NHTSA Complaint #10303314 — 2000 TOYOTA AVALON

DEAR SIR OR MADAM, I AM WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE THERE WAS AN INCIDENT WITH MY VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. MY CAR IS A 2000 TOYOTA AVALON XS, AND THE PROBLEM I EXPERIENCED COULD HAVE BEEN LIFE THREATENING. I DRIVE ABOUT 25 MILES TO WORK DAILY THROUGH THE FREEWAY AND YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ITSELF WHILE THE CAR WAS ON, FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES I WAS UNABLE TO GO IN ANY OTHER DIRECTION OTHER THAN STRAIGHT BECAUSE IT HAD LOCKED ITSELF. AFTER USING FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IT HAD FINALLY DISLODGED, IT WAS A SCARY EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I HAD STARTED TO DRIFT INTO THE OTHER LANE SO I SLOWED DOWN A LITTLE. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE LOCKED IN A STRAIGHTAWAY INSTEAD OF A TURN. HOWEVER THAT WAS ONLY THE FIRST TIME IT HAD HAPPENED, LATER THAT NIGHT WHEN I WAS DOING ERRANDS IT HAD LOCKED UP ONCE AGAIN, THIS TIME OUTSIDE OUR HOUSE. AFTER TRYING TO BUDGE IT FOR A WHOLE HOUR IT FINALLY UNLOCKED AND I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO OUR CAR SHOP. THE OWNER OF THE SHOP, A FRIEND OF OURS, ENCOURAGED US TO WRITE TO YOU TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO ANYONE ELSE. *TR