NHTSA Complaint #10305336 — 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS

FEBRUARY 4, 2010 I OWN A 2010 PRIUS PURCHASED 09/01/09 BRAND NEW FROM A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2010 I WAS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD APPROACHING A "T" INTERSECTION AT A STOP SIGN. THE MAIN ROADS HAD BEEN CLEARED OF ICE BUT THERE WAS SOME ICE REMAINING ON OUR STREET. I WAS TRAVELING VERY SLOWLY, PUT ON MY BRAKES AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THEN I TRIED PUMPING THE BRAKES SINCE I GOT NO RESPONSE OTHERWISE. I SLID THROUGH THE STOP SIGN, TRIED TO TURN MY TIRES TO THE LEFT TO AVOID THE CURB AND ENDED UP JUMPING THE CURB WITH BOTH FRONT TIRES. ON INSPECTION WHEN I GOT HOME (4 HOUSES DOWN FROM THE INCIDENT) I NOTICED THE RIM OF THE RIGHT TIRE HAD BEEN CRACKED AND THE TIRE HAD SOME DAMAGE. I HAD TO WORK ON MON & TUES AND DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR ON THOSE DAYS. YESTERDAY, 02/03/10 I TOOK THE CAR TO HIBDON TIRES (2 BLOCKS AWAY) SINCE THE DEALERSHIP IS OVER 30 MILES AWAY AND I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAY. THEY PUT ON THE SPARE TIRE AND DETERMINED THAT THE PASSENGER RIM WAS NOT REPAIRABLE, THE DRIVER RIM WAS INTACT AND BOTH TIRES WERE INTACT AND REUSABLE. THEY INDICATED THE AXLE DID NOT APPEAR DAMAGED. I ORDERED ANOTHER TOYOTA RIM TO MATCH ($411.20) AND WITH AN ALIGNMENT ($65.00) I WAS QUOTED A TOTAL PRICE OF $512.26. I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALER TODAY (02/05/10) AFTER READING THE MEDIA REPORTS ABOUT COMPLAINTS BY OTHER PRIUS OWNERS DESCRIBING THE VERY SITUATION THAT HAPPENED TO ME. I CANCELED MY ORDER WITH HIBDON AND HOPE TO HAVE MY CAR REPAIRED AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. I HAVE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (HENRY SIEGLER AT FOWLER TOYOTA IN NORMAN, OK; 321-1301) AND WILL BE TAKING MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE THIS MORNING. I WOULD LIKE TO LOG MY EXPERIENCE FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU. *TR