NHTSA Complaint #10532179 — 2013 FORD FIESTA

I ALMOST DIED IN THIS CAR TODAY. I RENTED IT FOR MY TRIP IN MAUI. IT WAS PRACTICALLY NEW WITH ONLY 10,000 MILES ON IT, SO THERE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANYTHING WRONG, EVEN IF THE PEOPLE THAT RENTED IT BEFORE ME DROVE IT HORRIBLY. TODAY I DROVE IT INTO THE HILLS (UPCOUNTRY MAUI). I WAS ON A ROAD WITH A CLIFF ON THE LEFT SIDE AND A DRIVEWAY ON THE RIGHT. I PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, WHICH WAS A HILL GOING UP, AND EVERYTHING WAS INITIALLY FINE, THE CAR WAS GOING UP THE HILL JUST FINE, BUT A LITTLE OVER HALFWAY UP THE HILL THE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING/MOVING. I WAS PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR BUT IT HAD NO RPMS AND THE CAR BEGAN ROLLING BACKWARDS. SUDDENLY, THE TRANSMISSION (?) KICKED IN AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD AT 20MPH. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL IT AND MAKE IT TO THE TOP OF THE HILL, WHERE THERE WAS A PARKING LOT. HAD THE TRANSMISSION NOT KICKED IN AT THAT SECOND, THE CAR WOULD HAVE ROLLED ALL THE WAY BACK DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND OFF THE CLIFF. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THAT I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL OR NOT PRESSING THE GAS. I WAS GOING UP A HILL AND OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T WANT TO ROLL BACK, SO OF COURSE I WOULD HAVE MY FOOT PRESSED DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR. THIS IS FURTHER EXHIBITED BY THE FACT THAT THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF NOT MOVING, SO I DEFINITELY HAD MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR THE WHOLE TIME. I HAVE READ ONLINE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE ISSUES WITH THE CAR NOT ACCELERATING/MOVING WHILE PRESSING ON THE GAS, SO THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS TO SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS RIDING IT IN THE HILLS OR MOUNTAINS? PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS CAR BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT. *TR