NHTSA complaint: 2002 DODGE DURANGO — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
I WAS TRAVELING AT 25 MPH AND APPROX. 100 FEET BEHIND OTHER CARS WHEN SOMEONE ABOUT 10 CARS AHEAD MADE A HARD STOP CAUSING EVERYONE BEHIND THEM TO DO THE SAME. I HEARD AT LEAST THREE CARS TIRES SCREACHING TO A STOP IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES IN MY 2002 DODGE DURANGO WITH BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED DOWN AS FAR AS IT WOULD GO AND AS HARD AS I COULD THE TRUCK SLOWED TO ABOUT 5 MPH WITH EVERYTHING LOOSE IN THE TRUCK FLYING FOWARD, BUT THE TRUCK DID NOT STOP. FOR THE LAST 30 FEET IT JUST KEPT GOING AT 5 MPH AND I HIT THE REAR OF OF A 97 HONDA ACCORD. THE TIRES NEVER LOCKED UP OR DID I FEEL ANY ANTI-LOCK PULSATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL AS I HAVE ON OTHER VEHICLES. I HAD NO CONTROL IN THIS ACCIDENT. IF I HAD NOT HAD 4 WHEEL ANTI-LOCK BRAKES I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON THIS TRUCK! BUT THE DEALER SAID EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE KILLED IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT DEALT WITH. THE HONDA I HIT SUFFERED HEAVY DAMAGE BECAUSE OF THE HEIGHT DIFFERANCE IN BUMPERS. MY TRUCK WAS NOT AS BAD. MY AUTO INSURACE RATE WILL BE GOING UP FROM WHAT I BELIEVE I COULD NOT HAVE PREVENTED. THANK GOODNESS NO BODY WAS HURT.*AK
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation