NHTSA Complaint #10319427 — 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX

MY COMPLAINT WAS FIRST FILED ON 3/25/2006 (ODI # 10153679). THIS IS THE 2ND COMPLAINT ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE TOYOTA MATRIX THAT I DROVE IN 2006. I WAS DRIVING A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX AND LOST TOTAL CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING ON RT 2 WEST BOUND OUT OF BOSTON DURING EVENING RUSH HOUR. I WAS TRYING TO CHANGE LANE TO MY RIGHT AND FOUND THERE WAS A CAR APPROACHING AND HONKED AT ME. I HAD NOT LEFT MY LANE YET AND TRIED TO PULL MY CAR STRAIGHT BACK. THE CAR REACTED BY SHIFTING TOO MUCH TO THE LEFT AND I TRIED ONLY TO ADJUST IT, KEEPING IN MIND THAT WAS A POWER-STEERED SYSTEM, TO KEEP IT STRAIGHT. THERE WAS A 1-2 SECONDS AFTERWARDS THE CAR SEEMED TO BE ON TRACK AND I WAS DRIVING FINE. AFTER THAT 2 SECONDS, THE CAR ACCELERATED ALL OF A SUDDEN, GAS PEDAL WAS DOWN TO THE FLOOR, THE CAR VEERED TOWARD THE LEFT ON IT'S OWN. I TRIED TO MAINTAIN IT STRAIGHT BUT IN VAIN AND COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OVER IT. THE WHEEL WAS SO SOLID AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE CAR EVEN JUST A LITTLE BIT. IT SPUN COUNTERCLOCKWISE OVER 3 LANES TOWARD MY LEFT AND HIT THE CENTRAL GUARDRAIL AND STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE POLICE ISSUED ME A TICKET ON THE SPOT. OTHER THAN COMPLAINT ODI # 10153679 FILED AT THIS WEBSITE AFTER THE INCIDENT, I ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT AT TOYOTA'S WEBSITE ON THE SAME DAY (3/25/2006). THE MATRIX MODEL WAS STOPPED IN 2007 AND CONTINUED IN 2008 WITH AN ADVERTISEMENT THAT IT WAS A COMPLETE NEW DESIGN. I LATER CHECKED THE INTERNET AND FOUND A VERY SIMILAR ACCIDENT HAPPENED IN NEW YORK STATE ON 10/9/2005. A WOMAN NAMED [XXX] , 55 OF WEST HARVERSTRAW WAS DRIVING A MATRIX. HER CAR SPUN OFF ROUTE 287 IN HARDING AND SHE WAS HOSPITALIZED AFTERWARDS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR