2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed Feb 12, 2010 · Acceleration · HI

I was driving my 2001 jeep grand cherokee yesterday morning and had unintended acceleration!! I bought this vehicle in great condition about 3 weeks ago and had 0 problems with acceleration until this point, and a very sharp point at that! I was traveling uphill and went to pass another vehicle doing approx. 20 miles per hour, I accelerated past the vehicle and all of a sudden the gas pedal went all the way to the floor as if the cruise control came on, but when I tried tapping and then(when that didn't help) I was holding the brakes as far down as I could but would not stop this vehicle that was charging forward with the engine at high revs.. I eventually was able to get the vehicle into neutral which calmed this down. It took the whole length of the street to stop this, and if there were any other vehicles on the road, there would have been a serious-serious accident!!! I am hoping there is something I can do to correct this problem but my mechanic has no idea what could have caused this. I of course came home and googled on my computer to find out if anyone else has had a problem with this, and there are many, many with horror stories of major accidents! I would like to know if anything can be done as I love the vehicle but cannot put peoples lives in danger if this is to happen again.. I have had many cars over the years and have never had anything remotely dangerous as this happen, and I have had no accidents to this point!! With a v8 engine, this vehicle is like a tank charging, and very very very dangerous!! I was very luck, this time!!

Filed Jun 25, 2009 · Acceleration · 55,336 miles · WA

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 jeep grand cherokee. While attempting to apply the brakes at 5 MPH, the vehicle suddenly surged forward. The contact stated that the failure occurred periodically. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The current and failure mileages were 55,336.

Filed Apr 13, 2009 · Transmission · 75,000 miles · IL

Sudden acceleration once again by those wonderful jeep cherokees. 2001 exiting a carwash in the chicagoland area. This is the third in less than 2 years. Now that these jeeps are getting more miles on them this is going to happen alot!!!!!!!!!! Beware!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Filed Aug 4, 2003 · Acceleration · OH

January I went to apply my brakes at a stop sign and it lunged forward. Shocked I slammed my foot on the brake harder and it lunged a second time hitting a car coming down the side street. Thursday when I went to apply my brakes the car shook so hard I could barely keep my hands on the steering wheel. This has happened once before and the dealership replaced them the first time, they won't do it this time. I have had my jeep 2 years and this is the third set of brakes. They told me to expect to change brakes and or pads every 15,000 miles? There fore wracking another bill of over $800.

Filed Oct 27, 2002 · Transmission · ID

Vehicle will either not engage transmission after shifting (for about 10 seconds) or less commonly will suddenly accelerate on its own when put in reverse requiring hard pressure of the brakes to stop the vehicle. Both events are probably related but dealer/chrysler state they can not duplicate the problem. I find this to be a dangerous, life threatening defect and I believe it occurs to other jeep as well. I will be going through arbitration then through the courts pursuing my rights under the lemon law. I worry more about others who may have defective vehicles and don't take the initiative to protect themselves. I hope the federal safety agency can investigate this further. Dt

Filed Dec 11, 2001 · Acceleration, Brakes · CA

Brakes vibrate and do not slow vehicle adequately. When slowing transmission downshifts into low gear and vehicle accelerates and lurches forward. To compensate for this sudden acceleration additional pressure on the brake pedal is required to avoid loosing control. This is unsafe and will cause an accident if not addressed properly.

Filed Oct 26, 2001 · Transmission · TX · crash · 1 injury

While vehicle was parked and still running, had shifted into reverse with foot on brakes, and vehicle suddenly accelerated backwards. Struck a truck and another vehicle that was parked. *ak one person was injured in accident.