NHTSA Complaint #10592234 — 2007 MCI J4500

AS I WAS TRYING TO EASE MY WAY PAST ANOTHER VEHICLE BY USING LITE ACCELERATOR PRESSURE TO ACTIVATE AUTOMATIC CLUTCH, THE CLUTCH SUDDENLY ENGAGED CAUSING THE BUS TO LURCH FORWARD. IN DOING SO THE SPOT MIRROR ON THE RIGHT SIDE STRUCK THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE SITTING NEXT TO ME BREAKING THE GLASS. THIS BUS IS EQUIPPED WITH A ZF 12 SPEED TRANSMISSION WHICH I THINK IS THE PROBLEM. WHEN MOVING IN SLOW TRAFFIC THE CLUTCH KICKS IN AND OUT AUTOMATICLY WHEN EVER IT FEELS LIKE IT. SEVERAL TIMES IT FAILED TO KICK OUT CAUSING THE BUST TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WHILE FOOT WAS OFF THROTTLE PEDAL. I NEARLY REAR ENDED VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE OTHER PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION IS THE SLOW RESPONSE WHEN BEGINING TO MOVE. THE AUTOMATIC CLUTCH NEEDS TO ENGAGE BEFORE BUS WILL MOVE. MANY TIMES THIS TAKES SOME TIME TO HAPPEN MAKING IT NECESSARY TO HOLD UP TRAFFIC BEFORE YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE YOUR MOVE. IT ALSO BOGS DOWN DURING THE SEVERAL SHIFTS IT MAKES WHICH IN ITSELF COULD CAUSE THE CAR BEHIND YOU TO RUN INTO THE BACK OF THE BUS. I FEEL THIS TRANSMISSION OPTION IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN USED IN SLOW TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. *JS