NHTSA Complaint #10371775 — 2010 FORD EDGE

SUDDEN, UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF MY 2010 FORD EDGE VEHICLE: I TURNED INTO MY HOUSE DRIVEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 10 MILES/HOUR SPEED. AS SOON AS I TURNED INTO MY DRIVEWAY, THE CAR SUDDENLY AND UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED. I COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR. I SWERVED TO AVOID MY GARAGE, BUT ENDED UP DAMAGING BADLY ONE GARAGE DOOR AND THE OUTER CORNER OF MY GARAGE WALL. THE CAR THEN CRASHED AGAINST A TREE IN MY LAWN AND CAME TO A STOP. THERE WAS BAD DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE CAR. I WAS NOT HURT. THERE WAS NO INJURY TO ANYONE ELSE. I CALLED IN THE POLICE. WHEN THE OFFICER ASKED ME WHAT HAPPENED, I TOLD HIM THAT I MIGHT HAVE ACCELERATED THE CAR IN ERROR, BUT I WAS NOT SURE IF THERE WAS AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. IN THE MONTH PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT, ON 2 OR 3 OCCASIONS, THE RPM GAUGE IN THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY JUMP FROM APPROXIMATELY 1500 RPM TO APPROXIMATELY 3500 RPM FOR NO OBVIOUS REASON, THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT JERK IN THE CAR BUT NO ACCELERATION OF THE CAR. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, THE RPM WILL GO BACK DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 1500 RPM BY ITSELF. I DID NOT REMEMBER THESE INCIDENTS WHEN I SPOKE TO THE INVESTIGATING POLICE OFFICER. THESE 2 TO 3 EPISODES IN THE MONTH PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT MAKES ME SUSPECT THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT DUE TO HUMAN ERROR, BUT DUE TO AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS EVALUATED THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND MY HOME AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF SETTLING THE CLAIMS. THE CAR IS IN THE COLLISION SHOP RECOMMENDED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND IS CONSIDERED REPAIRABLE. HOWEVER, I AM NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS CAR AGAIN UNTIL A PROBLEM IN THE CAR IS RULED OUT. I E-MAILED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONS. THEY PROMISED TO RESPOND WITHIN 3 BUSINESS DAYS, BUT HAVE NOT DONE SO. HENCE, I AM CONTACTING NHTSA. *TR