NHTSA Complaint #10145312 — 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY

MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY IS THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN IN SNOWY CONDITIONS. IT HAS NO TRACTION, FISHTAILS, CAN BARELY MAKE IT UP HILLS, ETC. A MECHANIC (NOT AT TOYOTA) ALSO POINTED OUT THE TIRES WERE WEARING UNEVENLY AND VERY QUICKLY (I HAVE PUT FEWER THAN 20,000 TOTAL MILES ON THIS CAR). LAST WEEK I WAS COMING AROUND A CORNER IN THE SNOW (AT ABOUT 10 MPH) HIT A SLIPPERY PATCH AND THE CAR SEIZED UP COMPLETELY. I SLID ACROSS THE ROAD AND INTO ANOTHER CAR. NOW LOOKING AT THE NHTSA SITE, I SEE THAT I AM NOT ALONE, AND THAT THE TIRES THAT COME WITH THE CAR FROM THE FACTORY ARE NOT MEANT FOR ALL WEATHER DRIVING. I AM OUTRAGED. LIKE OTHERS I BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE OF ITS REPUTATION AS A "SAFE" FAMILY CAR. I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY DEALER WHO BASICALLY SAID "TOO BAD. TOYOTA IS NOT DOING ANYTHING WITH TIRES AT THIS TIME." HE DID ADMIT, HOWEVER, THAT THE TIRES ON THE CAR ARE CONSIDERED 'HIGH PERFORMANCE' AND ARE NOT MEANT TO BE USED IN THE SNOW. GREAT. I TOO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO BUY $500 WORTH OF NEW TIRES TOMORROW. I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD PAY FOR SOME IF NOT ALL OF THIS. NOT LIKELY. IT IS ALSO NOT LIKELY THAT I WILL EVER BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA. PEOPLE NEED TO BE INFORMED OF THIS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IT COULD EASILY BE LIFE-THREATENING.