NHTSA complaint: 2011 PORSCHE PANAMERA 4 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ON 05/24/19 WE WERE DRIVING SLOWLY IN A PAVED HOTEL PARKING LOT. WE ENTERED A PARKING SPACE AT LOW PARKING SPEED. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH EXTREMELY HIGH TORQUE & UNCONTROLLED VELOCITY, JUMPED THE CURB, FLEW OVER A HILL, SCRAPED ACROSS A LARGE BOULDER ON THE HILLTOP, AND CONTINUED UNCONTROLLABLY SPEEDING. THE ACCELERATION PROPELLED THE CAR THROUGH VERY ROUGH NATURAL DESERT TERRAIN DENSELY FILLED WITH BUSHES, LARGE CACTUS, BOULDERS AND RUTS. BRAKING HAD LITTLE OR NO EFFECT UNTIL WE SPED ABOUT HALF A FOOTBALL FIELD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS FINALLY BROUGHT TO A STOP - JUST BEFORE A TREE AHEAD OF US. PICTURES OF THE HOTEL ROAD, PARKING LOT, THE BERM AHEAD OF THE PARKING SPACE THE CAR ACCELERATED OVER, AND THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND DESERT ARE SHOWN IN EXHIBIT A. WE SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES, AND WERE FORTUNATE TO WALK AWAY AND OUT OF THE DESERT ALIVE. THE CAR WAS TOWED AND OUR CHUBB INSURER DECLARED THE VEHICLE 'TOTALED' FROM THE DAMAGE IT SUSTAINED. EXACT VEHICLE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT IS UNKNOWN. WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT HAS INNOVATED, DESIGNED, TESTED AND COMMERCIALIZED ENGINE CONTROLS FOR DECADES. WE BELIEVE THE ACCELERATION WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY A FAULTY CONTROL SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE. BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE, SUCH INCIDENTS, AND THE RELATED POTENTIAL PROPERTY DAMAGE AND INJURY OR DEATH OF OTHERS IN THE FUTURE CAN BE PREVENTED IF PROPER CONTROLS AND EMERGENCY FEATURES ARE IN PLACE. WE TALKED WITH THE MANAGER OF THE COLORADO SPRINGS PORSCHE DEALERSHIP WHER
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation