NHTSA complaint: 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA — POWER TRAIN
I HAVE A NEW 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA SL WHICH I PARKED IN MY CHURCH PARKING LOT AND WENT INTO CHURCH. AT THE END OF MASS, AS I WAS LEAVING THE CHURCH AND WALKING TOWARD THE PARKING LOT, I USED MY AUTOMATIC START...THE CAR STARTED AND WAS WARMING UP. AS I APPROACHED MY RUNNING CAR, I WALKED IN FRONT OF THE CAR TO GET AROUND TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND THE CAR ACCELERATED AND TOOK OFF MOVING FORWARD WITH NOBODY IN IT. I WAS HOLDING ONTO THE DOOR CHASING AFTER MY CAR TRYING TO JUMP IN AND PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AS THE CAR RAN INTO ANOTHER CAR IN THE PARKING LOT AND CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. MY CAR WAS DAMAGED AND STILL RUNNING. THE PARKED CAR THAT IT HIT WAS DAMAGED. UPON IMPACT, I WAS THROWN AGAINST THE OPEN DOOR AND THEN ONTO THE PAVEMENT ON MY BACK/RIGHT SIDE. MANY PEOPLE WERE EXITING CHURCH AND GATHERED AROUND...IT IS FORTUNATE THAT NOBODY WAS HIT/RUN OVER BY THIS "RUN-AWAY" CAR. SOMEONE IN THE CROWD CALLED THE POLICE AND THE AMBULANCE...I WAS ON THE GROUND UNTIL BOTH ARRIVED. I WAS TREATED FOR MUSCLE AND SOFT TISSUE STRAIN/TRAUMA/ SPASMS. I MISSED A DAY OF WORK. MY INSURANCE COMPANY INVESTIGATED THE INCIDENT BUT WAS UNABLE TO ACCURATELY PIN BLAME ON THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY...THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THEY CAN DO. THE MANUFACTURER, NISSAN, HAD A COMPANY CALLED AUTO EXPRESS INSTALL AN AUTOMATIC START MECHANISM IN THE NEW CAR BEFORE DELIVERING THE CAR TO ME. RIGHT NOW, NISSAN IS BLAMING AUTO EX
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation