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2012 DODGE DART — POWER TRAIN

2 fatalcrash · 959909 · 2013-01-25

Vehicle

Make
DODGE
Model
DART
Year
2012
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
POWER TRAIN
Miles at failure
15,000
Speed
10 mph

Severity

Deaths
2
Injured
0
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

MY ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS BASED ON ENGINEERING EXPERTISE NOT EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE, SUGGESTS THAT, RATHER THAN RESPONDING TO DRIVER CONTROLLED BY-WIRE" INSTRUCTIONS TO BRAKE PREPARATORY TO A HARD RIGHT TURN INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE TOOK CONTROL OF THE THROTTLE, BRAKE, AND (DRIVE-BY-WIRE ?) CLUTCH PROPELLING ITSELF 20 METERS FURTHER DOWN-ROAD TO THE RIVER SHORELINE. PERHAPS READING THE BRAKE COMMAND AS AN ACCELERATION INSTRUCTION (OR ???) THE VEHICLE CONTINUED FORWARD AND DROVE ITSELF OFF THE ROAD, TUMBLING 2 METRES ONTO A BEACH, THEN FROM THE BEACH ONTO THE RIVER ICE WHICH EXTENDS OUT TOWARDS MID-RIVER. IT CONTINUED ACROSS THAT ICE ONLY TO END ITS FORWARD PROGRESS AT THE ICE/WATER BOUNDARY WHERE IT PLUNGED INTO OPEN WATER WITHIN 100 METERS OF HOME. THESE EVENTS EFFECTIVELY ENDING A JOURNEY HOME WITH DEATH. THE OTTAWA CORONER REPORTS NO INDICATION (SUCH AS BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS / MEDICAL EVENTS) TO INDICATE THE DRIVER CONTRIBUTED TO THIS OUTCOME IN ANY WAY. IF THE DRIVER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE THEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS EVENT LIES WITH THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE ALONE. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT (1) MY SON IS A PROFESSIONAL AZ LICENSED DRIVER (2) HAVING FISHED IT OFTEN, IS INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE ROAD/FERRY BOUNDARY IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO OUR HOME (3) WERE MECHANICALLY OPERATED STEERING ALL THAT REMAINED UNDER HIS CONTROL HE WOULD HAVE HAD THREE CHOICES: RIGHT INTO THE RIVER; STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO THE RIVER, OR LEFT ONTO A BEACH FORMED BY THE DEPOSITION OF RIVER SILT OVE

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10494772
Machine
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