NHTSA Complaint #10070502 — 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY

I EXPERIENCED A TREMENDOUS FRUSTRATION -- WHILE DRIVING IN DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON, DC, MY CAR LOST ITS POWER STEERING. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD, I SAW THAT THE RESERVOIR FOR POWER STEERING FLUID WAS INDEED FULL. NOT WANTING TO BE STRANDED 40 MILES FROM HOME, I DROVE TO THE DEALER FROM WHICH I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I WAS ADVISED THAT IT COULD BE SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE MY CAR WAS EVALUATED AND/OR REPAIRED. ABOUT 2 DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, I RETURNED IT FOR 2 COMPLAINTS: (1) THE DRIVER SEAT JARS FORWARD AND BACK UPON STOPPING AND ACCELERATING, APPROXIMATELY 80-90% OF THE TIME; (2) STOPPING/SLOWING THE VEHICLE AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 40MPH (SUCH AS WHEN SLOWING FOR AN EXIT) CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE AND PULL TO ONE SIDE. I WAS ADVISED, BY THE SERVICES MANAGER THAT THE SEAT MOVING "HAPPENS IN THIS KIND OF CAR", AND THAT THE ALIGNMENT OF THE CAR WAS "OK" AND THAT "PULLING AND SHAKING HAPPENS IN THIS KIND OF CAR". AND, I'VE TOLERATED IT. NOW, I'M WONDERING IF THE SHUT DOWN OF THE STEERING ALSO 'HAPPENS IN THIS KIND OF CAR'. IF SO, I DON'T WANT "THIS KIND OF CAR" AND PERHAPS MY NEEDS WOULD BEST BE SERVED BY SOME OTHER 'KIND OF CAR'