NHTSA Complaint #10466598 — 2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML320

ON OR ABOUT MAY 14, 2012, WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT FULL FREEWAY SPEED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SELF-INITIATED A CONTINUOUS BRAKE ACTIVATION WITHOUT ME PRESSING ON THE BRAKES OR TAKING ANY OTHER ACTION. THE VEHICLE'S SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED AND SUSTAINED BRAKING ACTION RESULTED IN A NEAR-COLLISION WITH A SEMI-TRUCK TRAVELING BEHIND ME WHICH THE TRUCK-DRIVER WAS FORTUNATELY JUST ABLE TO PREVENT. I STEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE FREEWAY SHOULDER AS THE UN-COMMANDED BRAKING ACTION BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THE INCIDENT WAS EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING FOR ME, AND IT WAS ONLY SHEER LUCK THAT I WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. AFTER I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MERCEDES BENZ OF LAGUNA NIGUEL, THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (?ESP?) CONTROL MODULE AND YAW RATE SENSOR HAD FAILED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS PRESENTLY IN AN INOPERABLE CONDITION. REVIEWING THE NHTSA WEBSITE, THIS APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO NHTSA (CAMPAIGN # PE07007). *TR