An American woman saved her car from a carjacker by jumping on the hood or bonnet of the vehicle and refusing to budge even as the thief jammed on the brakes twice.

The sequence resembling a movie stunt was caught on closed circuit television (CCTV).

Ms Melissa Smith, of Milwaukee in Wisconsin, was at a petrol station filling up her car on Tuesday (May 23) when a Cadillac pulled up next to her SUV.

A man got out of the Cadillac, jumped into her car and started to drive off.

"He looked at me and he laughed at me, which really irritated me," she told WISN.

CCTV footage showed her jumping on the hood of her car and gripping the windshield wiper.

The man slammed on the brakes twice but she did not budge.

"He was laughing while I was on my car and he was trying to throw me off, so zero remorse," she said.

As the car rolled out from the petrol station to the main road, the thief jumped off the still moving car and got back into the Cadillac.

As Ms Smith's car continued to roll out onto the road, she slid off the hood and into the driver seat.

The thief made off with her wallet and mobile phone, but she saved her car.

"I went with my instinct," she said, while admitting it was not "the smartest or safest thing" to do.