NHTSA Complaint #10473983 — 2011 KIA SORENTO

ON 9/19/2012 AT 12:17 PM I TOOK A FRANTIC CALL FROM MY WIFE. SHE HAD JUST STOPPED TO FILL UP WITH GAS, GOT BACK ON THE INTERSTATE AND SET THE CRUISE CONTROL AT AROUND 75 MPH. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE FRONT END STARTED SHAKING AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE SPEED. SHE SHUT OFF THE CRUISE AND WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO PULL OVER WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. IT WAS ALREADY GOING OVER 80 MPH WHEN SHE CALLED. I TOLD HER TO STAND ON THE BRAKES-NO EFFECT. I TOLD HER TO PUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND TO PUSH AND HOLD THE START BUTTON FOR 10 SECONDS-NOTHING (THAT IS THE OVERRIDE TO GET THE CAR STARTED WHEN THE BRAKE SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS-WE HAD JUST HAD IT REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP 2 WEEKS PRIOR). I TOLD HER TO SHIFT IT INTO NEUTRAL-THE SHIFTER IS LOCKED IN DRIVE. I TOLD HER TO SHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR-IT WON'T MOVE. AFTER 4 MINUTES THE CAR WAS GOING OVER 85 MPH-I TOLD HER TO HANG UP & CALL 911 AS SHE COULD TELL THEM WHERE SHE WAS MUCH BETTER THAN I COULD. A FEW MINUTES LATER I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE HIGHWAY PATROL-THEY HAD 2 CRUISERS ON THE INTERSTATE WITH HER TRYING TO CLEAR TRAFFIC AHEAD OF HER. I ASKED IF THEY COULD GET A CRUISER AHEAD OF HER AND LET HER NOSE UP BEHIND IT AND THEN USE THE CRUISER TO STOP HER. EVIDENTLY THEY DIDN'T LIKE THAT IDEA OR IT IS AGAINST POLICY BECAUSE THEY NEVER DID TRY THAT. THE DISPATCHER HAD TO HANG UP TO CONCENTRATE ON THE SITUATION AT HAND. I NOW HAD THE DISPATCHER'S NUMBER SO I COULD CALL HER BACK. AT ONE POINT I CALLED BACK AND SUGGESTED THAT SHE ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL AND TRY TO SLOW THE CAR WITH IT. MY WIFE DOES NOT REMEMBER EVER TRYING THIS. THIS WENT ON FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AT SPEEDS UP TO 119 MPH. AT THE END ONE OF THE OFFICERS TOLD HER TO PUT HER LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND PULL UP ON THE ACCELERATOR WITH HER RIGHT FOOT AT THE SAME TIME. SHE WENT FROM OVER 100 MPH TO UNDER 50 MPH INSTANTLY, LET GO OF THE PEDALS. *TR