NHTSA Complaint #10351085 — 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA

WE BOUGHT A 2006 CERTIFIED COROLLA LE ON JUNE 19, 2010 FROM A DEALERSHIP IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. ON AUGUST 18, 2010 MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND WHILE AT STOP LIGHT EARLIER THAT DAY HER CAR HESITATED AND DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE. THAT EVENING AROUND 8:30 PM AS SHE WAS DRIVING HER CAR, THE ROAD CURVED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT BUT SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL OR DEPRESS THE BRAKES. SHE CROSSED THE ON COMING LANE AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. SHE WAS ABLE TO WALK AWAY FROM THIS WITH ONLY HUNDREDS OF SMALL CUTS FROM GLASS. THE INITIAL THOUGHT WAS THAT SHE HAD HYDROPLANED BUT AFTER FURTHER TALKING TO MY DAUGHTER SHE SAID THAT SHE TRIED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO FOLLOW THE ROAD BUT SHE COULDN'T BECAUSE IT WAS TOO HARD AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT DEPRESS EITHER. I HAD MY MECHANIC GO TO THE YARD WHERE THE CAR WAS STORED AND READ THE COMPUTER AND THIS IS WHAT HE FOUND: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FIND P0430 EVAP SYSTEM PRESSURE SENSOR HIGH INPUT AND IN THE HISTORY HE FOUND 2 CODES: THE SAME P0430 AND B2799 ENGINE IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM FAULT. SO AS IT SEEMS NOW THE CAR DID SHUT OFF AND SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING OR BRAKES DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST REPORT OF THIS HAPPENING. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT REALLY BAD OR THERE IS A FATAL ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF BEING A CERTIFIED CAR, SHOULD THIS HAVE BEEN DETECTED BEFORE THE CAR WAS SOLD? ALSO, IS THE COMPUTER READ BEFORE THE CAR IS SOLD TO SEE IF THERE HAS BEEN OR IS A PROBLEM? IF IT IS NOT READ, THEN MAYBE IT SHOULD BE A NEW POLICY FOR THE DEALERSHIPS. *TR