Topic: SRT10 Viper Crash - Can anyone provide any help??

[Mark Swan]

I’m seeking help from anyone who can provide any data regarding the new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10.

We have searched high and low to try to find any truth to the rumor that there is a known issue with this model when it comes to the throttle, and how it has been known to get stuck and cause sudden purges in speed for short burst.

Is this true? Are there any documents or articles that support this issue that can be sourced or forwarded to my attention?

Case in point. A friend of mine was delivering a brand new Viper to a client. This driver has over 15 years of commercial driving experience and currently works full time delivering for Mercedes Canada, as well as Brian Jessel BMW. His driving record is spotless, no tickets, no infractions, no suspensions or prohibitions…EVER! Not even a parking ticket. While delivering this vehicle, he began to accelerate from a controlled stop, making a left hand turn in a completely empty parking lot, when without notice, the car took off, accelerator stuck, and then slammed into a pole causing severe damage to the car, with an impact thought to have been at 35 klms. This driver would NEVER have lit up a car in front of clients, has the best driving record in his company, yet he claims fully, 1000% he did not stomp the gas pedal, and that the car simply took off and went out of control. Is this possible?

Apparently there is also another known case where a mechanic in Kelowna, BC was completing a test drive after performing some minor repairs to the Viper, and the car took off on him as well, sending him crashing into a wall. The mechanic is still said to be in a coma as a result of his injuries.

If you can provide any information, good or bad, it would be extremely appreciated. At least we would know if we are looking in the right direction for some answers.

The driver, because of his record and the relationship between him and his employer was not fired, since the employer knew full well that this is completely out of the norm, and also knows this driver would never attempt to pull a stunt like this. But he did sustain a minor concussion for hitting his head on the steering wheel.

Many thanks
Mark Swan

P.S We have been told that when the car’s battery goes dead, or has been jump started, that the cars onboard computer then needs to go through a learning process all over again and get itself back into operating alignment. This process involves steps using the gas pedal as well. Is this true?

[ovr50]

I’m seeking help from anyone who can provide any data regarding the new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10.

Apparently there is also another known case where a mechanic in Kelowna, BC was completing a test drive after performing some minor repairs to the Viper, and the car took off on him as well, sending him crashing into a wall. The mechanic is still said to be in a coma as a result of his injuries.

"...another known case..." ? Well, not that well known as I have lived here for the past 18 years, read the news papers and news web sites daily, and am generally auto-interested and I have NEVER heard that story at all. It would seem to me that a story like that, particularily if the mechanic was still in a coma, would be newsworthy. This is still a pretty small town. Funny.

Can you provide a link or reference to the Kelowna alleged incident? 

[daft]

Sorry all the cases (3) that I can remember of totalled Vipers by dealers here in O-town were caused 100% by driver error.

[Triple Bob]

Surely if they are well known cases but you have searched high and low but can't find them they can't be that well known..?

Also I'd be careful what you say on a public forum, blaming a car manufacturer for crashes with little or no evidence, they could have the lawyers after you...

[rrocket]

I would almost guess the driver's foot got stuck between the throttle and brake pedals...

[sailor723]

Floormats can also be the culprit sometimes in cases like this. The whole story about the mechanic in BC sounds a little bit like urban legend to me.

[Mark Swan]

Floormats can also be the culprit sometimes in cases like this. The whole story about the mechanic in BC sounds a little bit like urban legend to me.

The floor mats were still in the trunk. This possibility was looked at and determined not to have played a role. Thank you for your input.

[Mark Swan]

Surely if they are well known cases but you have searched high and low but can't find them they can't be that well known..?

Also I'd be careful what you say on a public forum, blaming a car manufacturer for crashes with little or no evidence, they could have the lawyers after you...

There was never any accusation about a DEFINITE problem with the car and having a throttle issue. What was said infact, was that it was "RUMORED" to be an issue. forums are a place to confirm or deny issues by discussing and sharing knowledge.

In response to there being documented evidence and not being able to find it after looking high and low; All I can say is that we have been told about this issue by three different mechanical shops, and all three groups are not associated to each other in any way, shape or form and do not know each other, and come from various areas of the lower mainland. The case that keeps coming up over and over, is the Kelowna mechanic. I myself was prepared to drive up to Kelwona to do some sniffing around, however this weekends activities had a higher priority.
Secondly, there might be some sort of documented, or written article about this possibly being an issue, and that we just aren't looking in the right place, or using the right search engine word or wording. Just because we haven't found it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Thats why we came here for help from those who know more.
Thank you for your input though. All is good.

M

[Mark Swan]

Sorry all the cases (3) that I can remember of totalled Vipers by dealers here in O-town were caused 100% by driver error.

Thank you Daft for your response. Much appreciated.

M

[Mark Swan]

I’m seeking help from anyone who can provide any data regarding the new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10.

Apparently there is also another known case where a mechanic in Kelowna, BC was completing a test drive after performing some minor repairs to the Viper, and the car took off on him as well, sending him crashing into a wall. The mechanic is still said to be in a coma as a result of his injuries.

