NHTSA Complaint #10507357 — 2008 BUICK LUCERNE

WHEN MY WIFE WAS PARKING THE CAR IN A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT, THE ENGINE ROARED (EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE) AND THE VEHICLE JUMPED OVER THE CURB AND STRUCK SMALL BUSHES AND TREES IN THE MEDIAN BETWEEN THE STEIN MART AND HOME DEPT PARKING LOTS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FRONT GRILL AND DRIVER SIDE FRONT FENDER. MY WIFE WAS NOT INJURED LUCKILY. HAD THIS EVENT OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS SOMEBODY COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED AND OR KILLED DEPENDING UPON THE CIRCUMSTANCES. I HAD A SIMILIAR INSTANCE ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN THE CAR SURGED FORWARD WHILE I WAS STOPPED AT A INTERSECTION. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND I GOT THE CAR STOPPED. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR AND DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY FURTHER PROBLEMS. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A STUCK ACCELERATOR LINKAGE THAT CLEARED. I'VE SINCE LEARNED THE NEWER VEHICLES ARE DRIVE BY WIRE CONTROLLED. THEIR IS NO DIRECT THROTTLE LINKAGE FROM THE GAS PEDAL. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A BUICK DEALERS BODY SHOP BEING REPAIRED.. THEIR SERVICE MANAGER STATED THEY WOULD READ THE COMPUTER CODES AND USE A SCAN TOOL TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. AN ACCIDENT REPORT WAS RECORDED BY THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. *TR