2003 Jeep Laredo

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. UPON EXIT OF CARWASH, VEHICLE WAS STARTED WHILE IN NEUTRAL. WHEN VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN DRIVE, IT ACCELERATED WITHOUT FOOT ON GAS PEDAL AND CONTINUED RAPIDLY FORWARD, CRASHING INTO VEHICLE AHEAD, CONTINUED UNTIL IT WAS PLACE IN PARK WHILE STILL IN MOTION. JEEP WAS DECLARED TOTAL LOSS BY INSURANCE COMPANY. *TR

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

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITH 2003 GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO. LEASED JEEP 12/30/03 FROM CLASSIC CHRYSLER DODGE & JEEP IN HASTINGS MI. ON 03/04/03 I CAME HOME FROM WORK AND WENT TO PARK JEEP IN BARN/GARAGE. PUT JEEP IN PARK, OPENED DOOR OF GARAGE/BARN. GOT BACK IN JEEP, PLACED FOOT ON BRAKE, PUT JEEP IN DRIVE, HEARD A WHINE, THE JEEP SHOT FORWARD THROUGH THE BARN, OVER AN ICE FISHING SHANTY, BOAT, CHAIN SAW, OTHER DEBRIS AND OUT THE BACK WALL OF THE BARN. HAD JEEP TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AS IT HAD A LITTLE OVER 1,000 MILES ON IT. CHRYSLER SENT OUT A SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR ON 03/07/03. HE SUBMITTED A REPORT THE WEEK OF 03/10/03 TO CHRYSLER. WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CHRYSLER, R.A. BOTT, SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS, DATED 03/13/03, STATING CHRYSLER DECLINED ANY MANUFACTURING RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS MATTER. NLM