Re: Unintended Acceleration

[PAUL SOUZA 202-260-6061 <SOUZA.PAUL@epamail.epa.gov>]

          In college, back about the time just after Audi's sudden 
          acceleration experiences, I was a night manager of a valet 
          parking garage in downtown Boston.  We had numerous "sudden 
          accelerations", both of the pedal misapplications and wacky idle 
          stabilizer kind.  This was in a variety of vehicles, including 
          the Audi.  What I found out was that:
          
          1.  If the idle stabilizer revved to say, above 2500 rpm, if you 
          stood on the brake and shifted into drive, the car dropped revs 
          when it went into gear, and "lurched" but was controlable.  Fords 
          were notorious for this.  MUCH worse than Audis.  Nissan/Datsuns 
          were just as bad.  You had to stand on the brakes.
          
          2.  Two of my drivers suddenly accelerated in 5k autos.....both 
          had just gotten out of big 'muriken cars, and you guessed it, 
          stood on the accelerator thinking it was the brake.
          
          3.  Pedal misapplication is a very common thing, especially when 
          you are unfamiliar with a car.  Drive a TVR 280i.  You'll know 
          what I mean.
          
          4.  Saw many customors misapply brakes/gas on their way out of 
          the garage.  Saw it in Buicks, Fords, Mazdas, Caddys, etc.  One 
          old guy shot out of the garage in a 74 Buick, taking out a subaru 
          and a cavilier in the process.  Said the car he'd owned since new 
          "suddenly accelerrated" (this was '87).
          
          5.  There is a difference between a car accelerating on the 
          highway similar to a cruise control resuming speed and what Audi 
          was accused of 10 yrs ago, and that the majority of the owners of 
          said audis owned the car less than 6 months, most after owning 
          big american cars.  Brakes of all cars investigated showed no 
          signs of brake failure (according to NTSA study), much less 
          inordinate amount of brake wear.  As one autowriter said at the 
          time:  "you can't tell someone of the upper middleclass (who were 
          the majority of 5k buyers) that he/she can't drive, no matter 
          what the truth is....."
          
          I was extremely interested in this whole thing at the time, since 
          my father had brought over a 5k (5 speed though) from europe and 
          it was a car I loved to drive (much better than the 78 toyota I 
          had).  I was upset then that the media had no problem accusing 
          Audi of wrong doing, yet never covered their vindication, 'cept 
          for the auto magazines, which is why I think people still have a 
          bad perception of the mark today.
          
          Sorry for the length.
          
          -Cello
          souza.paul@epamail.epa.gov
          85 Coupe GT
          85 5ks (yup, 'twas Dad's, now mine with 250k+ on it with original 
                  clutch & exhaust)