NHTSA Complaint #10312857 — 2007 TOYOTA COROLLA

THE FIRST TIME I EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES OCCURRED ON APRIL 28TH, 2007. I WAS EXITING A PARKING LOT THAT HAD A DOWNWARD SLOPE AND AS I MERGED ONTO THE MAIN ROAD, I STEPPED ON MY BRAKES BUT MY CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I WAS FORCED TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKES, BUT EVEN THEN, THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP FOR ANOTHER 10 YARDS. ON MAY 2ND, 2007, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BE CHECKED AT HOLLYWOOD TOYOTA IN LOS ANGELES, CA. THE INVOICE NOTES STATE THAT THE CAUSES FOR THE BRAKE PROBLEMS ON THIS PARTICULAR OCCASION WERE THAT THE 'BRAKE PEDAL WAS SPONGY' AND THE 'BRAKES WERE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT'. FOR THE VEHICLE BEING BRAND NEW AND ME BEING THE FIRST OWNER, I FIND IT RATHER DISTURBING THAT THESE BRAKE PROBLEMS HAD ALREADY BECOME AN ISSUE AFTER ONLY ONE MONTH OF OWNERSHIP. ON MARCH 24TH, 2009, ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT BRAKING INCIDENT HAPPENED. AS I ENTERED THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOME, I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR TO GO UP THE DRIVEWAY'S INCLINE AND THEN TAPPED ON MY BRAKES. WHEN I TAPPED ON THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. I PULLED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKES BUT IT STILL DID NOT STOP. I WAS FORCED TO STEER MY VEHICLE IN THE DIRECTION OF MY HOUSE IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO HOPEFULLY STOP WITH THE IMPACT. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE BROKE THROUGH A WOODEN FENCE SURROUNDING MY FRONT GARDEN BEFORE THE VEHICLE HIT THE CORNER OF MY HOUSE AND FINALLY CAME TO A HALT. THE MOST SERIOUS BRAKING FAILURE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON JUNE 25TH, 2009 IN THE KAISER SUNSET PARKING STRUCTURE. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO PULL OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT. I THEN SHIFTED TO DRIVE WHILE APPLYING MY BRAKES. SINCE THE STRUCTURE WAS AT AN INCLINE THE VEHICLE GAINED VELOCITY AS I DROVE DOWN TO THE LOWER LEVELS TO EXIT. I PRESSED ON MY BRAKES BUT IT DID NOT WORK. I THEN PULLED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT STOP. I WAS FORCED TO HIT THE EXIT CROSS BAR SO THAT THE IMPACT WOULD STOP MY VEHICLE FROM MOVING. *TR