NHTSA Complaint #10609711 — 2012 FREIGHTLINER SPRINTER 2500

LOCATION OF CRUISE CONTROL ARM IS TOO CLOSE TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND TURN SIGNAL ARM. ACCIDENTAL ACTIVATION IS LIKELY AND HAS OCCURRED DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE BY EITHER ACCIDENTAL CONTACT OF THE LEFT HAND WHILE STEERING OR WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE THE TURN SIGNAL. THIS CONDITION IS COMPOUNDED BY THE ORIENTATION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL ARM, WHERE AN UP OR DOWN MANIPULATION WILL 'SET' OR 'RESUME' THE CRUISE SPEED, BOTH OF WHICH CAN ACTIVATE THE CRUISE SYSTEM. SUCH MANIPULATION (UP OR DOWN) IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR DUE TO THE CONTROL ARM'S RELATIVE POSITION TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND TURN SIGNAL CONTROL ARM. THIS CONDITION IS FURTHER COMPOUNDED BY THE LACK OF ANY INDICATION TO THE DRIVER THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED. THERE IS ALSO NO SEPARATE CRUISE CONTROL ENABLE SWITCH FOR THE DRIVER TO BE AWARE THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM MAY ACTIVATE. THE RESULT OF THIS CONDITION IS THAT THE DRIVER MAY ACCIDENTALLY AND UNKNOWINGLY ACTIVATE THE VEHICLE'S CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM, RESULTING IN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE BEHAVIOR OR POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL FROM UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. RECOMMEND REPLACEMENT OF CRUISE CONTROL ARM WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN TO MOVE IT AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND TURN SIGNAL CONTROL ARM. ALTERNATIVELY, CHANGING THE SWITCH ORIENTATION SO THAT UP/DOWN MANIPULATION CAUSES THE CRUISE SETTING TO 'CANCEL', WHICH IS A SAFER UNINTENDED ACTION (DEACTIVATE) THAN THE CURRENT 'SET' ACTION (ACTIVATE). *TR