NHTSA Complaint #10586883 — 2012 HONDA CIVIC

FIRST TIME DRIVING THIS CAR IN LIGHT SNOW. AT THE TOP OF A HILL, I TURNED LEFT TO TRAVERSE THE HILL TO TAKE A SIDE STREET, FOLLOWING MY CO-WORKERS. THE CIVIC SLIPPED - JUST A BIT- AND THE VSA LIGHT LIT. I IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL THROTTLE CONTROL, BRAKES WERE WILDLY ACTIVATING (SEEMINGLY 1 AT A TIME), AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS JERKING. I WAS GOING VERY SLOW WHEN THE CIVIC TOOK ALL CONTROL AWAY FROM ME. I COULD NOT APPLY ANY THROTTLE TO PULL OUT OF A VERY MINOR SLIP AND MY CAR ACCELERATED SIDEWAYS DOWN THE SLOPE INTO A CURB WHICH DESTROYED THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND SUSPENSION. I HAVE SPENT $1125 SO FAR TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE AND HAVE NOT REPLACED THE TIRE & WHEEL YET (ANOTHER APPROX. $600). I TOLD THE 2 FORD DEALERS WHO PERFORMED THE REPAIRS ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AND NEITHER GAVE IT ANY THOUGHT. I REQUESTED THEY TURN OFF THE VSA SYSTEM, BOTH REFUSED. I CAN NOT THINK OF ANY REASON, IN THE REAL WORLD, ANY CAR SHOULD TAKE COMPLETE CONTROL AWAY FROM THE DRIVER LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY FOR SUCH A MINOR OCCURRENCE AS A SLIPPING WHEEL. IF A SEMI WAS BEHIND ME, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WAY FOR ME TO GET OUT OF IT'S WAY. IT WAS JUST DUMB LUCK I HIT THE CURB WHERE I DID VS. TOBOGGANING INTO OPPOSING TRAFFIC OR PICKING UP EVEN MORE SPEED BY CONTINUING FURTHER DOWN THAT HILL BEFORE THE CAR CRASHED. I HAVE THIS INCIDENT ON DASH CAM. IT IS AT NIGHT, AND NOT GREAT, BUT IT DOES PLAINLY SHOW WHAT HAPPENED. OUT OF ALL THE CARS THAT DROVE THAT ROUTE, MINE WAS THE ONLY ONE TO CRASH AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY DUE TO THE VSA TAKING CONTROL AWAY FROM ME AND NOT ALLOWING ME TO DRIVE MY CAR. *TR