Who's Affected

Inadvertent movement defects allegedly exists on many millions of Ford and Chrysler vehicles on the road today, as well as on certain vehicles made by other companies.  These vehicles include:

Dodge Dakotas
1988 through 2003 and certain later model Dodge Dakotas
Dodge Rams
Certain 1988 through 2005 and later model Dodge Rams
Grand Cherokees
Certain 1993 through 2004 and later model Jeep Grand Cherokees
Ford Crown Victoria
Certain Ford rear-wheel drive vehicles including the Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis, Mustang, and Thunderbird models.
Certain Jeep Wranglers
Ford pickups
Certain Ford F-150, 250, 350, 450, and 550 pickups
Ford Explorers and Expeditions
Certain Ford Explorers, Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators
Ford Econoline
Certain Ford Econoline vans
Ford Aerostar
Certain Ford Aerostar Minivans
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The park-to-reverse defect may be described using different terms depending upon the factual situation of an accident or event.   All involve a driver who believes that he/she has shifted into "park" and believing so, and the vehicle not moving when they pull their foot off the brake, proceeds to exit the vehicle.   There is then a delay in vehicle movement sufficient for the driver to either fully or partially exit the vehicle before vehicle movement starts.   Typically, the vehicle will move backwards in powered reverse.  However, when placed in "false park" (the vehicle is between the park and reverse gear position; i.e. "false park" and the transmission is in hydraulic neutral, without the parking pawl engaged),  the vehicle can also roll either forward or back in neutral without shifting into a powered gear.   While less common, transmissions with the defect, can also be shifted to between neutral and drive, and then self shift into drive (called a "neutral to drive" accident).

Scott P. Nealey is a San Francisco-based plaintiff's side trial attorney.  He is the founder and principal of Nealey Law, a San Francisco based trial-focused, plaintiff law firm litigating complex class action, consumer and product liability nationwide.  Scott Nealey was the lead counsel in Mraz vs. DaimlerChrysler (2007) and in Guillot vs. Chrysler (2008)  both of which were park-to-reverse cases tried to verdict (since the Jimmy Carter era).  For his work in Mraz, Scott received the 2007 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award and was named a Finalist for San Francisco Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2008.  Scott was also named one of the Northern California Super Lawyers and San Francisco's Best Lawyers 2012 and 2016.

The material on this website is intended for public education and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The material is not guaranteed to be complete, or up to date.


This information is not intended to substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney.
 

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