10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 0 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
This is a correction of complaint #10263748 regarding a "smart key" fault. I recently had the opportunity to drive a 2007 Lexus gs equipped with their "smart key", I.e. a key fob which can stay in your pocket and allow you to start the vehicle without requiring a key in the ignition. Similarly, I also drove a 2009 Nissan murano equipped with the same type "smart key". I have found that both vehicles can be shut off and exited while it is inadvertently left in the "neutral" position. Although a barely audible chime rings, a driver can exit the vehicle not realizing the vehicle can free-wheel on them and if the vehicle is on any type of incline, it will begin rolling away -- possibly as they are half-way out of the car or walking away!! I am astounded that there are no "neutral safety" controls on these new vehicles. Standard key ignitions prevent the driver from removing the key in any position except "park" when they exit... not so with these new "smart key" cars!! I foresee many accidents occurring unless some correction is made in this "smart key option" -- think of a person trying to reenter a rolling vehicle, a child in a driveway, or a car rolling into an intersection!! I don't understand how a government vehicle safety organization would overlook this serious flaw.
- Lake Ronkonkoma, NY, USA
- Vienna, VA, USA