NHTSA Complaint #10313897 — 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA

TOYOTA COROLLA S 2010 [XXX] WITH EXTRA STABILIZER BAR KIT, PURCHASED 11-30-09 WITH DELIVERY IN 12/09. 1) APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH AFTER PURCHASE ,THE CAR STARTING TO VEER SHARPLY RIGHT THEN LEFT WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WAS/IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL REQUIRING A TIGHT GRIP ON THE WHEEL. IT FEELS LIKE STRONG WINDS ARE MOVING THE CAR BUT WINDS ARE ABSENT AND ROAD CONDITIONS ARE NORMAL. THIS EVENT COMES AND GOES UNEXPECTEDLY, GENERALLY LASTS THE DURATION OF MY COMMUTE ONCE STARTED, SOMETIMES OCCURS WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE BUT NOT ALWAYS, SOMETIMES OCCURS AFTER RAPID BRAKING. IT DOES NOT FEEL LIKE AN ALIGNMENT OR BALANCE PROBLEM, THE CAR DARTS FROM ONE END OF THE LANE, TO THE MEDIAN OF THE LANE ON ITS OWN. ON THIS DATE 2-24-10 MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP FILLED THE TIRES, AND MADE A SLIGHT CHANGE TO THE LEFT ALIGNMENT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND STATED "THIS COULD BE A MATTER OF PERSONAL PREFERENCES" REGARDING HOW I FELT THE CAR DROVE WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE TOYOTA MANAGER ALSO TOLD ME TODAY THAT THEY UNDERSTAND "THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM BUT THEY HAVE NO DIRECTION ON HOW TO REPAIR IT." WHEN ASKED THEN IF HE COULD GUARANTEE MY SAFETY AND THAT THIS WOULD NOT OCCUR AGAIN HE STATED NO, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING FOR HIM TO DO. NO INJURIES TO DATE. I DO NOT FEEL TOYOTA IS MAKING REASONABLE EFFORTS TO QUICKLY ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM, ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM, AND DO NOT WISH TO RESOLVE THIS WITH STATEMENTS REGARDING MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE FOR THE DRIVE, AND SINCE THIS IN THEIR OPINION IS NOT REPRODUCIBLE FOR THEM IT IS NOT A VIABLE PROBLEM FOR THEM TO REPAIR. 2) ON APPROXIMATELY 2-11-10 I HAD TO USE MY BRAKES IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION IN WHICH MY BRAKES WERE TEMPORALLY NON-RESPONSE. I HAD TO DOWNSHIFT THE GEARS, REMOVE MY FOOT TOTALLY FROM THE GAS PEDAL ,AND MANEUVERED THE CAR AWAY FROM THE OTHER STOPPED CAR. NO ABS WAS FELT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED FULLY, THIS OCCURRED AT HWY SPEEDS. NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF PROBLEM OR REMEDY PROPOSED BY TOY CURRENTLY. *TR