NHTSA Complaint #10033163 — 1999 MERCURY SABLE

ON SUNDAY AUG. 17TH I DROVE ONTO A STEEP EXIT FROM A 4 LANE HIGHWAY TO A FIVELINE HIGHWAY. I HAD NO BRAKES. THE LIGHT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAMP STAYED GREEN (THERE WERE ABOUT 40 CARS WAITING TO ENTER THE INTERSECTION)--I CROSSED ALL FIVE LANES AND CRASHED MY CAR INTO A DIRT BANK. I HAD NO BRAKES --THE MAN FOLLOWING ME SAID (AND TOLD THE POLICE) THAT HE SMELLED A BURNING ORDOR OR BRAKE SMELL AND HAD COMMENTED TO HIS WIFE THAT HE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH MY BRAKES BEFORE THE INCIDENT. HE ADVISED THE POLICE. THE POLICE CHECKED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WAS ON THE FLOOR. I WAS ADVISED YESTERDAY (8/19) THAT STATE FARM IS TOTALLING THE CAR--THAT THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. NOW THERE IS NO WAY THAT SOMETHING DID NOT GO WRONG WITH THOSE BRAKES--MY FATHER AND I WERE ALMOST KILLED. I WANT TO KNOW IF OTHER FORD SABLES OR TAURUS--1999 MODELS HAVE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM?*AK