SUPERVISOR SAID HE WOULDN'T GO CHANGING THE COMPUTER JUST BECAUSE OF THIS. I GOT MY CAR BACK, DROVE IT HOME AND PARKED IT. I'M SCARED TO DRIVE IT AND MY WIFE IS TOO. I HAVEN'T DECIDED WHAT TO DO NEXT.(PS. THEY WERE QUICK TO TELL ME THAT MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY.... II DO HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. *NM

2005 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE JUMPING THE CURB, KNOCKING DOWN A HANDICAP SIGN AND RUNNING DOWN A STEEP EMBANKMENT.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE FIRST SUDDEN ACCELERATION INCIDENT HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. WHILE TRAVELING 5 MPH, AND TURNING TO GET INTO A PARKING SPOT. CONSUMER TURNED TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE CAR AND ACCELERATOR STUCK, HITTING CEMENT CURVE, IT KNOCKED DOWN A CEMENT PARKING POST AND HEADED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE WENT 30 FEET DOWNWARDS. HOWEVER, WAS RESTRAINED BY UNDERBRUSH. VEHICLE ENDED UP 200 FEET FROM WHERE IT INITIALLY WENT OVER THE CURB IN A RAVINE. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE VEHICLE CHECKED FOR ANY ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP; THEY SUGGESTED THAT CONSUMER CALL NHTSA. ALSO, DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THAT CONSUMER SHOULD CALL THE SALESPERSON WHO SOLD THE CAR. *AK

2005 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED VIN# [XXX] - THREE TIMES WITHIN THE FIRST 1600 MILES, THIS CAR EXHIBITED UN-COMMANDED ACCELERATION WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE FIRST TIME TO 2500 RPM, THE SECOND TO 3000 RPM AND THE LAST TIME IT WENT FULL THROTTLE! THROWING THE SHIFT LEVER INTO NEUTRAL AND WAITING A FEW MOMENTS WOULD END THE INCIDENT. MY DEALER COULD FIND NO DEFECTS AND FELT THE CAR WAS SAFE TO OPERATE AS IS. I FELT OTHERWISE AND SOLD IT BACK ( SUFFERING A LOSS). I HOPE YOU FIND THIS OF INTEREST AND WILL BE ABLE TO INFORM ANY FUTURE OWNERS OF THIS SERIOUS DEFECT BEFORE A DISASTER OCCURS. THANK YOU!*JB UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)