NHTSA Complaint #10662327 — 2009 MINI COOPER

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 12/04/2014 WITH CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVE GOING ABOUT 75 MPH. A TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME BECAME TOO CLOSE BECAUSE HE WAS GOING SLOWER. MY CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING AND I HIT THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN, AND DE-ACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL. HOWEVER NOTHING HAPPENED AND MY MINI-COOPER CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND I HIT THE REAR END OF THE TRUCK. I USED THE CRUISE CONTROL ON/OFF AND TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL AND I STOPPED ACCELERATING. I CHANGED LANES TO PULL OVER, HOWEVER I HAD NO BRAKES. I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AS THERE WAS A BIG HILL, HOWEVER WITH NO BRAKES I WENT FLYING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WHILE HONKING MY HORN, AND THROUGH THE RED LIGHT. THE ONLY OPTION WAS BACK ON THE HIGHWAY AFTER THE LIGHT AND I EVENTUALLY SLOWED DOWN AND THEN USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. I REALLY PANICKED AND THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE. THE TRUCK HAD NO DAMAGE, HOWEVER THE MINI-COOPER GOT A DENT ON THE HOOD. THIS ALSO HAPPENED BRIEFLY ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WHERE I HIT THE BRAKE AND MY MINI CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL, HOWEVER WHEN I TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL THAT TIME, THE BRAKES WERE FINE AND I HAD A CLOSE MISS OF REAR ENDING ANOTHER CAR. IN HINDSIGHT I SHOULD HAVE PUT MY 6 SPEED IN NEUTRAL OR TURNED OFF THE CAR. AT THE TIME, THESE OPTIONS DIDN'T COME TO ME IN A PANICKED STATE. *TR