NHTSA complaint: 2010 LINCOLN MKZ — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
BACKED CROOKEDLY INTO PARKING SLOT IN PUBLIC PARKING LOT. TRIED TO STRAIGHTEN CAR IN SLOT BY SLOWLY MOVING FORWARD. CAR ON ITS OWN LURCHED AHEAD AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED; BRAKES HAD LITTLE EFFECT AND I STRUCK A PARKED CAR. SOMEHOW SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND CAR ON ITS OWN GAINED FEROCIOUS SPEED TRAVELING BACKWARDS. THIS FORWARD, THEN BACKWARD PATTERN CONTINUED ON ITS OWN WHILE I STRUGGLED TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL. IN REVERSE, CAR CONTINUED GAINING SPEED BEYOND MY CONTROL, WHEELING ABOUT THE PARKING LOT AND STRIKING 3 OR 4 ADDITIONAL AUTOS. DURING ALL THIS TIME THE CAR SHOT MOSTLY BACKWARD AT INCREASINGLY FASTER SPEEDS IN WIDE ARCS, IN PINBALL FASHION. EVENTUALLY THE REPEATED HAMMERING BY MY CAR AGAINST OTHER PARKED VEHICLES SLOWED MY CAR ENOUGH THAT I COULD BRAKE FINALLY, AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. ALTOGETHER MY AUTO HAD STRUCK AND SERIOUSLY DAMAGED 6 OTHER VEHICLES. ACCELERATOR SEEMED STUCK DURING THE EVENT, AND BRAKES HAD NO EFFECT UNTIL CAR'S SPEED WAS SUFFICIENTLY SLOWED--BEFORE OPERATING. DAMAGE TO MY AUTO, PARTICULARLY THE ENTIRE FRONT END--GRILL AND FRONT FENDERS--WAS EXTENSIVE. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation