NHTSA Complaint #10235366 — 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS

I WAS DRIVING MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS (ONLY 2 1/2 YEARS OLD WITH 10K MILES ON IT) THROUGH A CURVY ROAD WHEN THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM BEGAN TURNING ON AND OFF ERRATICALLY, MUCH MORE THAN WAS CALLED FOR ON AN A MOSTLY SMOOTH ROAD. I COULD TELL SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM AND THAT IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING, SO I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE. UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS DARK AND I WAS ON A NARROW, WINDY BUSY ROAD SO I QUICKLY DECIDED THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I GOT BACK IN MY CAR AND CONTINUED DOWN THE ROAD AT A SLIGHTLY DECREASED SPEED 20-25MPH. A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER I WAS DRIVING INTO A CURVE AND TRIED TO TURN THE WHEEL. I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL BUT THE WHEELS DIDN'T REACT. THE STEERING WHEEL OFFERED NO RESISTANCE AS I TURNED IT BACK AND FORTH AND I WAS QUICKLY HEADING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND POINTED TOWARDS A STEEP DROPOFF INTO A CANYON. AT THIS TIME THERE WEREN'T ANY WARNING LIGHTS OR INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD TO INDICATE SOMETHING WAS GOING ON, BUT THERE WAS A LOUD WARNING BEEP AT SOME POINT. AFTER ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS THE STEERING RESPONDED AGAIN BUT WHEN IT TURNED BACK ON I WAS TURNING SO HARD ON THE WHEEL THAT MY CAR NOW VEERED SHARPLY TO MY RIGHT TOWARDS A ROCK FACE WALL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I RECOVERED ON TIME AND PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS TOO SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR, SO I HAD IT TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER. THEY LOOKED IT OVER AND CLAIMED NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING MORE THEY CAN DO FOR ME. I COULD HAVE DIED THAT NIGHT AND ALMOST HIT MANY CARS. I AM PETRIFIED TO DRIVE MY CAR EVER AGAIN AND WORRIED THIS COULD HAPPEN TO MORE PEOPLE, SO I WANTED TO WARN YOUR AGENCY. I PLAN ON CONTACTING TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AS WELL TO COMPLAIN AND INSIST THEY CHECK MY CAR BECAUSE EVEN IF THIS ONLY HAPPENS ONE MORE TIME, IT COULD BE FATAL. *TR