NHTSA Complaint #10356903 — 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS

IN NOVEMBER OF 2007, I WAS DRIVING MY WIFE'S 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS TO TAKE THE FAMILY TO LUNCH. I APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION, I WAS ON THE CEL PHONE, AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO WORK AND I CRASHED INTO A TRUCK WHO WAS OUT IN THE INTERSECTION, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE PRIUS. MY WIFE HAD BEEN COMPLAINING FOR MONTHS THAT THE PRIUS HAD BRAKE FAILURE INCIDENTS ONCE A MONTH. I WOULD TEST DRIVE THE CAR, AND COULD NOT GET THE BRAKES TO FAIL. THAT IS UNTIL THE INCIDENT MENTIONED ABOVE HAPPENED. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER. I INFORMED THEM THAT THE BRAKES FAILED. I INFORMED THEM THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DRIVE THE CAR EVERY DAY FOR A MONTH BEFORE THEY COULD GET THE BRAKES TO FAIL. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR A MONTH, BUT DID NOT TEST IT AS I RECOMMENDED......AND INFORMED ME THAT THEY COULD NOT SEE ANY PROBLEM, FORCING ME TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE DAMAGES TO THE CAR $1,566.57....AS WELL AS FOR THE $1,440.38 RENTAL CAR BILL. I IMMEDIATELY PICKED UP THE CAR AND DROVE IT TO ANOTHER MANUFACTURERS DEALERSHIP AND TRADED IT IN ON HONDA ACCORD. THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GOING TO RISK MY FAMILIES LIVES, DRIVING THAT CAR ANOTHER DAY. STATE FARM CLAIM NUMBER #[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR