NHTSA complaint: 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I WAS TURNING RIGHT TO PARK MY 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA AND I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR TO STOP AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND JUMPED OVER THE CONCRETE CURB STOP. IT CONTINUED TO RUN UPSLOPE TO THE BUSHES AND OVER THREE BIG ROCKS WHILE I WAS TRYING TO AVOID HITTING THE FENCE IN THE FRONT AND BRAKING IT. I CONTINUED TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO DRIVE FORWARD AND I KEPT TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID A FENCE. THE CAR RAN OVER THE CURB STOP OF ANOTHER PARKING SPACE ABOUT FIVE SPACES ON THE RIGHT. THE BOLT IN THE CONCRETE STOP PUNCTURED MY OIL PAN AND THE ROCKS RIBBED OFF THE PLASTIC SHIELDS UNDERNEATH. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY PUMPING THE BRAKE AND WIND UP IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I CHECKED MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE. MY CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 43000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THIS HAPPENED AT THE PARKING LOT OF BERTELSON MEMORIAL PARK IN EL DORADO HILLS IN CALIFORNIA. WE BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS A COMPUTER FAILURE THAT CAUSED THE ACCELERATION OF THE CAR WHILE I WAS TURNING RIGHT AND BRAKING AND TRIED TO PARK. ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE EXPERT, AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER WHO HAS STUDIED SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN CARS FOR OVER 20 YEARS, STATED THAT "IF YOU'RE TURNING INTO A PARKING SPACE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF STRESS ON THE FRONT DRIVE SYSTEM, SINCE EVERYTHING IS BASED ON RUNNING THROUGH THE COMPUTER, INCLUDING SENSORS ON YOUR DRIVE SYSTEMS, ANY ONE OF THOSE COULD CARRY ONTO THE SYSTEM, CARRY ON TO THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER AND ATTA
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation