WHILE DRIVING AT 50-55 MPH, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT NEAR THE FENDER HEAD LIGHT. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE AIR BAGS CONTAINED CHEMICALS THAT BURNED BOTH PASSENGER/AND OWNER ON THE FACE, AND THE OTHERS ON THEIR UPPER CHEST AREA. *AK *SCC
1999
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
ACCELLERATION WITH NO PRESSURE ON GAS PEDAL (FOOT COMPLETELY OFF PEDAL) AND NO ENGINE BRAKING. THE UNWANTED ACCELERATION OCCURS MOSTLY AT SLOW SPEEDS SUCH AS IN HEAVY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND IN PARKING LOTS. AFTER ACCELERERATING SLIGHTLY, IF I REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL AT AROUND 10 MPH, THE CAR WILL FREQUENTLY CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE, AND THEN SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR, AT WHICH TIME IT LURCHES FORWARD. IT WILL CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE TO OVER 20 MPH BEFORE STARTING TO GRADUALLY SLOW DOWN. THIS OCCURS FREQUENTLY WHEN DRIVING IN CROWDED PARKING LOTS AND REQUIRES CONSTANT USE OF THE BRAKES TO COMPENSATE. IF THERE IS ANY DOWNGRADE, NO MATTER HOW SLIGHT, THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO SPEED UP. THIS IN FACT, IS EVIDENT AT ANY SPEED....DRIVING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AT 25 MPH, THE CAR WILL ACCELERATE TO OVER 40 MPH ON A VERY, SLIGHT DOWNGRADE. I MUST USE THE BRAKES CONSTANTLY. DRIVING ON MOST ROADS, I NOTICE THAT I AM ALWAYS CATCHING UP TO CARS IN FRONT OF ME, AND HAVING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, WHILE NO OTHER CARS HAVE BRAKE LIGHTS ON. THE DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER TEST DROVE THE CAR AND VERIFIED THE PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC HOWEVER, STATED THAT THIS WAS THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED AND THAT HE COULD DO NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK