NHTSA Complaint #10493329 — 2009 TOYOTA MATRIX

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HOME ON A SNOWY NIGHT AND SUDDENLY THE BRAKES BECAME UNRESPONSIVE, THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON, AND LUCKILY SHE DIDN'T NEED TO COME TO A FULL STOP AT THAT TIME. AFTER THAT THE BRAKES WORKED FOR THE REST OF THE DRIVE HOME, BUT WERE SPONGY AND SHE NEEDED TO GIVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO STOP. TOYOTA ISSUED A TSB-0205-09 ON 7/6/2009 ABOUT THIS - C0215. WE SPENT 671.10 TO REPAIR THE REAR LEFT AND THE MECHANIC SAID WE WILL MOST LIKELY NEED TO DO THE REAR RIGHT IN THE FUTURE. I CALLED TOYOTA REIMBURSEMENT DEPT. ABOUT THIS AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO NOTHING SINCE IT'S OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD OF 36K. THEY SAID IT'S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL. MY POINT TO THEM WAS HOW CAN YOU ISSUE A TSB IN 2009 ON A 2009 MODEL AND NOT BACK THIS PROBLEM UP FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR? THEY KNOW THE SENSOR IS GOING TO GO BAD MOST LIKELY, IT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, BUT NO RECALL WAS EVER ISSUED. THIS IS A DANGEROUS BUSINESS PRACTICE! WE ALREADY HAD 2 RECALLS (FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE WITH ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL REINFORCEMENT BAR) ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND THE CONSUMER SHOULDN'T NEED TO BEAR THE COST! *TR