NHTSA Complaint #10393785 — 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA

WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA LE AT 55 MPH, I ENCOUNTERED A DEER AND WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH THE ANIMAL, ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH, 2011. THE COLLISION TOTALED THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN NEARLY 11K DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DURING THE ACCIDENT BECAME DISLODGED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL, AND FELL OUT INTO MY LAP. THE TWO TORQUE SCREWS USED TO HOLD IT IN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO TOYOTA'S COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT AND FILED A FORMAL GRIEVANCE. A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE CAME OUT TO SEE THE VEHICLE AND INSPECT THE SCREWS, AND SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT AT FAULT AND THAT THE PROBLEM "HAD TO BE MY FAULT" AFTER COMPARING MY VEHICLE TO OTHER TOYOTA COROLLA VEHICLES, STATING THAT I OR SOMEONE ELSE "HAD TO OF REMOVED THE AIRBAG AT SOME TIME DURING THE VEHICLE'S LIFE". I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN JANUARY, 2011 FROM A REPUTABLE DEALER AND RECEIVED A VEHICLE HISTORY. AT NO TIME WAS THE AIRBAG REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED OR SERVICED, AND THE SCREWS REQUIRE A SPECIALIZED TORQUE SCREWDRIVER TO REMOVE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, I HAD OWNED THE VEHICLE ONLY A MONTH, AND HAD NOT DRIVEN IT MORE THAN THREE TIMES, AS I OWN ANOTHER PRIMARY VEHICLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT, AND I HAVE SEVERAL WITNESS STATEMENTS SHOWING THAT THE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURED. HAD THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE IN MY LAP, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE ENTIRE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY, CARRIAGE, CHARGE, AND WIRES CAME OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL ITSELF. UPDATED 05/26/11 *BF UPDATED 06/06/11 *TR