NHTSA Complaint #10501852 — 2010 FORD FUSION

MY WIFE WAS TURNING LEFT INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT AT 2MPH OR LESS WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH RPMS. OUR VEHICLE SLAMMED INTO THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT OF THE SPACE MY WIFE WOULD HAVE ENTERED. HEAVY DAMAGE WAS CAUSED TO OUR VEH. AND TO THE PARKED VEH. MY WIFE WAS UNSURE IF SHE HAD CAUSED THE ACDT OR IF IT WAS A MECHANICAL DEFECT. BECAUSE OF THE VERY HEAVY AND RAPID ACCELERATION, I DIDN'T THINK IT IN ANY WAY WAS DRIVER ERROR. AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED, OUR 2010 FUSION WAS CHECKED OUT BY A FORD DEALER AND NOTHING WAS FOUND AMISS. A YEAR LATER IN NOV. OF 2012, I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT APPROXIMATELY 50MPH WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP ABOUT 150 TO 200RPMS. THIS DIDN'T CAUSE ANY GREAT ACCELERATION BUT, CONSIDERING MY WIFE'S EXPERIENCE, I IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. JUST AS I GOT INTO NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO 2500 TO 3000RPMS. HAD THE CAR BEEN IN DRIVE, A COLLISION COULD HAVE HAPPENED OR I COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL. FORD WAS CONTACTED, CAR INSPECTED, AGAIN NOTHING WRONG. A SERVICE WRITER TRIED TO TELL US THAT THE RUBBER FLOOR MAT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE MAT DOESN'T GAIN WEIGHT TO SUDDENLY DEPRESS THE PEDAL ALL BY ITSELF! FORD'S GREAT LAKES REGIONAL MANAGER WAS NOT VERY FORTHCOMING-SHE WASN'T APPARENTLY AWARE THAT THERE WERE YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF 2010 FUSION OWNERS FILMING THEIR DASHBOARDS AS THEIR CARS DID THE SAME AS I HAVE DESCRIBED ABOVE. THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN REGULARLY BUT BOTH OF US HAVE A HAND ON THE GEAR SHIFT ALOT OF THE TIME. CONSIDERING OUR EXPERIENCES AND THE YOUTUBE POSTINGS, I THINK FORD IS TRYING TO AVOID AN EXPENSIVE RECALL. DIDN'T TOYOTA USE THE FLOOR MAT EXCUSE FOR YEARS? *TR