NHTSA Complaint #10305933 — 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS

IN 10/06, I HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE THE BRAKES AND STEERING OF MY 2006 PRIUS CEASED TO FUNCTION BRIEFLY, AS I TRIED TO BRAKE AT AN INTERSECTION. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO MY TOYOTA DEALER SHORTLY AFTER -- THEY CHECKED IT BUT FOUND NOTHING WRONG, SO NOTHING WAS DONE. THE DAY IN QUESTION WAS DRIZZLY AND THE ROADS WET. IT WAS DAYTIME, AND I WAS DRIVING WITH MY CHILDREN IN BOSTON, APPROACHING THE FOREST HILLS INTERSECTION. THERE WERE TROLLEY TRACKS IN THE ROAD (SINCE REMOVED), WHICH I TRY TO AVOID, SINCE I KNOW THEY CAN BE SLIPPERY. AS I APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION, GOING ABOUT 20 MPH, I PUT MY FOOT TO THE BRAKE. AT THAT POINT, IT SEEMED TO ME THAT BOTH THE BRAKES AND THE STEERING CEASED TO FUNCTION OR FROZE UP, SO THAT I COULDN'T STOP THE CAR OR KEEP IT GOING STRAIGHT. THUS THE CAR KEPT GOING, VEERING TO THE RIGHT, WITH ONE WHEEL BANGING INTO AND UP ONTO A CURB, BEFORE THE CAR STOPPED. THE WHOLE THING TOOK ONLY A FEW SECONDS. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND SAT THERE IN DISBELIEF, SINCE I'D EXPERIENCED NOTHING LIKE THIS IN 30 YEARS OF DRIVING. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS CLOSE BY, SO I DIDN'T CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, AND I HAD BEEN GOING SLOW ENOUGH SO THAT NEITHER I NOR MY TWO BOYS WERE HURT. I HAVE COME TO KNOW THE CAR BETTER, AND HAVE LEARNED THAT OFTEN WHEN THE ROAD IS SLIPPERY OR ROUGH, YELLOW WARNING LIGHTS WILL FLASH, AND THE BRAKES WILL SEEM BRIEFLY LESS CRISP. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE WET CONDITIONS AND THE TROLLEY TRACKS ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT CONTRIBUTED TO WHAT HAPPENED. HOWEVER, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE QUALITATIVE DIFFERENCE OF THE 2006 INCIDENT. I'M NOT A CAR EXPERT, BUT IT FELT TO ME LIKE THE CAR'S ELECTRONIC SYSTEM HAD SEIZED UP, NOT LIKE THERE WAS SOME MECHANICAL PROBLEM. IT FELT AS THOUGH THERE WAS A BRIEF BUT COMPLETE SEVERING OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MY ACTIONS WITH MY FEET AND HANDS AND HOW THE CAR BEHAVED. IT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING. *TR