# 2011 CHEVROLET HHR — SERVICE BRAKES
> NHTSA complaint `1230588` · 2015-10-20 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 3
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** Yes
## Vehicle
- **Make:** CHEVROLET
- **Model:** HHR
- **Year:** 2011
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** SERVICE BRAKES
- **Miles at failure:** 156,000
- **Speed:** 60 mph
## Narrative
I PURCHASE CHEVY HHR IN GOOD CONDITIONS UNTIL I GOT ON THE FREEWAY. AS I WAS IMMERGING IN TO THE FREEWAY THE ACCELORATOR GOT STUCK ON 6RPM AND WAS SPEEDING 60MPH I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN AND THE BRAKES DIDNT GO DOWN AT ALL. IT WAS ALL LOCKED UP MY KIDS AND I FREAK OUT WITH THE SPEED THAT THE CAR WAS PICKING UP AND HOW THE BREAKS WERENT WORKING I DECIDED TO USE THE EMERGENCY HANDDLE AND SOME SIDE BUSHES TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR AND NOTHING WORKED! I CHECKED TO SEE IF THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON AND NOTHING THEN I CHECKED TO SEE IF IT WAS ON DRIVE IT WAS THE I PUSHED HARD ON THE BREAKS BUT NEVER ONCE IT WENT DOWN AT ALL IT WAS SO HARD I FORCE MY FOOT SO MUCH AND THE BREAK HANDDLE  EMERGED OFF THE FREEWAY AND IMMEDIATELY HIT SOMETHING MORE SOLID TO STOP THE CAR. IT WAS THEN WE HEADED TO A BUILDING BUT I HIT A PALM TREE. THE CAR EXPLODED BLACK SMOKE AND THE AIREBAGS WENT OFF THE FRONT DOOR DIDNT OPEN AND MY DAUGHTER AND I JUMP OFF THROUGH THE SMALL LITTLE WINDOWS. WE THANK GOD WE ARE ALIVE!! MY TWO KIDS 11 AND 8 COULD HAVE DIED W ME IN THAT VEHICLE IF I DIDNT EXIT THE FREEWAY BEFORE THE CAR KEPT PICKING UP SPEED. WAS A VERY SCARY SITUATION. I WOULD NEVER EVER RIDE A CHEVY HHR OR ANY OTHER CHEVY AS I LIVE. THE CAR IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED IN THE FRONT AND THE WINDOWS ARE CRACKED.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*