NHTSA Complaint #10639630 — 2005 PONTIAC GRAND AM

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT AROUND 50 MPH WHEN I NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN DUE TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLOWING DOWN. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES AND THEY DID NOT SEEM TO BE WORKING AS THEY SHOULD. I HAD NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEM IN THE PAST DAYS AND IT SEEMED TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE. THE CAR DID NOT STOP BECAUSE THE BRAKES SEEMED TO HAVE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN INCLUDING THE POWER BREAK. SO I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND MY CAR WAS TOTALED. SOME WEEKS LATER I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL LETTER FOR MY CAR (RECALL 14350). IT STATES THAT IF I HAVE ANY WEIGHT ADDED ON TO MY KEY RING IT MIGHT MOVE MY KEY FROM THE "RUN" POSITION. BY THAT HAPPENING, MANY THINGS WILL AUTOMATICALLY SHUT DOWN. ONE OF THEM BEING THE POWER BRAKE. WHICH WOULD INCREASE THE RISK OF OF BEING INVOLVED IN A CRASH, AND IN MY CASE I WAS. IF I HAD BEEN INFORMED ABOUT THIS RECALL BEFORE I WOULD'VE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED ANY EXTRA WEIGHT ON MY KEY RING TO PREVENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS. THE LETTER ALSO STATES THAT MY DEALER WILL FIX THE DEFECT BUT I AM AFRAID THAT IS TOO LATE SINCE MY CAR IS TOTALED AND MY INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER THE DAMAGE. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO SINCE CLEARLY THIS WAS NOT MY FAULT. *TR