Complaint 1954258

Complaint Summary

AIR BAGS

Owner Narrative

12/4/2023 while attempting to pull into a parking spot in a parking garage car suddenly accelerated forward at a very fast rate, just prior to acceleration felt like it shuddered. Afraid that it would keep going and go over edge so I pulled to the right while trying to brake and hit a concrete barrier. Terrifying! October 23, 2019 another couple had this happen in another parking garage downtown Indianapolis and they were killed. Car went over the edge. Must have been on my mind! Have owned this car since 02/23/2022, no problems whatsoever, checked out in September of this 2023, all maintenance up to date. Weather was dry and floor pads were not in way (bringing this up because I was asked this by a friend). Been driving 50+ years and never had a car do this. Hit the front drivers side of the car, air bags did NOT deploy, but the insurance company totaled my car. The Capitol Police happened to be in the garage at the time making rounds and were on the scene in seconds from when it happened. Luckily that morning I decided to park on the upper level of the garage and no one else had their car damaged and nobody was hurt including myself. Just prior to trying to turn into the parking space the car had been traveling uphill to the 5th floor - going very slow. A lot of people walking and other cars around trying to park. Don't know if this has anything to do with it but on Tuesday, December 19th, another employee had the same thing happen in the same garage. Her car was a different make and model and was not damaged hardly at all but her airbags deployed! The only thing in common is same garage and there has been extensive construction going on in the garage for months now. Not trying to get anything out of this but this could have had far more serious consequences if this had happened at one of the half dozen intersections I went through that morning before arriving in the garage. Lucky no one was hurt or killed. Apparently this happens a lot!

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.