NHTSA Complaint #10461386 — 1994 TOYOTA CAMRY

AT NOON ON 6/11/12, I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT MY CAR'S GEARSHIFT OUT OF PARK. I REMOVED THE TAB THAT COVERS THE GEARSHIFT RELEASE BUTTON ON THE SHIFT PANEL AND UNLOCKED THE SHIFTER. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE THE VEHICLE TO MECHANICSVILLE TOYOTA (MECHANICSVILLE, VA) AND HAD THE PROBLEM ASSESSED BY THE SERVICE PERSON, [XXX]. SHE SAID SHE HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND THE CHANCES WERE PRETTY HIGH THAT THE BRAKE SWITCH (ABOVE THE BRAKE PEDAL) WAS DEFECTIVE. SHE SAID THAT CAUSES THE GEARSHIFT TO LOCK UP AND FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS NOT TO WORK. INDEED MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING AT THAT TIME. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PART (BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH). I PAID FOR, AND ORDERED, THE SWITCH AND ARRANGED FOR THE REPAIR TO BE DONE ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2012 AT 10AM. [XXX] WARNED ME TO BE CAREFUL AS I DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME SINCE THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. MY HOUSE IS APRX. 7 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP SO I CAREFULLY DROVE TOWARDS HOME. AS I TURNED OFF OF THE MAJOR HIGHWAY ONTO THE SECONDARY ROAD THAT GOES TO MY HOUSE, MY RIGHT ANKLE WAS ACHING SO I USED THE CRUISE CONTROL TO TAKE ME TOWARDS MY HOUSE AT 45MPH. AS I APPROACHED MY TURNOFF, I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE, BUT THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN AT ALL! QUICKLY THINKING ABOUT WHAT [XXX] HAD SAID ABOUT THE BRAKE SWITCH, I THOUGHT TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE THUD SOUND FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE BRAKE IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED AND STOPPED THE CAR. HAD I NOT DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL, I AM CERTAIN I WOULD HAVE EVENTUALLY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AS IT APPROACHED TRAFFIC, AHEAD. I HAVE MORE COMMENTS BUT THE SYSTEM WON'T ACCEPT THEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR