NHTSA Complaint #10440509 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

TWO DAYS AGO I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT. I WAS SLOWING THE CAR DOWN USING THE BRAKES. AS I TURNED INTO THE PARKING SPACE I APPLIED PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES BECAME SOFT AND SUDDENLY THE ENGINES RPMS INCREASED AND BEGAN JUMPING BETWEEN 3000 RPMS TO 4000 RPMS. THE CAR BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE BRAKES FULLY DEPRESSED AND I WAS IN DANGER OF HITTING OTHER CARS OR PEOPLE. I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE RPMS JUMPED EVEN HIGHER. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE ENGINE STOPPED. I RE-STARTED IT AND DROVE TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR TWO DAYS AND CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM (OR SO THEY SAY). THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 8 WEEKS THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THIS CAR (SEE COMPLAINT NUMBER 10435619). THIS WAS NOT PEDAL ERROR. MY FOOT WAS ONLY ON THE BRAKE. AFTER DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH I SEE HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. HONDA IS NOT ADMITTING THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SOFTWARE IN THEIR CARS BUT THERE IS. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE TOO MANY PEOPLE GET KILLED. I COULD HAVE EASILY RUN OVER THE 2-3 PEOPLE WALKING IN FRONT OF ME IF I HADN'T BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE AND KNEW TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL RIGHT AWAY. BOTH TIMES WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE I FELT THE BRAKES SOFTEN AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THERE IS SOME GLITCH IN THEIR SOFTWARE THAT TELLS THE ENGINE TO DOWNSHIFT WHEN BRAKING. INSTEAD OF DOWNSHIFTING THE ENGINE ACCELERATES. SOMETHING IS CLEARLY WRONG WITH THIS CAR. UNFORTUNATELY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON SO HONDA CAN NOT FIND THE ERROR. CLEARLY IF YOU DO A GOOGLE SEARCH THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM OUT THERE WITH THESE HONDAS. *TR