NHTSA complaint #11413352

Owner complaint summary

WE BOUGHT A NEW CHEVY EQUINOX. ONE DAY LATER, WHILE I WAS DRIVING 70 MPH IN THE CENTER LANE ON I-75, MY WIFE ENGAGED THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE THINKING IT WAS A CONSOLE LATCH. THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY SWERVED TO THE RIGHT, AND ONLY BECAUSE I HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL, DID WE AVOID A ROLL OVER. STILL WE ENDED UP PARTLY IN THE RIGHT-HAND LANE. THANKFULLY, THERE WERE NO VEHICLES BESIDE US AT THE TIME. ADRENALINE SHOT THROUGH BOTH OF US AS WE REALIZED THAT ANY VEHICLE IN THE LANE NEXT TO US COULD HAVE HIT US OR WE HIT THEM AND SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATH COULD HAVE OCCURRED. WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT HAVING THE EMERGENCE PARKING BRAKE CONTROL IN THE CENTER CONSOLE NEXT TO THE CUP HOLDERS AND IN A SPACE WHERE OTHER THINGS MIGHT BE STORED, IS A HAZARD. ONLINE WE FOUND SEVERAL SIMILAR INSTANCES WHERE SOMEONE DID THIS SAME THING EITHER ACCIDENTALLY OR EVEN ON PURPOSE. THIS CONTROL DOES NOT BELONG IN A SPACE WHERE SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE DRIVER COULD ACCIDENTALLY ENABLE IT. CURIOSITY OR SIMPLE IGNORANCE COULD COST A LIFE. CHEVY MADE IT EASY WITH THIS HAZARDOUS DESIGN! RICK HENDRICK CHEVROLET IN NAPLES, FL WOULD NOT LET US CANCEL THE PURCHASE; THEY SAID WE "TOOK DELIVERY EVEN THOUGHT THE SALEMAN CALLED BECAUSE WE HAD NOT SIGNED THE TITLE PAPERWORK IN THE CORRECT PLACE. I SHOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK SINCE WE NEVER COMPLETED THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF PAPERWORK. ANY CHANCE YOU COULD TELL ME IF WE CAN OR CAN'T MAKE THEM RETURN OUR TRADE-IN AND CANCEL THE PURCHASE OF THIS CAR THAT "BUY" ANOTHER OLDER, USED MODEL THAT DOESN'T HAVE THAT EQUINOX FEATURE. WE ARE LEARY NOW. HELP!