NHTSA Complaint #11057465 — 2016 MAZDA CX-9

IMMEDIATELY UPON MAKING A SHARP RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A VERY FAST PACE WITHOUT ME PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL. MY IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE, BUT IT DID NOT STOP. THE CAR SLAMMED INTO A PLANTER IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR MOVED SO QUICKLY THAT IT WAS LODGED INTO THE BUSHES AND HAD TO BE PULLED OUT BY A TOW TRUCK. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THE SERVICE MANAGER'S IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS TO SCOFF AT THE IDEA THAT THE CAR ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN. MY HUSBAND MET ME AT THE DEALER AND HAD SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND INFORMATION ABOUT A RECALL OF CX-9 MODELS FROM 2012 FOR A SIMILAR MALFUNCTION. HE SHOWED IT TO THE SAME MANAGER WHO IMMEDIATELY KNEW THE ISSUE OF THE RECALL BUT WAS QUICK TO MENTION IT WAS THE 2012 MODEL, NOT THE 2016. THE DEALER KEPT THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS AND TOLD ME IT WAS DRIVEN TWICE AND ALSO SOME INFO FROM THE COMPUTER WAS REVIEWED WITH MAZDA TECH SUPPORT PERSON. NO DATA INDICATING ANY KIND OF MALFUNCTION IN THE CAR AND THE SERVICE GUY DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT IN TWO SHORT TEST DRIVES, SO THEY SAID COME PICK IT UP IT'S SAFE TO DRIVE. HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER DRIVE THIS CAR AGAIN. THIS IS THE FULLY-LOADED SIGNATURE CX-9 THAT THEY FEATURE IN ALL THEIR ADS. I LOVED THIS CAR AT FIRST SIGHT AND DROVE IT OVER 24000 MILES IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS. THIS EXPERIENCE SCARED ME TO THE POINT THAT I WILL NEVER DRIVE THIS OR ANOTHER MAZDA AGAIN. I HAVE HAD OVER A WEEK TO PROCESS THIS EXPERIENCE AND AM JUST HAPPY MY KIDS WEREN'T IN THE CAR OR THAT I DIDN'T HIT SOMEONE. I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL OTHER INSTANCES OF SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ONLINE AND CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS HAPPENS IN 2017. I HOPE THAT THIS DOCUMENTATION HELPS SOMEONE ELSE IN MY SHOES FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT CRAZY AND THIS DOES HAPPEN. SHAME ON MAZDA FOR NOT FULLY ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.