NHTSA complaint #11718312

Owner complaint summary

On two separate long trips (over 4,000 miles total in recent months), the adaptive cruise control system has failed while driving on the freeway. This is the most dangerous situation I have ever experienced while driving. When the failure occurs: All cruise control and lane-assist buttons become unresponsive. Dynamic cruise control remains engaged. When I press the brake, the vehicle slows—but as soon as I release the brake, it begins accelerating again. There is no way to turn the system off. The first time this happened, I attempted for several miles to reset the system while controlling speed using the brake. I exited the freeway. At a traffic light, when I began to release the brake after stopping, the vehicle accelerated unexpectedly and nearly struck the truck in front of me. With the brake fully depressed, I shifted into neutral. The transmission made a loud clunk as the engine began revving. I then shifted into park, which caused another loud clunk. I turned the vehicle off while sitting in a turn lane, waited a moment, and restarted it. The system appeared to reset, and I was able to continue driving. Approximately two weeks later, while returning from California, I tested the cruise control system again during a long drive. After about three hours, the exact same failure occurred. This time, I recorded video of the incident and have documentation of the malfunction. This system is extremely dangerous in its current state. I paid a significant amount for this vehicle and its safety systems. A failure like this could easily result in a serious accident or loss of life. I do not believe I should be responsible for paying for a vehicle or system that is defective and poses a safety risk. I have video but could not upload it..