NHTSA Complaint #10054892 — 1995 SAAB 900

AT ABOUT 1000 A.M. ,MY DAUGHTER JENNIFER AGE 19 WAS DRIVING MY 1995 SAAB 900SE CONVERTIBLE ON THE NYS THRUWAY FROM ALBANY TO OUR HOME IN UTICA , NY WHEN SHE WAS APPROACHING THE HERKIMER T-WAY EXIT. SHE WAS GOING TO EXIT THE T-WAY THERE , SO SHE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. SHE TOLD ME THAT WHEN SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO SLOW DOWN AND BEGAN TO GAIN SPEED. SHE SAYS THAT WHEN SHE TOOK HER FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN FROM 55 MPH TO 85 MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS . SHE SAYS SHE BECAME HYSTERICAL AND BEGAN TO PLACE ALL OF HER WEIGHT ON HER FOOT AND APPLIED THE BRAKES FULLY ,BUT TO NO AVAIL. SHE SAYS THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND WHEN THE BRAKES FINALLY SLOWED THE VEHICLE JUST ENOUGH WHERE SHE GAINED A LITTLE BIT OF CONTROL, SHE THREW THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF, STEERING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AS YOU CAN SEE THIS COULD HAVE HAD CATASTROPHIC RESULTS IN ANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANCE. THANK GOD THAT MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT INJURED IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN HER INSTANT FEAR OF DRIVING A CAR AGAIN. THE VEHICLE NOW IS AT THE PLACE OF BUSINESS WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND INQUIRIES ARE BEING MADE AT THIS TIME TO SEE IF ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE WITH THIS SAAB PRODUCT. DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE IS UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME , BUT SUFFICE TO SAY THAT THE BRAKES WERE PRETTY MUCH BURNED UP. WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER THAT YOU COULD GIVE US. SINCERELY, ROSE MARY DOUGHERTY *LA