NHTSA complaint: 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK350 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING UP TO AN ACCIDENT ON MY MERCEDES BENZ E350 2010 WHICH STARTED ROLLING ON A HILL WHILE THE CAR WAS IN PARK. ON MONDAY AUGUST 30, 2010 I DROVE MY VEHICLE TO THE INTERSECTION OF DELAVALL AND TILLOTSON AVE. IN THE BRONX. I PARKED MY CARE ON DELAVALL AVE. AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. MY SALESMAN REMAINED IN THE CARE TO MAKE TELEPHONE CALLS IN THE COMFORT OF THE CARS AIR-CONDITIONING. I CHECKED TWICE TO MAKE SURE THE CAR WAS IN PARK AND THEN I LEFT MY SALESMAN IN THE CAR. I WENT INTO MY CUSTOMERS BUILDING AND WAS IN THERE FOR MORE THAN FIFTEEN MINUTES WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE CAR AND ASKED MY SALESMAN TO ACCOMPANY ME BACK INTO THE BUILDING. I INSTRUCTED MY SALESMAN TO TURN OFF THE CAR. WHEN HE WHO IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT REACHED OVER TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL. I SCREAMED FOR HIM TO STOP THE CAR BUT HE COULD NOT CLIMB OVER THE CONSOLE AND APPLY THE BRAKE NEITHER COULD HE MOVE THE SHIFT SELECTOR. THE CAR ROLLED DOWNHILL FOR SOME 30 FT. AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A PARKED VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY MY SALESMAN WAS NOT INJURED AND THE CAR THAT WAS HIT WAS AN ABANDONED VEHICLE WITH NO PLATES. THE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE WAS TO MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BUMPER. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR ALMOST 60 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THIS WITH ANY PREVIOUS VEHICLES. ONCE AGAIN THE CAR WAS PARKED ON A SLIGHT GRADE IN PARK FOR MORE THAN 15 MINUTES WHEN THE KEY WAS REMOVED THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL DOWN THE
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation