NHTSA complaint: 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ C250 — SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING ON I-10 EASTBOUND AT APPROXIMATELY MILE MARKER 180 TO 182, WHEN I MADE A LANE CHANGE TO LET A FASTER MOVING VEHICLE PASS ME. I WENT FROM THE LEFT TO RIGHT LANE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 70 OR 75 MPH, (SPEED LIMIT ON I-10 IS 75 MPH). UPON ENTERING THE RIGHT LANE I SAW A TRACTOR TRAILER BRAKE LIGHTS, AND I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE IN MY C 250, AND IT CAUSED THE CAR WHEELS TO LOCKED UP, WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE CAR TO SKID, AND SWERVE THE BACK END. THE C 250 DID SLOW DOWN SOME, BUT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AFTER THE C 250 IMPACTED THE REAR BUMPER OF THE TRAILER ATTACHED ON THE TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK. THE C 250 SLIDE APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET, THERE WERE TIRE TRACKS ON THE PAVEMENT, WHICH SHOWS THE TIRES LOCKED UP. THE REAR ENDED OF THE CAR ALSO SWERVED, AND IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THE C 250 WAS SLOWING DOWN, ONCE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THERE WAS ALSO SOME SKIPPING OF THE TIRES. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED BUT WAS LATE, AND CAUSED ME TO IMPACT THE WINDSHIELD WITH MY HEAD. THERE IS ALSO A HOLE IN THE AIRBAG THAT IS BIGGER THEN A SILVER DOLLAR, WHICH SHOWS SIGN OF TEARING AND FRAYING. THE SEAT-BELT DETACHED AT IMPACT WHICH FORCED ME FORWARD AND DIDN'T RESTRAIN ME FROM ME HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL AND WINDSHIELD. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation