Jeep Rollaway Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

Dozens of complaints have surfaced that the 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees can roll away after being put in park, resulting in both injuries and damage to the vehicles themselves. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigates the problem, attorneys are taking matters into their own hands and asking to speak with Jeep Grand Cherokee owners to learn more about the problem and potentially get a class action started.

Has There Been a Recall?

To date, there has been no recall over the rollaway issue in certain Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs. In August 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it would be opening an investigation into more than 400,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees in light of complaints that the vehicles could roll away without notice, even after being shifted into gear.

The agency reportedly received 14 complaints, including five reports of accidents and three injuries. The investigation centers on 2014-2015 models equipped with electronic gear selectors. In these vehicles, the driver must press the shift lever forward or backward to choose a gear – the shifter paddle doesn’t glide along a track as it does in most vehicles.

The NHTSA said that before issuing a recall it would need to gather more information on how prevalent the problem is and whether it poses a safety issue.

Jeep Rollaway Complaints

Dozens of complaints have been posted online about Jeep Grand Cherokees rolling away. These complaints include [sic throughout]:

“I parked on my neighbours snow covered driveway and put it in park while I helped my dad get my sisters shadow started...I look over while workin on the shadow and my jeep is inchin down the driveway, there was a thin coat of ice undnereath the snow but get this, the wheels were turning backward, like it was in neutral.....almost like it wasnt fully in park....soo I go over, hit the brakes and it stops, I pushed my sisters shadow into the garage with the ZJ and put it in park, not rolling anymore.” JeepForum.com

“When I come back out to the garage the next morning the Jeep had rolled back into my garage door. Upon moving the Jeep and putting it in park and watching it, it slowly creeps away in park.” JeepsUnlimited.com

“The contact owns a 2014 jeep grand cherokee. The contact stated that the gear was shifted into park and the vehicle rolled approximately ten feet backwards. The vehicle shifted into reverse independently. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 4,960.” ARFC.org, Howard Beach, NY

“Vehicle was in a level parking lot with a boat and trailer attached. Vehicle was in park configuration with engine running. Vehicle was left unattended for about 1 minute and it rolled about 100 feet, through the parking lot and across a road and down a levee where it hit a tree on the left front side. The driver was not in the vehicle when it hit the tree.” ARFC.org, Shingle Springs, CA

A Detroit News article also profiled an instance in which a Jeep started to roll backwards while in park and then hit another car. The story also cited incidents in which a man suffered $3,000 in vehicle damage after his car rolled 50 feet into a tree and another in which the Jeep almost ran over a man’s foot.

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