NHTSA complaint #11386361

Owner complaint summary

LOCATION: STATE HWY 55, BUFFALO, MN, INTERSECTION WITH CENTRAL AVENUE DESCRIPTION OF THE ISSUE: WHILE STOPPING AT THE RED LIGHT AND APPLYING THE BRAKE, THE TRUCK EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN ACCELERATION BURST. EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE WAS FULLY APPLIED, THE ENGINE WAS ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND PUSHING THE TRUCK. AT LOW SPEED (<5MPH) AND WITH THE BRAKE FULLY APPLIED, THE TRUCK HIT A STOPPED MINIVAN IN FRONT OF ME AND CONTINUE PUSHING IT TOWARDS THE INTERSECTION IN BURSTS AS I WAS DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER A FEW (THREE OR SO) BRAKE PUSH AND RELEASE ATTEMPTS, ACCELERATION STOPPED AND THE TRUCK (AND THE MINIVAN) CAME TO A FULL STOP. THE TRUCK PUSHED THE MINIVAN FOR SEVERAL FEET. THERE IS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO A TRUCK SINCE THE MINIVAN HAD A BICYCLE RACK INSTALLED. EXCEPT FOR THE DAMAGED BICYCLE RACK, THERE IS NO OBSERVABLE DAMAGE ON THE MINIVAN. AFTER THE TRUCK CAME TO A FULL STOP, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WAS ON AND BLINKING FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THEN IT ON. THE FRONT PARK ASSIST LIGHT WAS ALSO ON. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK TO CLOSES THE SAFE PARKING LOCATION. I COULD NOT RECREATE BRAKING RELATED ACCELERATION. POTENTIAL CAUSE: A WEB SEARCH SHOWED SEVERAL REPORTS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION BURSTS WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE WERE REPORTED ON DODGE / RAM VEHICLES, INCLUDING RAM 1500. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEMS WAS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THIS CASE. SAFETY CONCERN: IF I DID NOT DEPRESS THE BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES WHICH IN MY OPINION STOPPED ACCELERATION, THE TRUCK MAY HAVE PUSHED THE MINIVAN INTO A BUSY INTERSECTION AND CAUSE A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS ACCIDENT.