AUTOS: Too Fast For Comfort

U.S. sales of the West German-built Audi 5000 plunged after reports circulated in 1986 that the car sometimes surged forward even though the accelerator was not depressed. The sudden accelerations allegedly caused more than 1,300 accidents, which resulted in five deaths and 441 injuries. While attention has focused on Audi, the problem may be much more common than originally thought, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating similar complaints about other manufacturers’ models.

The company most affected is General Motors. The NHTSA, which has been looking into 573 reports of acceleration incidents in H-body cars (Buick LeSabres and Oldsmobile Delta 88s, for example) since last September, will now examine 110 accounts of similar problems in C-body cars (including Cadillac DeVilles, Buick Electras and Olds 98s). The H-body cars have been blamed for 343 accidents that resulted in one death and 145 injuries, while claims concerning C-body cars involved 67 accidents and 43 injuries. Since 1985, about 700,000 H-body cars and 1.4 million C-body models have been sold.

Several automakers cited in complaints of sudden acceleration have tried to pin down the causes of the problem. GM engineers have found no mechanical flaw at fault.