NHTSA Complaint #10186688 — 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS

WE OWN 2 TOYOTA PRIUSES. ONE IS A 2003 (THE OLDER STYLE) AND A 2005. IN 2004, I WAS DRIVING THE 2003 ON THE FREEWAY. A PANEL TRUCK WAS TO MY RIGHT. IT STARTED TO COME INTO MY LANE SO I SWERVED TO AVOID GETTING HIT. THE CAR STARTED TO SKID AND SLIDE. THE CAR FIRST FISHTAILED, THEN WENT TO THE HARD RIGHT (I THINK) , THE LEFT AND THEN I LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE CAR DID A 180 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. WHEN IT CAME TO A STOP, I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR AROUND AND CONTINUE DOWN THE FREEWAY. LUCKILY THE ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF SO I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THIS PRECARIOUS POSITION. I ALSO LUCKED OUT B/C THE FREEWAY WAS NOT BUSY AND THE OTHER CARS WERE ABLE TO AVOID ME. YESTERDAY, OUR ENTIRE FAMILY WAS IN THE 2005 PRIUS. WE WERE ON TWO LANE HIGHWAY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. WE WERE IN THE FAST LANE. A POLICE CAR CAME UP BEHIND US WITH LIGHTS FLASHING. BY THE TIME MY HUSBAND SAW HIM FAST APPROACHING, THERE WAS NO WHERE TO GO. THERE WAS A CAR TO OUR RIGHT. MY HUSBAND TRIED TO GO ONTO THE SHOULDER (PROBABLY HIT SOME GRAVEL) AND THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL. IT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO MY EXPERIENCE. THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND FISHTAILING , THEN I THINK WE WENT TO THE RIGHT, THEN LEFT AND THEN SLAMMED INTO THE GUARDRAIL. BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND INJURIES WERE EXTREMELY MINOR (BUMPS AND BRUISES). I AM CONCERNED B/C BOTH CARS QUICKLY WENT OUT OF CONTROL WHEN SUDDEN MOVES WERE EXECUTED. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR DO THIS BEFORE. I HOPE IT IS JUST A COINCIDENCE BECAUSE WE LOVE THESE CARS. *JB