I bought a brand new 2013 Mazda3 GS sky from a dealer shop on January 13th 2014.
Today, January 26th 2014, there was a 'sudden unintended acceleration' that occurred in my car, resulting in an accident.
Fortunately, no one was serious injured. However, there were minor injuries,, such as my son's little bruise on his knee and neck pain. The car was also damaged and there were some property damage.

Here's what happened :
While my wife was trying to clime the ramp from our condominium garage, - built in underground - the ramp was frozen and slippery, so she decided to go back. When she shifted into the reverse gear, the engine sped up unnecessarily. Her foot was firmly on the break, no doubt about it.

My question is on how I may be able to return this car to the dealer shop. I mean I don't want to drive this car again. My wife and son would've killed, as well as anyone who could have been behind us.
How to report this SUA problem to the public.

Thanks,

 

wonder if while on her way to reverse she had to go through neutral and computer sensed no load so it went hi idle because it was still cold (and it is real cold lately) but then it actually didn't really kick in until reverse was engaged. It's too bad she didn't go back in to neutral to stop the extra push from the wheels, because just stepping on brake isn't enough. I'm sure she was overwhelmed and possibly doesn't know this advanced technique of putting vehicle back in neutral to stop quicker in icy conditions. Going downhill backward with this idle really increased her speed and heightened fear.

When approaching an intersection in icy conditions I always put it in neutral the last 15 feet so i stop quicker. I also always pick the off groove place where no one drives because where everyone drives is usually the slickest and icy---I pick the snow over icy any day---you will stop quicker. I also never completely stop because you need to go again.

I think the engine was still relatively cold and not warmed up enough for low idle. You can either wait longer for engine to warm up or use neutral to help you stop in icy situations, especially in hilly situations.

To sum: in icy conditions, especially when engine is cold, use neutral to help you stop. It will stop a lot quicker this way. I'm from Canada and believe me this helps.

I don't know how you should go about things, but my advanced driving technique in icy conditions of putting vehicle in neutral will help prevent future incidents like this. Winter tires also helps big time!

Good Luck

 

Daye: you can have it towed or you can warm up the engine until low idle is established and drive. But that driving is on your risk, not mine.
As far as reporting goes that may depend on the country you live in. In the USA you can report to Safercar.gov.

Since it is brand new you probably wonder how you can make a case that this is covered by warranty. It will be tough to say the least. They will say it was driver error and you will say it was something wrong with the car, they will say they can't reproduce the car's behavior as described.......
I only can wish you luck with that because your odds at succeeding are long.

 

Okay, I admit that my explanations wasn't good enough to make you understand.
The car was underground parking lot( I have already mentioned) temperature is 17 degree Celsius all the time. no need to warm up.
I live in Canada. Windchill was minus 42 degree. Quite cold!
Here's what happened :
While my wife was trying to climb the ramp from our condominium garage, - built in underground - the ramp was frozen and slippery, so she decided to go back. At that time the vehicle was at the end (highest point) of the ramp. Her foot was on the break pedal firmly because it is really slippery slope and as you know that changing gear means hit the break pedal first, so at that time vehicle speed was zero.
When she shifted into the reverse gear(she did not actually move the car yet), the engine sped up suddenly. -Sudden Unintended Acceleration-
The car was backing so fast. My wife said," I felt that all of sudden the car was gaining too much speed and I did not acknowledge the sound of the crash."
It happened in two seconds,really. no time to go back into neutral.
To understand better, I have attached three photos.

I am a professional driver for more than twenty years and I know all the Technics what Useyournoggin said. Thanks, anyway.

I haven't paid first payment yet. Do I need to stop it?

Thanks,

 

Daye: you can't simply stop payment because that would be a breach of the financing contract.
I would report this to Mazda Canada, the insurance company and possibly the credit institution that finances the loan. Include the pictures, raw and with the photo shopped versions.

And consider getting help by a lawyer. I believe you have lemon laws and using lemon law provision might be a way to get out of this. But I am not a lawyer and not Canadian.

I think these pictures can be very valuable evidence to you.

All the best.

 

The only other thing i can suggest is sueing the apartment building for not providing a safe ramp. It should have been salted early in morning before people leave. Especially on a sloped ramp like that. Those ramps need close attention since everyone uses them. Laziness on landlord part.
Proving hi-rev will be difficult.
I believe It was revving hi because it was so cold out, and revving higher even more as she went in to neutral before going in to reverse.

Good luck!

 

Federal regulators want brake-override systems in all cars.
April 13, 2012|By Jim Puzzanghera and Jerry Hirsch, Los Angeles Times

federal regulators are taking their most significant step to prevent future vehicles from accelerating out of control.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration formally proposed a requirement Thursday that automakers include a brake-throttle override system in all their passenger cars and light trucks to help drivers regain control when a vehicle accelerates suddenly.

Unfortunately, Mazda 3 doesn't have break-override system.

I don't know what triggered the SUA problem. No lawyer can break the auto industry defense. They just want to say this is the driver's fault.


I believe that there are SUA problem in modern cars. Because I saw it about ten years ago when a little compact car hit my rear tire gently and instantly bounced back over 50 meters, hitting a parked car with incredible speed. You cannot speed up like that. Well, I guess I didn't have much luck this time. Anybody could have had that defect car.

Thanks,