NHTSA Complaint #724699 — 1993 FORD EXPLORER

CAR WAS PARKED WITH ENGINE RUNNING ON MY RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY IN PARK. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO BRIEFLY GO INTO THE HOUSE TO GET MY SON. I WALKED FROM THE CAR INTO THE GARAGE, AND WAS ABOUT TO ENTER THE HOUSE THROUGH THE DOOR INSIDE THE GARAGE WHEN I SAW THE CAR ROLLING INTO THE GARAGE. I TRIED TO GET INTO THE CAR TO APPLY THE BRAKES, BUT THE CAR HIT THE WATER HEATER. THE WATER HEATER WAS MOVED OFF ITS BASE AND INTO THE WALL. DAMAGE TO THE WATER HEATER, GARAGE WALL AND INTERIOR UTILITY ROOM WALL OCCURED AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO MY EXPLORER. I HAVE TRIED ON MANY OCCASIONS TO DUPLICATE THE CONDITION BUT CANNOT. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND GET OUT WITHOUT THE CAR IMMEDIATELY ROLLING FORWARD. THE DRIVEWAY HAS A SLOPE GOING AWAY FROM THE GARAGE AND YET IT STILL IMMEDIATELY ROLLS FORWARD. IN FACT, IT ROLLS FORWARD FASTER THAN I CAN WALK AT A NORMAL PACE. HOWEVER, I HAD WALKED APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET WHEN I NOTICED IT COMING TO ME THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT. I'VE TRIED TO DUPLICATE THIS WITH BOTH A COLD AND WARM ENGINE, BUT CANNOT. IN OTHER WORDS, IT ALWAYS ROLLS FORWARD AS SOON AS I RELEASE THE BRAKE WHILE IN DRIVE. THIS SHOWS ME THAT I COULDN'T HAVE LEFT IT IN DRIVE. IF I WOULD HAVE LEFT IT IN REVERSE OR NEUTRAL, IT WOULD HAVE GONE BACKWARD. I LEFT IT IN PARK, BUT SOMEHOW IT WENT FORWARD, AFTER I LEFT THE CAR AND WALKED SOME DISTANCE. I'VE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR AND THEY SAY THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNLESS MY INSURANCE COMPANY FILES A COMPLAINT WITH THEM. APPARENTLY MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS NOT INTERESTED IN DOING SO. MEANWHILE I AM OUT 2 DEDUCTIBLES (AUTO AND HOME) AND BEWILDERED AS TO HOW THIS HAPPENED AND CONCERNED IF IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN TO ME OR SOMEONE ELSE WITH MORE SEVERE RESULTS. *AK