NHTSA Complaint #11311458 — 2001 MAZDA MILLENIA

THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY ON A CITY STREET. STARTED THE VEHICLE, FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE.VEHICLE WAS IDLING AT NORMAL RPM. WHEN THE FOOT WAS REMOVED FROM THE BRAKE PETAL, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD AT FULL THROTTLE. MY FOOT NEVER TOUCHED THE GAS PEDAL. IT TRAVELED ABOUT 10 FEET STRIKING A VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY PUSHING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CAME TO A STOP. THE ENGINE SPEED RETURNED TO NORMAL RPM. I STARTED TO LIFT MY FOOT OFF THE BREAK PEDAL AND THE CAR RESUMED FULL THROTTLE FORWARD. IT PUSHED THE FIRST VEHICLE I HIT INTO THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF IT AND PUSHED IT INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE BEFORE I COULD GET IT STOPPED. THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL RPM. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. POLICE WERE CALLED AND A REPORT FILED. AN ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC CHECKED THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CRASH AND FOUND THE THROTTLE LINKAGE WAS FREE, WAS NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE HIGH RPM, AND COULD NOT READ ANY ERROR CODES ON THE COMPUTER. THIS WAS WITHIN 20 MINUTES OF THE CRASH WHILE THE POLICE WERE PRESENT. BOTH VEHICLES I HIT WERE TOTALED. NO SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATHS IN THE ACCIDENT.