NHTSA Complaint #10334526 — 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX

I HAVE NEVER HAD MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH MY 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX. LAST WEEKEND WHILE TRYING TO MERGE ONTO INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 10 IN AZ FOR A WEEKEND CAMPING TRIP WITHOUT WARNING MY ENGINE SEIZED WHILE I WAS TRYING TO MERGE ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE STOPPED AND THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER BEFORE THE SEMI BEHIND ME REAR ENDED ME. I AM THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE AS WELL AS THE INFANT I HAD WITH ME IN THE CAR. WHEN WE TOWED THE CAR TO A MECHANIC HE ACCUSED ME OF DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT OIL BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS FULL OF SLUDGE. THANKFULLY MY FATHER WAS WITH ME AND HE EXPLAINED TO THE MECHANIC THAT I REGULARLY HAVE MY CAR SERVICED AND WE HAD OIL IN THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. AFTER SOME SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH TOYOTAS. I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND IF THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WHY TOYOTA HAS NOT INFORMED THEIR CUSTOMERS SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT OURSELVES AND THE PASSENGERS IN OUR CARS. *TR