NHTSA Complaint #10303303 — 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS

WE OWN A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW,HAS BEEN DEALER MAINTAINED AND IS OUR PRIMARY VEHICLE. ON JANUARY 26, 2010 AT 2:05 PM MY WIFE EXPERIENCE UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION AND DESPITE ATTEMPTING THE STRATEGIES RECOMMENDED BY TOYOTA WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH CAUSING HER AND OTHERS INJURY. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR, THE ROAD WAS DRY AND STRAIGHT AND MY WIFE WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION WITH PLENTY OF UNOBSTUCTED VISIBILITY. WE HAD FOLLOWED THE INITIAL RECALL INSTRUCTIONS AND HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE LOCAL DEALER ABOUT ANY FOLLOW-UP INSTRUCTIONS PERTAINING TO OUR VEHICLE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT I CONTACT, IN PERSON, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT PERFORMANCE TOYOTA IN LINCOLN, NE. HE STATED OUR VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE MOST RECENT RECALL INVOLVING FAULTY GAS PEDALS. I ADVISED HIM I UNDERSTOOD THAT HOWEVER MY WIFE EXPERIENCED UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION AND DESPITE ATTEMPTING TO EMPLOY THE RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH RESULTING TO INJURIES TO HER AND OTHERS. I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER HOW TO PROCEED AND HE ADVISED ME TO CALL THE "TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE LINE" AND SPEAK TO THEM. WHEN I STATED I HAD TRIED MANY TIMES AND WAS UNABLE TO REACH A PERSON HE INSISTED THAT WAS THE APPROPRIATE MANNER TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION. I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP FEELING EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED DUE TO THE FACT THE RECORDED MESSAGE ON THE "TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE LINE" ADVISED IF YOU HAD EXPERIENCED AND ACCELERATOR/ACCELERATION PROBLEM CONTACT YOUR DEALER IMMEDIATELY. WE ARE AWARE THAT MANY TOYOTA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE WITH THEIR VEHICLES AND IN MORE MODELS AND YEARS THAN ARE INVOLVED IN THE LATEST RECALL. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL MIDDLE CLASS CITIZEN TO CHALLENGE A MAJOR AUTOMAKER TO FIRST ADMIT AND THEN CORRECT A DEFECT IN AN AUTOMOBILE THEY PRODUCED AND SOLD . WE REQUEST YOU INVESTIGATE THIS INCIDENT IN ADDITION TO THE MANY MORE THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED. WE WILL BE AVAILABLE AND COOPERATIVE IN ANY FACT FINDING YOU MAY WISH TO DO. *TR