NHTSA Complaint #11024528 — 2011 INFINITI G37

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC, I HAD TO COME TO STOP. I PUSH IN THE CLUTCH TO TRY AND TAKE THE CAR OUT OF GEAR AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS SOFT AND GOES TO THE FLOOR. THIS RESULTS IN A LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE AND I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. SINCE I COULDN'T TAKE THE CAR OUT OF GEAR, THE CAR DIES AS I COME TO A STOP. THE TRAFFIC BEGINS TO MOVE AGAIN AND I ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR. THE CAR LURCHES FROM THE STARTER AND THE CAR STILL IN GEAR. THE CAR DOES NOT START, BUT I AM ABLE TO GET THE CAR OUT OF GEAR AND MAKE IT A HALFWAY ONTO THE LEFT SHOULDER. FROM HERE I AM ABLE TO START THE ENGINE BUT STILL CAN'T GET THE CAR IN GEAR AS CARS START MOVING QUICKLY PAST. PUMPING THE CLUTCH PEDAL DOES NOTHING TO BUILD PRESSURE, BUT AFTER REVVING THE ENGINE SLIGHTLY, IT SEEMS TO BUILD A BIT OF PRESSURE AND I AM THEN ABLE TO GET THE CAR IN GEAR AND VERY UNSAFELY (MAX IS ONLY 20MPH IN FIRST GEAR) MAKE IT TO THE RIGHT LANE TO EXIT THE FREEWAY. I CRAWL UNDER THE CAR AND FIND LEAKING CLUTCH FLUID THAT APPEARS TO BE COMING FROM INSIDE THE BELL HOUSING. THE CAR ONLY HAS 50K MILES AND IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. I PUT MYSELF AND MY FAMILY AT RISK THAT DAY AND FEEL LIKE THE FAILURE IN THE CLUTCH HYDRAULIC SYSTEM IS FLAWED AND IS A HUGE SAFELY CONCERN.