NHTSA Complaint #10260155 — 2003 HONDA CIVIC

2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. ORIGINAL OWNER CAR HAS 52 K. RECENTLY I EXPERIENCED A NEAR DEATH ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE ENGINE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED BY ITSELF AS I EXITED A SLIGHT UPHILL DRIVEWAY. AS I APPROACHED THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY I STOPPED BEFORE TURNING ONTO THE ROAD, I HEARD A THUD OR CLUNK AND THEN THE CAR LURCHED AND SPED RAPIDLY INTO THE ROAD WHICH WAS WET FROM RAIN. THE CAR SKIDDED AND FISHTAILED L TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT THEY WERE UNRESPONSIVE. I TRIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WHICH DID NOT RESPOND EITHER. THE CAR DID A 360 TURN AND HAD GONE ALMOST 200 YARDS FROM WHERE IT EXITED THE DRIVEWAY. THE ENGINE SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BLOW UP. I COULD SMELL SMOKE. ALL OF THIS HAPPENED IN UNDER 30 SECONDS. BY SOME MERCIFUL FORCE, THE CAR HIT THE MUD EMBANKMENT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THANKFULLY NO OTHER CARS WERE ON THE ROAD. I JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING AND I COULD NOT TURN IT OFF, I RAN ACROSS THE ROAD BECAUSE I WASN'T SURE IF THE CAR WOULD BLOW UP OR KEEP GOING. AFTER A FEW SECONDS I RAN OVER AGAIN AND COULD TURN IT OFF BUT THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS DID NOT WORK . THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE OAKLAND, CA HONDA DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT. THEY PERFORMED A BASIC DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND TOLD ME THE CAR IS OK TO DRIVE AND NOTHING IS VISIBLY WRONG WITH IT EXCEPT FOR THE DENT ON THE FRONT BUMPER. THEY HAVE CLOSED THE CASE. IN THE PAST THIS CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED SEVERAL TIMES FOR A RECALL DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE CVT (CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION) BECAUSE IT JUDDERS AFTER COMING TO A STOP. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT HONDA HAS ADEQUATELY RESEARCHED MY CASE. A CAR SHOULD NOT ACCELERATE AS MINE DID AND I BELIEVE THAT THE FACT THIS MODEL HAS ALREADY HAD A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION WARRANTS A MORE THAN CURSORY EVALUATION. HONDA IS RISKING THE SAFETY OF HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLES SAFETY BY NOT TRYING TO DETERMINE WHY MY VEHICLE SPED OUT OF CONTROL BY ITSELF. I PLAN TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER IN THANKS THAT I AM ALIVE. *TR