NHTSA Complaint #10910709 — 2007 HONDA FIT

PULLING OUT OF A BUSINESS'S DRIVEWAY ONTO A HIGHWAY, HALF WAY ACROSS THE HIGHWAY THE CAR STARTS TO LOOSE FORWARD MOTION AND ENGINE REV'S INCREASES DRAMATICALLY. STEP ON GAS AND CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE. CHECK TO SEE THE CAR IS IN DRIVE. ROLL ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AND COAST INTO A PARKING LOT. LOOK UNDER CAR AND SEE FRONT AXLE ON DRIVERS SIDE HAS SNAPPED. IT SNAPPED AT THE POINT WHERE THE AXLE MEETS THE DAMPER. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND HE CONFIRMED FRONT DRIVER SIDE AXLE IS BROKEN. THIS HAPPENED WHEN THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED IF HIGHWAY WAS BUSY AS CAR WAS IN THE LANE I WAS CROSSING OVER OF TWO LANE HIGHWAY WHEN AXLE BROKEN AND WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 5-10MPH AT THAT POINT. HAD THE HIGHWAY NOT BEEN ON A HILL OR HAD I BEEN TRYING TO GO IN THE UPHILL DIRECTION WOULD NOT HAVE HAD ENOUGH SPEED TO AVOID ONCOMING TRAFFIC.