NHTSA Complaint #10778833 — 2005 FORD FIVE HUNDRED

LEAVING A GROCER AT 13:15 ON 9/7/2015 STARTED TO BACK OUT OF PARKING SPOT WHEN AUTO SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BACKWARD, ACROSS THE AISLE AND SLAMMED INTO PARKED VEHICLE WITH IMPACT SENDING THAT AUTO INTO A 3RD. DAMAGES TO BOTH VEHICLES. WHEN I WENT TO PULL INTO MY ORIGINAL SLOT TO DEAL WITH SITUATION, AS SOON AS I REMOVED FOOT FROM BRAKE, AUTO LUNGED FORWARD AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, JUMPED A 6" LANDSCAPE CURB AND PLOWED INTO THE FRONT END OF A CADILLAC SRX CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THAT VEHICLE, STILL UNK TOTAL DAMAGE TO MINE. IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY AND THE AC WAS RUNNING. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE OCCUPIED OTHER THAN MINE, AND I WAS SOLE OCCUPANT. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND PASSENGER'S WAS NOT TURNED ON. I DID RECEIVE A SIGNIFICANT BRUISE ON MY STERNUM FROM THE SHOULDER COMPONENT OF MY SEAT BELT. MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR FOR EITHER "LUNGE". CRASHES WERE WITNESSED AND PEORIA AZ POLICE DID RESPOND WITH 2 UNITS. OFFICERS DID TAKE INFORMATION, BUT WHEN I INQUIRED ABOUT INCIDENT # FOR MY RECORDS OFFICER RESPONDED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO REPORT AND NO CITATIONS AS IT OCCURRED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. MY INSURANCE CARRIER WAS CONTACTED FROM SITE, BUT BEING A HOLIDAY, I WAS NOT ABLE TO SPEAK WITH ADJUSTER AT THAT TIME. KNOWING THAT IT WAS NOT MY ACTIONS THAT CAUSED THIS INCIDENT, I CHECKED THE NEXT DAY AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IDENTICAL SITUATION HAD BEEN UNDER INVESTIGATION WITH NHTSA AT THE TIME I PURCHASED THE CAR ON OR ABOUT 11/16/12 AT WHICH A SERVICE PROGRAM TO RETIFY WAS IN EFFECT. WITH MY INCIDENT THOUGH, MAJOR DAMAGE OCCURRED. NEITHER AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, NOR THROUGHOUT THE INVESTIGATION & TENURE OF MY OWNERSHIP (CURRENT) WAS I NOTIFIED OF THE KNOWN SAFETY PROBLEM NOR IT'S PROGRAM TO MITIGATE. ATTACHED AERIAL PHOTO SHOWS BACK TO BACK DIMENSION TO FIRST IMPACT AND BACK TO FRONT DIMENSION OF 2ND. I WAS PARKED IN POSITION OF WHITE VEHICLE.