NHTSA Complaint #10314941 — 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA

WHILE TRAVELING AT 35MPH ON A 50MPH ROADWAY, ANTICIPATING TO STOP OR STEER OFF THE ROADWAY, MY 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA BRAKES AND STEERING FAILED DESPITE REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO STOP OR STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SOFT SHOULDER TO AVOID REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE STOPPED AHEAD OF ME. ONCE I APPLIED MY BRAKES, THE STEERING MECHANISM BECAME NON RESPONSIVE AS THOUGH BOTH BRAKES AND STEERING FAILED. I WATCHED MY VEHICLE CONTINUED ON ITS FORWARD TRAJECTORY UNTIL IT SLAMMED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AT THE RED LIGHT. IN ADDITION, ONE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THE AIR BAG ON THIS VEHICLE TO DEPLOY AT IMPACT AT THIS SPEED. TO MY SURPRISE AND THAT OF THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER FROM TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. LUCKILY, I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE VEHICLE AS NEITHER THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG NOR THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *TR