QwnTut

New to your site and I have a feeling that I'm way in over my head!

I have a 2000 Grand Cherokee with 153k miles on it. Bought it new from the dealer and have followed all required maintenance. Recently, I have had to take it to the dealer 4 times, the last 2 within 10 days of each other.

THE PROBLEM
What happens is that if I come to a stop sign or stop light and put my foot on the brake, the tach will surge/jump from a regular idle and then it will cut out and the engine will die. If I don't have my foot on the brake, I think the car would jump forward as I feel it try to "lurch" a bit when it surges. The only positive thing is that the car will restart after this engine stops. It started happening when I was either going up-or-down a hill. The problem has now progressed to doing it on flat surfaces. The car does not seem to have a problem when I am out on the freeway or when I am at a constant speed.

THE DEALER
I have replaced parts, tuned up the engine and followed their suggestions and let the service department do necessary investigation and "tinkering"

The dealer says they cannot find anything wrong. The service technician that's my "go-to" guy did admit, and was embarrassed, that the mechanic put the new sensors in backwards one of the times they had the car.

They suggest I leave it with them for a couple of weeks for their tech to drive it to see if they can recreate the problem. I am not comfortable with this suggestion especially when the service manager intimated that his tech would drive it like it were his own car.

What ever they are doing is not working and I don't know what to do next. I did find a website that is called car complaints.com and lo-and-behold there are several problems listed that are similar to mine. However, the main difference that my car does not just take off and run into something which was reported. This site is just to complain but doesn't give any solutions or resolutions.

MY SOLUTION:
Every time I come to a stop, I put the car into neutral. It seems to break the cycle of surge/lurch. I really do not want to have to keep doing this for the life of the car.

The other thing I need help with is the email address for the President/CEO of Chrysler. I can find his name but no contact 411. I figure I've been patient enough with the dealership and the condescending attitude from the SM that it is time to skip a few rungs and go to the top.

This car has been a really good vehicle and it's just been recently that I've encountered this problem.

I would appreciate any and all assistance you can give me.

Thank you

dave1123

Back in the 60's and 70's Chrysler had a Regional Complaint Headquarters. I don't suppose that's still around, do you think? Also, if you DO give it to the tech to drive, notify your insurance company that you are doing this. This will protect you if he does something wrong, especially if it goes out of control. IDK what you have for a company, but Liberty Mutual likes to know about any authorized drivers.

You didn't say what engine you have. I have the 4.0 and so far haven't had anything like this happen and I have 140K on it. It sounds to me like a TPS problem. Jeep doesn't use the "fly by wire" throttle like Toyota. Not in 2000.

Just a thought. If the SM is condesending, try the Owner of the Dealership.

kjc

Just a shot in the dark here.. check/adjust your brake light switch. It doesn't just turn on your brake lights, it also affects overdrive and torque converter lock-up. Get up to normal highway speed and w/o letting off the gas pedal, touch the brake lightly. You should see a change in rpm as the converter unlocks. Again, just a wild guess, but something that could be easily overlooked.