NHTSA complaint: 1999 HONDA CR-V — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
APRIL 5, 2003 IT WAS ABOUT 9:00 PM. I HAD JUST PAID MY TOLL ON THE NEW JERSEY SIDE OF THE RIVER. I WAS TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON THE BEN FRANKLIN BRIDGE TOWARDS PHILADELPHIA. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35 MPH AND WAS IN THE RIGHT-HAND LANE IN ORDER TO TAKE THE EXIT OFF TO THE RIGHT TO GET ONTO SOUTH I-95. THIS EXIT RAMP IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BRIDGE ON THE PENNSYLVANIA SIDE OF THE DELAWARE RIVER. AS I WAS NEARING THE BOTTOM OF THE BRIDGE, MY 1999 HONDA CRV SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH SUCH HIGH RPMS THAT IT SURGED FORWARD AT AN EXTREMELY RAPID RATE. IT TOOK OFF ON ITS OWN SO FAST THAT NOT EVEN THE BRAKES WOULD OR COULD SLOW IT DOWN. I ACTIVELY APPLIED MY BRAKES BUT TO MY HORROR, MY BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK AND COULD NOT SLOW DOWN THE CAR. THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING UNCONTROLLABLY. I EVEN PULLED UP ON MY EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TRIED TO MANEUVER MY CAR AS I WAS TRAVELING AT A RAPID PACE THROUGH THE TRAFFIC AND COULD NOT STOP MY CAR UNTIL IT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER. THIS HORRIFIC ACCIDENT TOTALED MY CAR AND RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF A WOMAN IN ANOTHER CAR. MY INJURIES KEPT ME IN THE HOSPITAL FOR A WEEK. A TAXI DRIVER HAD SOME INJURIES. HE WAS TREATED AND RELEASED. THE HONDA CRV WAS TOTALLED AND THE CAR IS BEING KEPT IN STORAGE, PENDING FURTHER INVESTIGATION.*AK
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation