NHTSA Complaint #702582 — 1997 DODGE STRATUS

WHILE APPROACHING A MAJOR INTERSECTION I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN, I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS AND PUSHED ON THE BRAKE, INSTEAD OF THE CAR SLOWING THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE AND THE CAR SURGED FORWARD. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS SO I COMPLETLY REMOVED MY FOOT, THE CAR CONTINUED TO SPEED UP AT A VERY FAST RATE. JUST AS THE CAR WAS ENTERING THE INTERSECTION I SLAMMED BACK ON THE BRAKES, BUT WAS ONLY ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR. IT CONTINUED TOWARD THE INTERSECTION. ONCE IN THE INTERSECTION, THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED MYSELF AND MY WIFE FROM BEING KILLED WAS THAT THE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT ENOUGH TO GO AROUND US. AFTER APPROX 20 TO 30 SECONDS THE ENGINE WENT BACK TO NORMAL I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO GET OUT OF THE INTERSECTION. I TOOK THE CAR RIGHT TO THE DEALER AND CHYLSLER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. MY WIFE REFUSES TO GET BACK INTO THE CAR AND I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS SAFE FOR MY FAMILY, THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND I MAY NOT BE AS LUCKY NEXT TIME. I EXPECT CHRYSLER TO GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND , PLEASE HELP. *AK