I WAS DRIVING TO MEET A FRIEND FOR LUNCH. I CAME UP UPON A STOP LIGHT THAT WAS ALREADY RED AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN THE THIRD CAR IN LINE. I CAME TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A STOP. I WAS ABOUT A CAR LENGTH OR MORE BEHIND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. NEXT THING I KNOW, I HEAR A LOUD BANG AS MY CAR HAD ACCELERATED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THAT CAR, IN TURN, HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM. I WAS VERY CONFUSED. I RECEIVED A TRAFFIC TICKET FOR UNCONTROLLED SPEED. THE POLICEMAN THOUGHT I WAS I WAS CRAZY WHEN I SAID THAT I HAD COME TO A STOP. THE CAR WAS DRIVABLE, SO I STILL WENT TO LUNCH WITH MY FRIEND. NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER WITH PARKING OR DRIVING THE CAR TO THE RESTAURANT, WHICH WAS ABOUT 1 MILE AWAY. AFTER LUNCH, I THEN NEEDED TO RUN AN ERRAND BEFORE I WENT HOME. I DROVE ABOUT 2 BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE RESTAURANT AND PULLED INTO A SHOPPING CENTER. I THEN SLOWLY PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT BETWEEN TWO OTHER CARS. AS MY CAR HIT THE CURB, IT THEN WENT OVER THE CURB, ONTO THE SIDEWALK AND SLAMMED INTO THE CONCRETE WALL OF ONE OF THE SHOPS. I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME, VERY SHAKEN, AND RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET. EVERYTHING I FOUND INDICATED IT WAS SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION (SUA). I TOLD MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND ALSO CALLED MERCEDES BENZ USA. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE MERCEDES COLLISION REPAIR SHOP. MERCEDES DID A RECORDED CONVERSATION AND SAID NOT TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. THEY WERE DEFENSIVE WHEN I MENTION SUA, BUT MY MAT IS VELCROED ON AND IT HAPPENED TWICE IN ONE DAY. AFTER THE SECOND COLLISION, I SAW A MESSAGE ON MY DASH THAT SAID : ?COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS INOPERATIVE". MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. I CHECKED AT THE MERCEDES COLLISION CENTER TODAY AND WAS TOLD MERCEDES REMOVED A BLACK RECORDING BOX FROM MY CAR. I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING BACK AS OF YET. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR EVEN IF IT IS REPAIRED.*DT *DT *TR
NHTSA ODI 11234599