NHTSA Complaint #10418395 — 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, HE NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. ANOTHER DRIVER NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND ALERTED THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT RESPOND AFTER DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUOUSLY. THE CONTACT JUMPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP WHEN IT CRASHED INTO THE DIVIDER ON THE ROAD. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE SCRAPES TO HER LEFT FOOT, LEGS, AND ARMS. THE CONTACT WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. AFTER BEING RELEASED, THE CONTACT SUFFERED MUSCLE SPASMS AND WAS RUSHED BACK TO THE HOSPITAL FOR FURTHER TREATMENT. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND REPORTS WERE FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A JUNK YARD WHERE THE INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SENT AN INSPECTOR TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THERE WAS CORROSION FOUND ON THE AIR CONDITIONER HOSE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT SUPPLY THE CUSTOMER WITH THE INVESTIGATION REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000.