NHTSA Complaint #10319371 — 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) PURCHASED 2003, TOYOTA, COROLLA, VIN: [XXX] WITH DAUGHTER. VEH WAS PURCHASED FROM TOYOTA OF ORANGE IN CA. TWO DAYS LATER A HIT AND RUN DRIVER FORCED VEH TO SKID ACROSS FIVE LANES ON INTERSTATE 10 IN ONTARIO, CA, AND LANDED ATOP CENTER DIVIDER. THE VEHICLE WAS SENT TO REPAIR SHOP AND "REPAIRED" AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5-8 MONTHS. HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS NEVER PROPERLY REPAIRED, AND I COMPLAINED TO BOTH TOYOTA , AND TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY, ALLSTATE, BUT TOYOTA ADAMANTLY STATED THE VEH WAS WITHOUT PROBLEMS. THE CAR WAS CONTINUALLY IN THE SHOP FOR THE BRAKES. EVENTUALLY THE CARPET CAUSED THE ACCELERATOR TO BECOME STUCK AND THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL. I WAS FORCED TO REACH DOWN WHILE THE CAR MOVING AND PULL THE CARPET WITH BOTH HANDS TO RELEASE THE ACCELERATOR. STEPPING ON THE BRAKES DID NOT HELP. NEITHER TOYOTA REPAIR NOR ALLSTATE WOULD HELP RESOLVE OUR COMPLAINTS SINCE 2003, WE WERE SIMPLY TOLD THAT THE VEH WAS FINE. ADDITIONALLY I BELIEVE THE FRAME IS BENT, LACK OF INTERLOCKING BRAKES CAUSING SKIDS, BRAKES ARE SOFT AND DROP TO FLOOR, AND POOR STEERING COLUMN. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS AND IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT INVOLVING NEAR MISS ACCIDENT EPISODES. THE CAR SKIDS IF GOING AS LITTLE AS 5-10 MILES PER HOUR. I OFFERED TO GIVE THE CAR AWAY TO ANYONE WHO WAS WILLING TO INVESTIGATE MY COMPLAINTS, ALL TO NO AVAIL. I JUST RECENTLY LEARNED THAT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I HEARD IN THE BRAND NEW CAR WAS A HOLE IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. TOYOTA CONTINUALLY DENIED THIS FOR 5-6 YEARS, THEN BY ACCIDENT A VERY YOUNG NEWLY EMPLOYED STAFF AT TOYOTA OF ORANGE, INFORMED US THAT OUR COMPLAINT ABOUT LOUD AIR SOUNDING NOISE WAS A HOLE IN THE EXHAUST, WHICH HAD BEEN CONTINUALLY MAKING THE NOISE, AND BURNING OF EYES (MIGRAINES). THE BRAKES WERE REPAIRED EVERY 2-4 MONTHS OR LESS UNTIL I JUST REPORTED LESS FREQUENTLY. THE CAR IS NOW NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. CURRENTLY IT NEEDS SOME BRAKES, ROTORS, DRUMS, CALIPERS, AND SHOCKS AS ALWAYS. *TR