NHTSA Complaint #10361287 — 2009 HONDA CIVIC

MY 2009 (AUTOMATIC) HONDA CIVIC EX SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL FOUR DURING THE NIGHT. FOR THE FIRST THREE TIMES, THE DRIVER WOULD ALLOW THE RPM'S TO DROP CAUSING US TO SIT IN TRAFFIC FOR AN UNDEFINED PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE RETURNING THE CAR TO THE DRIVE POSITION. ON THE FOURTH TIME THIS HAPPENED, DRIVER AND I WERE IN A LARGE PARKING LOT MAKING A RIGHT TURN WITH A BUILDING ABOUT A FOOTBALL FIELD AWAY. ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE TURN, THE CAR WAS PLACED BACK INTO DRIVE FROM NEUTRAL AND IT BEGAN TO DRIVE ITSELF. AS THE CAR ACCELERATED FASTER AND FASTER THE DRIVER TRIED TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES MANY TIMES WITHOUT THE PEDAL EVEN BUDGING OR THE CAR SLOWING DOWN IN THE SLIGHTEST WAY. WHEN WE TRIED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IT LOCKED UP IN A STRAIGHT AWAY POSITION, CAUSING THE CAR TO HIT AT LEAST TWO LARGE CURBED MEDIANS AND GO AIRBORNE EACH TIME. DRIVER AND I BRACED OURSELVES AS THE BUILDING CAME CLOSER. WE THEN HIT THE THIRD AND FINAL CURB, THE CAR WENT AIRBORNE AGAIN SLAMMING INTO THE BUILDING AT ABOUT SIX FEET HIGH ON THE WALL. ALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, THE PASSENGER WINDOW SHATTERED AND WINDSHIELD CRACKED. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CRASH I PROCEEDED TO PLACE THE CAR INTO PARK WHEN THE SHIFTER ITSELF CAME OUT. THE CAR WAS STILL TRYING TO DRIVE ITSELF THROUGH THE BUILDING WHEN WE CRASHED. THE CIVIC WAS CONSIDERED TOTALED AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS FURTHER INVESTIGATING WHY THIS HAPPENED. *TR