Mitsubishi Motors Philippines

Sudden Unintended Acceleration

Case
December 06, 2015
◈ A woman was rushed to the hospital after the
company-owned Mitsubishi Montero Sport she
was driving slammed into a concrete barrier of
the Skyway project on Araneta Avenue in
Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City, early Saturday
morning.
◈ Cathleen Margareth Sy, a resident of Sto.
Domingo Street, San Francisco del Monte,
Quezon City, sustained head injuries and was
brought to Delos Santos Medical Center, her
father said in a radio interview.
Victim’s Father Statement
◈ According to the
victim’s father, Sy
told him that the
Montero suddenly
accelerated and this
caused her to lose
control.
Police Report
◈ The black sport utility vehicle (SUV) 2013
model (WQI-210) is registered to
Megaworld Corp. in Makati City, according
to a report by Chief Insp. Manolo Rance
Refugia, commander of the Quezon City
Police District’s Traffic Sector 4.
◈ The report described the incident as a “self-
accident” that happened around 6 a.m. as Sy
was driving on Araneta coming from Aurora
Boulevard and heading toward Quezon
Avenue. The vehicle “accidentally
hit/bumped the barrier,’’ it said.
Accident Cases
◈ Several complaints have been reported
about the Mitsubishi Montero’s sudden
unintended acceleration (SUA), which has
lately fanned discussion on social media
and calls for an investigation.
◈ Since 2011, the Philippine National Police
Highway Patrol Group recorded at least 23
SUA incidents involving Montero SUVs
from motorists in Metro Manila, Cavite,
Antipolo City, Batangas, Tacloban City
and Iloilo City,
Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp’s Statement
◈ They denied that the Montero Sport is “defective” and “unsafe” amid complaints
of several owners of sudden unintended acceleration.
◈ In a statement, Mitsubishi Philippines said it conducted tests and investigation
with its principal Mitsubishi Motors Corporation of Japan (MMC) to determine
the cause of the alleged unintended acceleration as early as 2011.
◈ The company said it "has not found any defects or cause directly linked to the
vehicles involved.“
◈ "Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. would like to assure the public that the
Montero Sport is neither defective nor unsafe to use."
Mitsubishi Inspection and test findings of Japan
◈ "In all these tests, MMC found no defect or malfunction
that would result in the alleged sudden unintended
acceleration,“
◈ Mitsubishi said its tests concluded that "the performance
and behavior of the Montero Sport is completely
dependent on driver action and reaction, and that the
vehicle will only move upon driver intervention."
Problem
◈ Negligence of the Department of Trade and Industry
◈ DTI did not initiate any investigation or measures to
address the mentioned vehicle model if proven to be
injurious, dangerous and unsafe, in accordance to the
1992 Consumer Act,
◈ This issue has caused alarm mostly because lives have
been taken and put into risk
Resolution
◈ Consumer Act of 1992 ARTICLE 2. It is the
policy of the State to protect the interests of the
consumer, promote his general welfare and to
establish standards of conduct for business and
industry. Towards this end, the State shall
implement measures to achieve the protection
against hazards to health and safety.
Resolution
◈ ARTICLE 10. Injurious, Dangerous and Unsafe Products. — Whenever the
departments find, by their own initiative or by petition of a consumer, that a
consumer product is found to be injurious, unsafe or dangerous, it shall,
after due notice and hearing, make the appropriate order for its recall,
prohibition or seizure from public sale or distribution:
◈ Provided, That, in the sound discretion of the department it may declare a
consumer product to be imminently injurious, unsafe or dangerous, and order is
immediate recall, ban or seizure from public sale or distribution, in which case,
the seller, distributor, manufacturer or producer thereof shall be afforded a
hearing within forty-eight (48) hours from such order.
Thank You For
Listening!
Reference
◈ https://
news.abs-cbn.com/business/12/01/15/mitsubishi-denies-montero-sp
ort-defective-unsafe
◈ https://businessmirror.com.ph/2015/11/25/dti-creates-panel-to-prob
e-accidents-involving-mitsubishi-montero-sport
/
◈ https://
newsinfo.inquirer.net/745158/montero-driver-in-qc-mishap-blames
-sudden-acceleration
◈ https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1992/04/13/republic-act-no-739
4-s-1992
/