NHTSA Complaint #10308111 — 2003 HONDA ACCORD

WHEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE THE IDLE ALWAYS SEEMED TOO FAST. EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED THE CAR APPEARED TO WANT TO GO AHEAD ON ITS OWN WHETHER IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. MY PARENTS HAD REPORTED THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES TO A LOCAL HONDA DEALER WHO TOLD MY MOTHER SHE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE AND ASKED MY FATHER IF HE BOUGHT GAS AT A LOCAL INDIAN RESERVATION INSINUATING IT WAS CHEAP GAS THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. MY FATHER STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR BECAUSE HE FELT HE COULD NOT CONTROL IT BECAUSE IT WAS TOO FAST. I DROVE THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AND ALWAYS FELT I COULD NOT CONTROL THE SPEED OF THE CAR. ON THE DATE NOTED PRIOR TO THE CRASH MY MOTHER WAS AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED RED SHE HAD TO USE BOTH FEET TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER CONTROL. PRIOR TO THE CRASH SHE WAS ENTERING A PARKING LOT AND HAD TAKEN HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO PULL-UP IN FRONT OF A BUILDING. HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED-JUMPED A CURB CROSSED OVER A FLOWERBED AND ONLY STOPPED WHEN IT HIT A BRICK RETAINING WALL. MY MOTHER TRIED PRESSING THE BRAKE AS HARD AS SHE COULD AND HAD THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR JUST KEPT THE MOMENTUM GOING UNTIL IT HIT THE RETAINING WALL. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A STOP, BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. MY FATHER WHO WAS THE FRONT-SEAT PASSENGER WAS BADLY INJURED BREAKING SEVERAL RIBS, REQUIRING SURGERY AND MONTHS OF HOSPITALIZATION. HE IS NOW NON-AMBULATORY AND STILL RECOVERING. MY MOTHER WAS ALSO BADLY BRUISED AND COULD NOT SPEAK FOR WEEKS BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAG HITTING HER SO HARD. WE REQUESTED THAT THE POLICE INVESTIGATE IF THE ACCELERATOR HAD STUCK AND TO CHECKOUT THE MECHANICS OF THE CAR AND NEVER RECEIVED A REPORT. BASICALLY, THEY BLAMED MY MOTHER BECAUSE OF HER AGE. WHEN MY MOTHER EXITED THE CAR AT THE SCENE OF THE CRASH SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY UPSET AND WAS TALKING TO WITNESSES AND THE POLICE TOOK WHAT SHE SAID TO BE HER 'STATEMENT OF ADMISSION OF GUILT'. *TR