NHTSA complaint #11202571

Owner complaint summary

UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION IN THE TWO EPISODES THAT I DESCRIBED TO THE DEALER WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE, I WAS UNAWARE OF THE ACC FEATURE. I HAD NOT YET, AND HAVE STILL NOT, USED ANY CRUISE CONTROL OR ACC. #1. I WAS IN A PARKING LOT OF A COSTCO. I HAD JUST STARTED THE CAR, BACKED OUT OF A SPOT, AND PROCEEDED TO THE END OF THE ROW, WHERE I WOULD NOW TURN LEFT ONTO THE MAIN 2 LANE (1 IN EACH DIRECTION) FEEDER INTO THE PARKING LOT, FROM THE PUBLIC STREET. THERE WAS SOME TRAFFIC COMING FROM THE LEFT AND SOME COMING FROM THE RIGHT, BUT THERE WAS ROOM TO MERGE AND TURN LEFT ONTO THIS FEEDER, TO EXIT THE LOT. AS I BEGAN TO TURN THE WHEEL AND SLOWLY PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL, THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ' AT A MUCH FASTER RATE THAT WAS SAFE IN THE PARKING LOT, AS THERE WERE OTHER ROWS STILL FEEDING INTO THIS EXIT DRIVE. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, AND THE CAR STOPPED. #2. I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES AND THEN EXITED THE FREEWAY TO GO HOME. AS I NEARED THE LEFT TURN TO ENTER OUR STREET, I STOPPED TO LET ONCOMING TRAFFIC CLEAR, AND THEN I RELEASED THE FOOT BRAKE AND BEGAN TO TURN AND SLOWLY PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL. AGAIN, THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AT A FASTER RATE THAN WAS SAFE ONTO OUR NARROW STREET AND UP A SMALL HILL WITH LIMITED VISIBILITY. AGAIN, I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, AND THE CAR STOPPED ' THANKFULLY OUT OF THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC THAT I HAD JUST CROSSED. IN BOTH SCENARIOS, I HAD NOT BEEN USING ANY CRUISE CONTROL OR ACC. IT APPEARS, BUT IS NOT CERTAIN, THAT SOMEHOW THE ACC WAS ACTIVE, AND WHEN I STOPPED TO TURN LEFT, AND THEN ACCELERATED, THE ACC REENGAGED AND ACCELERATED FAR MORE THAN WAS SAFE. I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT 1. IN BOTH CASES, I WAS TURNING LEFT WHEN THE ACCELERATION OCCURRED, AND 2. IN THE EPISODE AT THE COSTCO, I HAD ONLY JUST STARTED MY CAR, BACKED IT OUT OF A SPACE, AND THEN PROCEEDED TO A TURN.