NHTSA Complaint #10118661 — 2002 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY IN EARLY DECEMBER 2004, 60 MPH AND CAR WENT COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL AS IF A FRONT TIRE HAD BLOWN. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN 3 DAYS LATER, UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS. THOUGHTS WERE THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM WAS KICKING ON (FOR NOT APPARENT REASON) DUE TO A WIRING/COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. THIS MALFUNCTION HAS OCCURED AT LEAST 15-20 TIMES WITH US ON THE HIGHWAY - WE HAVE THE CAR PARKED, EXCEPT TO TAKE IT BACK AND FORTH TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO CANNOT SEEM TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP HAD IT 4 DAYS THE FIRST TIME AND 2-3 WEEKS THE SECOND AND THIRD TIMES. TOOK IT TO LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DUPLICATED PROBLEM WITHIN THE FIRST 15 MILES OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE (WHICH IS A 2002 TOYOTA LANDCRUISER). NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE BY THE DEALERSHIP, AS THEY CLAIM THEY CAN'T "DUPLICATE CUSTOMER'S REQUEST". MANUFACTURER TOOK CLAIM BUT HAS DONE NOTHING. LOCAL MECHANIC NOTED ON HIS WORK ORDER THAT THIS PROBLEM MAY NOT BE FIXABLE AND THAT VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS AND IS GOING TO KILL SOMEONE UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS. HE ALSO "DIAGNOSED" PROBLEM, AS IN FACT, BEING A MALFUNCTION IN THE AUTOMATIC TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM" AND THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL IS HAVING THE BREAKS APPLIED (AT HIGH SPEEDS, FOR NO REASON) AND SYSTEM COMES ON MOMENTARILY, SOUNDING ALARM AND CAR SWERVES OUT OF CONTROL.