NHTSA Complaint #11244835 — 2013 INFINITI M37

ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, I WAS IN CAMARILLO FOR A HAIRCUT APPOINTMENT. IT WAS 11:25 AND MY APPOINTMENT WAS AT 11:40. I WAS ALREADY IN THE PARKING SPACE, MOVING AT A SLOW SPEED AND WAS APPROXIMATELY 6 FT. FROM THE RAISED CONCRETE CURB AT THE END OF THE PARKING SPACE. SUDDENLY THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND I OBSERVED SMOKE FROM THE TIRES. I LATER SAW THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE TIRES DIGGING INTO THE ASPHALT. DURING THE SUDDEN, UNINTENDED ACCELERATION I KEPT WONDERING HOW I WAS GOING TO STOP THE CAR. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS A STURDY TREE THAT STOPPED THE CAR BEFORE CROSSING THE ROAD INTO TRAFFIC. WHEN THE CAR HIT THE TREE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND MY ONLY DAMAGE WAS A SEVERELY BRUISED CHEST AND A BURNT ARM FROM THE GASES EXPELLED BY THE AIRBAG. I SAW THE CAR HIT THE TREE, SAW THE AIRBAG DEPLOY AND FELT A SENSE OF RELIEF THAT THE CAR WAS FINALLY STOPPED. SINCE I HAD SO FEW FEET LEFT TO DRIVE BEFORE I PARKED THE CAR THERE IS NO WAY THAT I WOULD HAVE STOMPED ON THE GAS HARD ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE TIRES TO BURN OUT, LEAVING GOUGE MARKS IN THE ASPHALT.