"...another known case..." ? Well, not that well known as I have lived here for the past 18 years, read the news papers and news web sites daily, and am generally auto-interested and I have NEVER heard that story at all. It would seem to me that a story like that, particularily if the mechanic was still in a coma, would be newsworthy. This is still a pretty small town. Funny.

Can you provide a link or reference to the Kelowna alleged incident? 

Hi Ovr50

Thanks for replying and letting me know your thoughts. This particular Kelowna event keeps coming up, over and over, and as previously mentioned, by three different groups of mechanics who dont even know each other. The basic story remains the same, however the location seems to change slightly. Perhaps you can provide some better insight geographically since you are right there, and my knowledge of that area is limited.

Story A) The mechanic worked at the "Husky" just before entering into Kelowna somewhere in Westbank. Same thing, he worked on the car, took it for a test drive, and WHAMMmm, car took off, hit a wall...coma.

Story B) Same details as above, except it took place in the Kelowna Auto Mall. Does Kelowna even have an auto mall?

And without sounding sarcastic, but when alluding to how small the town is....is every car accident printed or reported on the local news?? Just curious.

[Brig]

I'm just curious as to why you're after this kind of information.  Is there a lawsuit of some sort being planned against Dodge?  What's going on?

If your friend is fine, and didn't lose his job, everything should be okay, in my opinion... unless he is being asked to pay for the damage to the car, and can't.  In that case, I can see why you're looking to assign blame.

[initial_D]

Unintentional acceleration on the new Viper? And two cases happened in Kelowna? Something in the air?

Kelowna is that big, traffic incidents involved in a well know vehicle should be reported in the paper, especially if the driver was in a comma.

Off the vehicles that were reported having unintentional acceleration, Audi, Jeep, ... 'they' found the gas pedal and the brake pedal were closer to one another than a normal vehicle.

When the car starts to take off, throttle open, the brakes should still work.

[rrocket]

You would think there would be cases reported in the US, since Canada only sells 1/10th the cars the US does...NHTSA would have that info.  Before it's an "official" recall, you can start a petition of sorts to have it looked into.  I'd imagine if there were several cases of this in the US, you could find out at NHTSA...

[ovr50]

I’m seeking help from anyone who can provide any data regarding the new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10.

Apparently there is also another known case where a mechanic in Kelowna, BC was completing a test drive after performing some minor repairs to the Viper, and the car took off on him as well, sending him crashing into a wall. The mechanic is still said to be in a coma as a result of his injuries.

"...another known case..." ? Well, not that well known as I have lived here for the past 18 years, read the news papers and news web sites daily, and am generally auto-interested and I have NEVER heard that story at all. It would seem to me that a story like that, particularily if the mechanic was still in a coma, would be newsworthy. This is still a pretty small town. Funny.

Can you provide a link or reference to the Kelowna alleged incident? 

Hi Ovr50

Thanks for replying and letting me know your thoughts. This particular Kelowna event keeps coming up, over and over, and as previously mentioned, by three different groups of mechanics who dont even know each other. The basic story remains the same, however the location seems to change slightly. Perhaps you can provide some better insight geographically since you are right there, and my knowledge of that area is limited.

Story A) The mechanic worked at the "Husky" just before entering into Kelowna somewhere in Westbank. Same thing, he worked on the car, took it for a test drive, and WHAMMmm, car took off, hit a wall...coma.

Story B) Same details as above, except it took place in the Kelowna Auto Mall. Does Kelowna even have an auto mall?

And without sounding sarcastic, but when alluding to how small the town is....is every car accident printed or reported on the local news?? Just curious.

Well, I don't know if the story is factual or an urban legend...?? I know that this type of accident, semi-exotic car, mechanic hurt and still in coma, would have attracted some attention, particularily in the on-line news sites. I have heard nothing...but that doesn't prove it did not happen. I do know a number of ppl involved with auto dealerships here (BMW, Toyota, Nissan, Mercedes, Ford, Acura and some others) and no one has mentioned this event to me. Again, doesn't prove anything. But....??

Kelowna does have an Auto Mall area, and one of the dealers there is a Dodge dealer (although the story doesn't necessarily seem to have happened at a Dodge shop).

I will call a couple of my friends in the business over the next while and see if I come up with anything.

Rumors can multiply quickly, and it's not surprising that such a story could be heard from more than one source. I did see on the net some months ago that a new Viper was destroyed in a dealer's parking lot by an employee who DID STOMP on the gas on purpose. Maybe this "story" all emanated from that actual incident (which was somewhere in the US).

A link would help.

[DockMan]

I can tell you that in Auburn Hills the Viper had to be taken out of the executive fleet at head office (not CTC, but the exec office). There were five cases in a row where a Chrysler Execs would take a viper from the fleet and dump on 75 just off Chrysler Drive. I think the Viper is prone to surges of speed because people tend to think they are better drivers than they really are and aren't necessarily ready for the HP of that car.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

 

The clutch and brakes would have to fail simultaneously with the "sudden acceleration". That's unpossible.