NHTSA Complaint #10313655 — 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) LETTER TO TOYOTA 02/24/10 I'VE HAD INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH MY 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA ACCELERATING UNEXPECTEDLY. MY DEALER SAID THERE'S NO PROBLEM, BUT AFTER EXPERIENCING A LIFE-THREATENING SPINOUT ON THE HIGHWAY LAST WEEKEND (THE 4TH SUCH INCIDENCE), I'M FRIGHTENED TO DRIVE THIS CAR. IT KEEPS GETTING BANGED UP FROM THESE PROBLEMS AND MY INSURANCE RATES ARE GOING SKY-HIGH. BUT MORE SERIOUSLY, I DRIVE 36,000+ MILES PER YEAR, WHICH MEANS THAT MY EXPOSURE TO RISK IS GREATER THAN MOST DRIVERS. WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? WILL YOU COMPENSATE MY DAUGHTER IF I DIE AS A RESULT OF YOUR PARTS FAILING WHEN THEY ARE USED AS INTENDED? I'VE CONTACTED THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY BOARD AND THE INDIANA STATE POLICE HAVE RECORDED SUNDAY NIGHT'S INCIDENT. IRONICALLY, I WAS COMING BACK FROM CHICAGO WHERE I HAD HELPED MY EX-WIFE TO PURCHASE A 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA. I'M ALSO WORRIED ABOUT RISKS TO HER LIFE, AND MY DAUGHTER'S, BUT SHE TRUSTS YOUR REPUTATION MORE THAN MY ADVICE. THANKFULLY FOR ME, I HAD JUST HAD MY BRAKES REPLACED AND TIRES ROTATED BY MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER LAST WEEK. HAD THAT NOT HAPPENED, I WOULD BE DEAD TODAY FROM THE SPINOUT OFF THE HIGHWAY ON SUNDAY, BECAUSE WITHOUT GOOD BRAKES, I WOULD HAVE VEERED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND NOT BEEN ABLE TO PULL THE CAR AWAY TO THE OTHER SIDE. I DO NOT RECALL HITTING ANYTHING. BUT STRANGELY, NOW THERE ARE 2 DENTS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR OF THE CAR AND THE TRUNK FAILS TO LATCH PROPERLY. IT'S AS IF THE METAL BODY OF THE CAR WAS PULLED SO FAST THAT IT BENT. THERE ARE NO POSTS OR TREES IN THE AREA THAT I COULD HAVE HIT, AND I CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY IN DAYLIGHT TO PHOTOGRAPH THE SCENE. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THE DENTS GOT ON THE CAR, STRAIN? ** [XXX] *TR