TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ACTIVATED WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPONTANEOUSLY WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. IN ADDITION, THE SRS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V194000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM;WIRING,INTERIOR/UNDER DASH); HOWEVER, THE RECALL REMEDY DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED AND THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING SMELL INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. ALSO, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD BECOME STUCK WITHOUT WARNING WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WAS INOPERATIVE. THE WEBBING FAILED TO EXTRACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,000.
2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE GEARS WOULD SHIFT ABNORMALLY WITHOUT DRIVER INTENT AND THEY WOULD OFTEN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO DECREASE IN SPEED WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK IF THE FAILURE RECURRED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT SPEEDS OF 25 MPH, SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED. SHE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO PREVENT DRIVING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION; HOWEVER, SHE CRASHED INTO A LIGHT POLE. SHE ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE IN REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED A SECOND TIME. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK IN ORDER TO STOP THE UNWANTED ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE HER INSURANCE COMPANY COMPLETE AN INVESTIGATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND AGREED TO PROCEED WITH AN INVESTIGATION AS WELL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 3,000.