unintended acceleration « California Lemon Law blog

The Jeep Wrangler 4XE plug-in hybrid has faced a series of challenges that have left many owners questioning the reliability of their vehicles. Reports from owners highlight a range of issues, from stalling engines that cannot be restarted to transmission errors, battery defects, and more serious safety concerns.

One common complaint among Wrangler 4XE owners is the vehicle’s tendency to stall unexpectedly, leaving drivers unable to restart the car. This issue is not just inconvenient but poses a significant safety risk, especially if it occurs in traffic or remote areas. Additionally, there have been reports of defective batteries and blown fuses, further contributing to the vehicle’s unreliability.

Transmission problems are another significant issue, with some owners experiencing leaks and errors, alongside instances where the shifter becomes stuck in park, rendering the vehicle immobile. Warning lights, such as the check engine light and power steering light, frequently accompany these mechanical failures, along with messages indicating the need to “Service Electronic Stability.”

Charging issues have also been a point of frustration. Errors like “Service Charging System” have been reported, alongside malfunctions in the Power Inverter Module (PIM), further complicating the ownership experience. In some cases, these electrical issues lead to a complete loss of power, preventing the vehicle from starting.

More alarming are reports of oil leaks from the exhaust and rear undercarriage, with one vehicle diagnosed with a bad pinion seal on the rear axle at merely 241 miles on the odometer. The recurrence of such leaks, accompanied by smoke and the potential risk of fire, underscores the severity of the Wrangler 4XE’s problems.

The erratic behavior of the vehicle’s transmission and propulsion systems, including sudden stops in the middle of highways and unintended acceleration that has led to property damage, raises significant concerns about the safety and reliability of the Jeep Wrangler 4XE.

For owners facing these daunting issues, California’s Lemon Law provides a beacon of hope. This law is designed to protect consumers who have purchased or leased new vehicles covered by a manufacturer’s new vehicle warranty. If a vehicle proves to be defective and cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer is required to either replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price to the consumer.

Under the California Lemon Law, owners of the Jeep Wrangler 4XE experiencing repeated failures that substantially impair the vehicle’s use, value, or safety may be entitled to relief. It’s essential for affected owners to keep detailed records of all repairs and attempts made to address the issues, as these documents will be crucial in pursuing a lemon law claim.

The myriad of problems faced by Jeep Wrangler 4XE owners highlights the challenges in the automotive industry’s shift towards electrification, especially in models that are expected to perform under the demanding conditions for which Jeeps are renowned. For those grappling with these defects, understanding and utilizing the protections offered by the Lemon Law can provide a pathway to resolution and ensure that manufacturers are held accountable for the reliability and safety of their vehicles.

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is taking action to address a safety matter related to certain 2018-2023 LEAF EVs. These Electric Vehicles could experience unintended acceleration. This issue came to Nissan’s attention during internal testing in December 2021 when a trial vehicle showed a motor torque deceleration delay following the deactivation of Intelligent Cruise Control.

To tackle this problem, Nissan conducted computer simulations, analyzing data from the test vehicle, in an effort to replicate the condition. After several tests, they identified a specific sequence of actions that could potentially lead to the reported phenomenon, although they were unable to recreate the issue on an actual vehicle.

To ensure the safety of their customers, Nissan continued their efforts to replicate the phenomenon under real-world conditions. After extensive computer simulation and on-track testing, they determined that the following sequence of actions must be completed in under eight (8) seconds for the unintended acceleration to occur:

1. Disengage Cruise Control, Intelligent Cruise Control, or ProPILOT Assist.
2. Immediately after disengagement, shift drive modes from ‘D’ to ‘B’ or ‘ECO’, or activate e-Pedal ‘ON’.
3. Press the accelerator pedal and then release it.

Nissan’s evaluation of the risk associated with this issue in real-world driving conditions is very low, as it has not occurred outside of controlled track or simulated test environments. However, taking a cautious approach, Nissan decided to conduct a recall campaign to reprogram the Vehicle Control Module (VCM) as a preventive measure.
For clarification, the ‘B’ mode engages the regenerative braking system more aggressively on downhill slopes, reducing the need for excessive brake use. This mode is manually selected by shifting from ‘D’ to ‘B’ using the shift lever.

To address the issue, Nissan dealers will reprogram the Vehicle Control Module (VCM). You can refer to Nissan’s recall number for this action, which is R23A6, and the corresponding NHTSA campaign number, which is 23V-494.

Some 2021-2022 Volvo XC40 BEV vehicles may experience accelerator issues because of a corrupt acceleration signal caused by corrosion within the accelerator pedal sensor (APS).

Volvo became aware of the problem in the first quarter of 2022 when they started receiving customer reports of different issues with accelerator pedal behavior. The problem was presented to the Critical Concern Management Team (CCMT) and, following an investigation and risk assessment, a recall was initiated.

According to the defect report, water entering the APS wire harness could cause corrosion within the accelerator pedal’s internal circuits. If this happens signals from the pedal could become corrupt.
Depending on which signal corrupts, the faults may differ. Drivers may experience unintended acceleration or no acceleration, loss of drive power, and/or a no-start condition. These vehicles do have a built-in safety logic that will reduce the acceleration when a corrupt signal is received. The vehicle is still controllable, and the driver is always able to stop the vehicle using the brake pedal.

