NHTSA Complaint #10168194 — 1999 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

THE CAR I WAS DRIVING WAS A 1999 CHRYSLER CONCORD THAT HAD BEEN IN EXCELLENT DRIVING UP UNTIL THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. JUST THREE DAYS EARLIER THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SERVICED AT A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER FOR AN OIL AND OIL FILTER CHANGE. I INQUIRED AT THE PICK UP EVENT IF THE BRAKES WERE OKAY AND IT WAS REPORTED TO ME THAT THE WERE FINE AND THAT EVERYTHING WITH THIS AUTOMOBILE WAS FINE. ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2006, I STARTED THIS AUTOMOBILE IN MY GARAGE TO GO TO CHURCH. AFTER PUTTING MY SEAT BELT ON, I USUALLY INCH MYSELF OUT OF MY GARAGE VERY, VERY SLOWLY. HOWEVER, THIS TIME AFTER ADJUSTING THE TRANSMISSION LEVER FROM PARK TO DRIVE MY AUTOMOBILE TOOK OFF SO FAST I COULD NOT CONTROL IT AT ALL. I HIT THE BREAKS AS HARD AS I COULD BUT MY AUTOMOBILE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN AT ALL. NOT ONLY THAT, I COULD CONTROL THE STEERING OF MY AUTOMOBILE AT ALL. I LIVE NEAR THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND THERE IS A DRAINAGE DITCH RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET WHERE I LIVE THAT CONNECTS WITH THE OCEAN. THERE IS A CHAIN-LINKED WIRE FENCE THAT SEPARATES THE STREET FROM THE DRAINAGE DITCH. MY AUTOMOBILE RACED OUT OF MY GARAGE, DOWN MY DRIVEWAY, WENT ACROSS THE STREET AND HIT THE CURB ACROSS THE STREET WHERE IT FORCE MY AUTOMOBILE TO SWERVE ACROSS THE ADJOINING STREET TO BREAK THROUGH THE CHAIN-LINKED FENCE WHERE IT WENT DOWN A CONCRETE EMBANKMENT FOR AN APPROXIMATE 20-FOOT DROP UNTIL IT COMPLETELY STOPPED IN THE WATER. THE CAR THEN BEGAN FILLING UP WITH WATER UNTIL IT BECAME COMPLETELY SUBMERGED. FORTUNATELY, A NEIGHBOR HAPPENED TO BE LOOKING OUT OF HIS SECOND STORY WINDOW OF HIS HOUSE WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ARRIVED PROMPTLY TO SAVE MY LIFE BY PULLING ME OUT OF THE WINDOW OF MY AUTOMOBILE. I WAS TAKEN BY PARAMEDIC PERSONAL BY AMBULANCE TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM OF A NEARBY HOSPITAL WERE IT WAS DETERMINED I HAD NOT SUSTAINED ANY IMMEDIATE INJURIES AT ALL. THE AUTOMOBILE WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE A TOTALED WRECK. *NM