NHTSA Complaint #10121806 — 2004 SATURN VUE

DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLES CRUISE TURNED ON MOST OF THE TRIP, WITH A SPEEDOMETER READING OF 67-72MPH. AROUND TOMAH, WISCONSIN, THE DRIVER PLANNED TO EXIT/ATTEMPTED TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLES CRUISE. DRIVER DEPRESSED THE CRUISE BUTTON TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE, THE NO RESPONSE. THE DRIVER WENT TO DEPRESS/ENGAGE THE CLUTCH, AND FOUND THAT THE CLUTCH WAS STUCK AND DID NOT RESPOND/WAITED A FEW SECONDS, TRIED THE CLUTCH AGAIN, THIS TIME GETTING A RESPONSE. DRIVERS TRIP CONTINUED (WITH THE CRUISE ON) AND TRAFFIC WAS CONGESTED. THE DRIVER HAD SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN USING THE CRUISE & REMEMBERS A SPEEDOMETER READING OF 60MPH. TRIED TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE BUTTON. THE CRUISE FAILED TO RESPOND OR SHUT OFF AS SHE USED HER LEFT FOOT TO ENGAGE/PUSH IN THE CLUTCH WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE. DRIVER IMMEDIATELY PUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE. NO RESPONSE. BOTH THE CLUTCH AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WERE LOCKED/STUCK AND DID NOT RESPOND TO THE APPLICATION OF PRESSURE APPLIED BY THE DRIVERS FEET. DRIVER TRIED TO USE BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKES -NO RESPONSE. NEITHER THE CLUTCH OR BRAKES RESPONDED. DRIVER SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND THE VEHICLE SPUN ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AS THE DRIVER APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES AND GRASPED THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE TRAVELED OFF THE ROAD AND INTO THE GROUND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE WENT THROUGH A DITCH & RECALLS FRONT END HITTING AN EMBANKMENT AND THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN A SERIES OF FLIPS AND ROLLS. AFTER HITTING THE EMBANKMENT WITH THE FRONT END OF HER CAR, THE PASSENGER OR RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE VEHICLE SLAMMED INTO SOMETHING (UTILITY POLE) AND BEGAN AN UPSIDE DOWN FLIP THAT CONTINUED WITH AT LEAST THREE ROLLS. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SERIES OF ROLLS, THE DRIVER LANDED UPSIDE DOWN BEFORE THE CAR FLIPPED AGAIN AND LANDED RIGHT SIGHT UP, WITH THE FRONT END FACING THE HIGHWAY. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.