NHTSA Complaint #10713252 — 2015 FORD FUSION ENERGI

I PARKED MY CAR, TURNED OFF THE PUSH BUTTON IGNITION, EXITED THE VEHICLE, LOCKED IT AND WALKED INTO STARBUCKS. HALFWAY INTO THE STORE I HEARD A CRASH SOUND, TURNED AND DIDN'T SEE MY CAR. IT HAD ROLLED FROM WHERE I PARKED IT ACROSS A PARKING LOT AND HIT A PARKED VEHICLE. IT EASILY COULD HAVE HIT AND HURT OR EVEN KILLED A PEDESTRIAN. WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR I NOTICED I HAD INADVERTENTLY LEFT IT IN DRIVE. I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOT PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK BUT I FIND IT DISCONCERTING AND DANGEROUS THAT THE CAR PROVIDES NO WARNING WHEN THAT IS DONE. HAD I LEFT THE CAR ON IT WOULD HAVE HONKED WHEN I EXITED THE VEHICLE. HAD I LEFT THE CAR IN DRIVE IN MY HONDA I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY WITHOUT PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK. I BELIEVE THAT IS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY MEASURE AND ONE THAT SHOULD BE REQUIRED IN ANY CAR, INCLUDING PUSH BUTTON START CARS. WITHOUT SOME SORT OF SAFETY FEATURE I FEEL IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL SOMEONE IS HURT OR KILLED BY AN INADVERTENT RUNAWAY CAR. I DID CALL FORD (BOTH THE COMPANY AND THE DEALERSHIP) AND THEY SAID THE CAR BEHAVED AS EXPECTED GIVEN WHAT I HAD DONE. I SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT MY NISSAN LEAF, WHICH ALSO HAD A PUSH BUTTON IGNITION, WOULD NOT ROLLAWAY IF I LEFT IT IN PARK AND TURNED THE CAR OFF - IT WOULD IN FACT PUT ITSELF INTO PARK. *TR