Vehicles produced between 9-08-2020 and 8-13-2021 had an older style harness. Since then, there was a change in the cable harness supplier. The last vehicle produced with the older style harness was produced on 8-13-2021.

Owners will be asked to return to their dealers to have the accelerator harness and sensors inspected for corrosion and repaired as necessary. A cable splice will be installed to prevent water intrusion and, as necessary, the connector terminal and APS could be replaced. Volvo’s number for this recall is R10170 and the NHTSA campaign number is 22V-288.

In December 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA) received a petition that requested an investigation into alleged sudden unintended acceleration (SUA) in certain 2017-2019 Tesla Model 3, 2013-2019 Tesla Model S and 2016-2019 Tesla Model X vehicles. The petition cited 127 consumer complaints including 110 crashes and 52 injuries.

On January 13, 2020, the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Defect Petition (DP20-001) to assess the request. The investigation included reviews of all complaints and supporting information, as well as an additional 14 complaints that were either not included in the petition or were submitted after the petitioner’s submission. The review also included analyses of available crash data (EDR, Tesla log data, and/or video data) the NHTSA acquired from Tesla, as part of the investigation.

After reviewing the data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support a defect investigation into SUA in the subject vehicles. According to the NHTSA, “In every instance in which event data was available for review by ODI, the evidence shows that SUA crashes in the complaints have been caused by pedal misapplication. There is no evidence of any fault in the accelerator pedal assemblies, motor control systems, or brake systems that has contributed to any of the incidents. There is no evidence of a design factor contributing to increased likelihood of pedal misapplication. The theory provided of a potential electronic cause of SUA in the subject vehicles is based upon inaccurate assumptions about system design and log data.”

“NHTSA is authorized to issue an order requiring the remedy of a defect if the Agency’s investigation shows a defect in design, construction, or performance of a motor vehicle that presents an unreasonable risk to safety. Since the information is not indicative of a vehicle based defect, it is unlikely that any investigation opened because of granting this petition would result in an order concerning the notification and remedy of a safety-related defect. Therefore, upon full consideration of the information presented in the petition and the potential risks to safety, the petition is denied. The denial of this petition does not foreclose the Agency from taking further action if warranted or the potential for a future finding that a safety-related defect exists based upon additional information the agency may receive.”

Chrysler will be contacting the owners of certain 2014-2016 Chrysler 300, 2014-2016, 2018 Dodge Challenger and 2014-2016 Dodge Charger cars regarding a problem affecting the cruise control system.

According to the defect report, the Mopar Stage 1 Kit Performance Packages Powertrain Control Modules (PCM) and Demon Crate PCM in these vehicles could have a defect that may prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If there is a short circuit within the vehicle’s wiring while the cruise control is being used, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off . During a short, the driver may be alerted through multiple warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. If the vehicle continues to maintain speed or start to accelerate, the driver should shift to neutral and/or use the brakes to slow the vehicle and bring it to a stop.

Dealers will correct the problem by performing a software update and replacing the PCM as needed. For more information about the problem, owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler’s number for this recall is U82/U83 and the NHTSA campaign number is 18E-053.

Maserati will be asking the owners of certain 2014-2016 Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli cars to return to their dealerships to repair a problem that could affect speed control. According to the defect report, these vehicles were manufactured with a driver side floor mat anchor which could break over time. The mat could become trapped between the accelerator pedal and carpet and affect the operation of the throttle position. A stuck accelerator pedal could startle the vehicle operator, thereby increasing the risk of a crash. However, the vehicle is equipped with a brake override operating function which will disable any engine torque command requests by the accelerator pedal command. Continue reading →

Infiniti is alerting owners of certain 2013-2015 hybrid sedans of a safety defect with their vehicles transmission software. In the affected vehicles, the Engine Control Module (ECM) is designed to go into fail safe mode and partially close the electronic throttle chamber if it detects a signal interruption from either one of the two Throttle Position Sensors (TPS). A programming error could lead to the electronic throttle chamber gradually opening regardless of the throttle position, resulting in the acceleration of the vehicle. Although the acceleration can be overcome by normal application of the brakes, the issue could increase the risk of an accident. Continue reading →

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is an intelligent cruise control system that uses radar senors or lasers to automatically slow down and speeds up a vehicle to keep pace with surrounding traffic. When the system is working correctly, the technology can be a great tool for preventing accidents, but because it is relatively new, software glitches can leave drivers feeling unsafe. Continue reading →

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Tag Archives: unintended acceleration

Jeep Wrangler 4XE Plug-In Hybrid Repeated Problems

Nissan Leaf EV Unintended Acceleration

Volvo XC40 BEV Acceleration Problems

Tesla 3, S And X Investigated For Unintended Acceleration

Chrysler Cruise Control May Not Disengage

Manufacturer Defect Could Affect Maserati Speed Control

Infiniti Hybrid Sedan Transmission Defect

2014 Jeep Cherokee Cruise Control Defect

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