NHTSA Complaint #10369641 — 2011 FORD MUSTANG

TEST DRIVING 2011 FORD MUSTANG SHELBY COBRA GT 500. PULLED OUT OF PARKING LOT SLOWLY ONTO ROADWAY AND WHEN STRAIGHT DEPRESSED ACCELERATOR FOR HARD ACCELERATION. VEHICLE ACCELERATED FOR A FRACTION OF A SECOND, THEN BEGAN SPINNING BOTH REAR WHEELS AND VIOLENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND SPUN AROUND IN ROAD HITTING CURB RESULTING IN SEVERE DAMAGE TO WHEELS, BODY AND SUSPENSION. VEHICLE TRAVELED APROX. 100 FEET FROM POINT WHERE THE VEHICLE ENTERED THE ROADWAY AND WHERE IT STRUCK CURB FACING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (ADVANCE TRAC) HAD NOT BEEN TURNED OFF. NO ADVANCE TRAC WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. VEHICLE REACHED SPEED OF APRX. 35 MPH AND WAS IN 1ST GEAR (MANUAL SHIFT) NO INJURIES TO DRIVER OR PASSENGER. TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED TO PREVENT REAR WHEEL SPIN. ROAD WAS PAVED AND DRY. COULD HAVE CAUSED SEVERE INJURIES. WOULD NEVER HAD ATTEMPTED HARD ACCELERATION KNOWING SYSTEM WOULD NOT PREVENT WHEELSPIN AS ADVERTISED BY FORD. *TR