NHTSA Complaint #10068170 — 2003 KIA SEDONA

2003 KIA SEDONA EX, 29 APR 2004 SUDDEN ACCELERATION. WHILE DRIVING MY KIA SEDONA, I WAS COMING ONTO THE ON-RAMP ON I-95, EXIT 130 (FREDERICKSBURG, VA). I WAS ACCELERATING SLOWLY ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND HAD GAINED SPEED OF ABOUT 40 MPH, WHEN THE PEDAL SUDDENLY DROPPED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE ENGINE WENT TO FULL-THROTTLE, AND WE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLY. I APPLIED THE BRAKES FULLY, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV HIGHER. WE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ON, AND I WAS UNABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN BY APPLYING BRAKES. I THEN PUT THE VAN IN NEUTRAL, AND PRESSED THE BRAKES WITH A GREAT AMOUNT OF FORCE, UNTIL WE SLOWLY DECELERATED. I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, AND WE COASTED INTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, NEARLY HITTING AN ONCOMING BUS THAT WAS ENTERING BEHIND US ON THE HIGHWAY. WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME, BUT ON 30 APR 2004, THE NEXT MORNING, I ATTEMPTED TO START UP THE VAN TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND WHILE IN PARK, THE VAN WENT TO FULL-THROTTLE AGAIN, SO I CALLED A TOW-TRUCK. THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN FREDERICKSBURG, VA (540)891-7400 NOW HAS THE VEHICLE, AND THEY HAVE NOT REPORTED TO ME ANY DAMAGES. *AK