NHTSA Complaint #10350073 — 2007 TOYOTA YARIS

PURCHASED A 07 TOYOTA YARIS ON 6/7/2010 CERTIFIED WITH 77302 MILES ON IT FOR MY SON. CAR HAS HAD NO INCIDENTS UNTIL 7/25/10 AT APPROX 7:30 - 7:45PM EST. DRIVING CONDITIONS WERE SUNNY AND CLEAR. MY SON AND I HAVE DRIVEN ON THE ROAD MANY TIMES BEFORE AS IT IS VERY CLOSE TO THE HOUSE. WHEN MY SON WAS TRYING TO BEAR RIGHT AROUND A TURN AT THE TOP OF THE HILL WHILE GOING APPROX 25-30 MPH HE COULD NOT TURN RIGHT TO STAY IN HIS LANE. APPLIED THE BRAKES WHILE THE CAR DROVE DIRECTLY INTO A LARGE TREE. THERE WAS NO WAY TO AVOID THE TREE AS THE CAR WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM TO STEER IT. THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT IS 40 MPH FOR THE GENERAL AREA AND 25 MPH SUGGESTED SPEED FOR THE CURVE. ALTHOUGH NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, NEITHER DRIVER OR PASSENGER WERE INJURED. DAMAGE TO FRONT END AND THE LEFT QUARTER PANEL PUSHED BACK INTO THE LEFT DOOR SO THE HINGE IS IMPEDED WHEN OPENING THE DOOR. ENGINE WAS PUSHED BACK ON A TILT. THE OFFICER SAID HE COULD NOT SEE ANY OTHER WAY THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AS NO ONE WOULD WILLINGLY DRIVE DIRECTLY INTO A TREE ON PURPOSE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT EVENING. ON 7/26 I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER (SM) AS DIRECTED BY THE GM. THE SM SUGGESTED I SPEAK TO TOYOTA VIA AN 800 #. I CALLED, GAVE DETAILS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE AND HAVE A CASE NUMBER. I WAS ASSIGNED A CASE MANAGER ON 7/27 AND WAS PROMISED A REGIONAL TOYOTA INVESTIGATOR WOULD LOOK AT THE CAR WITHIN 10-14 BUSINESS DAYS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I SPOKE TO THE COLLISION MANAGER TO ADVISE HER OF THE ISSUE AND WAITED FOR SOMEONE TO CONTACT ME FROM TOYOTA ADVISING ME WHEN THE INSPECTION WILL TAKE PLACE. ON 8/13 A REP FROM TOYOTA'S EXEC. OFFICE CONTACTED ME AND INDICATED I WOULD NEED TO SIGN AN EDR DATA READOUT AUTHORIZATION AND CONSENT FORM. THEY THINK THE INSPECTION WILL OCCUR ON 8/19 OR 8/20. I HAVE REQUESTED TO VIDEOTAPE THE COMPUTER SCREEN DURING THE DOWNLOAD OF EDR & ECM DATA ALONG WITH IT BACKED UP ON A USB DRIVE AND GET A PRINTOUT AND EXPLANATION FROM THE INSPECTOR. *TR