NHTSA Complaint #10494342 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN CC

ON 01/14/2013 AT APPROX. 6:00PM AFTER DRIVING UP TO A DRIVE THRU, I ENGAGED THE AUTOHOLD ON MY 2012 VOLKSWAGEN CC LUX PLUS. AFTER LEAVING THE DRIVE THRU, I WAS WAITING ON A SLIGHT HILL TO DRIVE ACROSS THE HIGHWAY TO ENTER INTO MY LANE OF TRAFFIC. THE AUTOHOLD HAD ENGAGED AND IT WAS HOLDING MY POSITION WHILE WAITING TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC. WHEN I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE UNPREDICTABLY AND RAPIDLY ACCELERATED FROM MY HELD POSITION. THE CAR SPED UP FROM A DEAD STOP ACROSS THE STATE HIGHWAY (MAYBE TO 30-45 MPH) IN A VERY DIRECT STRAIGHT PATH. THIS RAPID HIGH SPEED HAPPENED SO FAST THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT HIT THE CURB ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, JUMPED THE SAME CURB AND CRASHED INTO A 10?-12? DEEP RAVINE AT A 35-45 DEGREE ANGLE. I WAS IN COMPLETE AND TOTAL SHOCK. AN INDIVIDUAL STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY AND ASSISTED ME FROM THE RAVINE AND I WAS ABLE TO CALL FOR ASSISTANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THIS 2012 VOLKSWAGEN CC LUX PLUS HAS ONLY 5,425 MILES ON IT. IT HAS BEEN ONLY SERVICED BY VOLKSWAGEN AND NO OTHERS. IN THE PAST THIS 2012 VOLKSWAGEN HAD EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOHOLD AT TIME OF ORIGINAL DELIVERY FROM THE DEALERSHIP (WHERE IT WAS PURCHASE BRAND NEW). THE SALES WOMAN WAS MODERATELY CONFUSED TO SAY THE LEAST WITH THE SUDDEN SURGE THE CAR EXPERIENCED WHEN SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXPLAIN THE PARTICULAR FEATURE OF AUTOHOLD. SHE INDICATED AT THAT TIME, SHE DID NOT KNOW WHY IT WOULD HAVE DONE THAT AND JUST CONTINUED ON TO PROVIDE NEW CAR STUFF. BESIDES THE DELIVERY INCIDENT AND THE ACCIDENT, I HAVE HAD TWO OTHER BRIEF MINOR ACCELERATION (REV UP) ISSUES WHILE THE AUTOHOLD WAS ENGAGED. I NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS MUCH TO CONCERN MYSELF OVER AS THEY WERE ONLY WHAT I WOULD OF THOUGHT OF AS SLIGHT SURGES FOR THE TWO OCCASIONS. EACH TIME THE AUTOHOLD WAS ENGAGED THE CAR WANTED TO ACCELERATE, YET I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR.