NHTSA Complaint #10508863 — 2004 INFINITI G35

THIS CAR HAS A BAD CASE OF AUTOMATIC ACCELERATION. SINCE IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR THE PAST 9 YEARS, I'VE GOTTEN FAMILIAR WITH THE SYMPTONS. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS THE CAR WILL SIMPLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN AND ALL OF THEM OCCUR WHEN BRAKING: 1) WHILE SITTING AT A COMPLETE STOP WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE AND FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE WILL SUDDENLY JUST REV UP TO 4 OR 5 THOUSAND RPM. 2) SAME AS ABOVE BUT ACCELERATION CAN BE CAUSED BY PRESSING HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. 3) EXITING FREEWAY AND BRAKING, THE ENGINE WILL REMAIN AT THE SAME RPM AND/OR SPEED UP. 4) (THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST DANGEROUS) WHEN BRAKING EXTRA HARD, THE TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT DOWN AND THE ENGINE GOES TO FULL THROTTLE. THIS ONE HAS NEARLY GOTTEN ME A COUPLE OF TIMES. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE THROTTLE, THROTTLE BODY, ETC. NOTHING HAS RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. IT IS INTERMITTENT AND INCIDENTS MAY BE MONTHS APART. UNTIL RECENTLY, THE DEALER HAS DENIED THAT ANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM IN THE USA. OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINING ABOUT IT SINCE 2003 ON VARIOUS INTERNET SITES WHILE THE MANUFACTURER DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM AND HAS ALLOWED IT TO PERSIST FOR 10 YEARS. ONLY RECENTLY HAS THE DEALER ADMITTED OTHER PROBLEMS AND STATED THEY WERE AFRAID OF WHAT HAPPENED TO TOYOTA. BRIEFLY LOOKING AT ENTRIES ON THE NHTSA SITE, THERE HAVE BEEN ABOUT HALF A DOZEN COMPLAINTS A YEAR. NONE REPORTED A FATALITY BUT THEN THE DEAD ARE UNLIKELY TO FILE A COMPLAINT. IF A TENTH OF A PERCENT OF THE OWNERS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM FILED COMPLAINTS, THAT WOULD BE 6,000 VEHICLES PER YEAR ARE BEING PRODUCED WITH THIS FATAL FLAW. IN SUMMARY, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A POTENTIALLY LETHAL VEHICLE? SELL IT TO SOME UNSUSPECTING PERSON AND ENDANGER THEIR LIFE OR KEEP IT AND WONDER WHEN IT WILL KILL ME? IF THE LATTER HAPPENS, WE'LL ALL KNOW WHY. *TR