NHTSA complaint: 2008 HONDA FIT — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN I BACKED OUT OF MY DAUGHTER'S DRIVEWAY, I TRIED TO SHIFT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM PARK TO REVERSE. IT CLICKED BUT WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE AS I LIFTED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE. IT ROLLED FORWARD SLIGHTLY. I PUT IT BACK IN PARK AGAIN AND DECIDED TO TRY ONCE MORE. THERE WAS NO FLOOR MAT ON THE FLOOR. THERE WERE NO CARS COMING AT THIS POINT. I SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND REMOVED MY FOOT SLOWLY FROM THE BRAKE. THE CAR FLEW INTO THE STREET WITH RAPID ACCELERATION AND I COULDN'T BRAKE FOR AN ONCOMING CAR, WHICH I CRASHED INTO. THE FITS LEFT TAIL LIGHT AND BUMPER WERE HIT AT SUCH AN ANGLE AND IMPACT THAT MY CAR SPUN FORWARD AND THE TRANSMISSION MOVED INTO DRIVE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE CAR AND IT WENT ZOOMING ACROSS MY DAUGHTER'S LAWN, ALMOST HITTING A HUGE PALM TREE AND A UTILITY POLE. IT THEN SPUN AROUND AND FINALLY STOPPED BEFORE IT ALMOST CRASHED INTO MY DAUGHTER'S HOUSE WHERE MY GRANDSON WAS WATCHING BEHIND THE WINDOW. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE OTHER CAR IN THE CRASH SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS AND WERE WILLING TO TESTIFY TO THAT FACT. THE POLICE REPORT LISTS MECHANICAL FAILURE AS THE CAUSE. THE HONDA FIT WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP AND REPAIRED AT A COST OF $4400. THE REPAIR PEOPLE WOULD NOT TEST DRIVE IT BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID TO. THEY DEMANDED THAT THE CAR BE TOWED TO THE HONDA DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER EXPERIENCED THE RAPID ACCELERATION PROBLEM TOO AS HE WAS MOVING THE CAR TO THE TOW TRUC
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation