NHTSA Complaint #10519901 — 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

ON AUGUST 13, 2011 WHILE TRAVELING ON I-75 SOUTH OF ATLANTA A VEHICLE LEFT THE ROAD & ATTEMPTED TO RETURN AND OVER CORRECTED, HE STRUCK OUR SEQUOIA WITH SUCH FORCE IN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER DOOR THAT THE REAR OF THE OUR SEQUOIA IMMEDIATELY TURNED SIDEWAYS AND WE BEGIN TO FLIP. AFTER FLIPPING WE LANDED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SLID APPROX 1/4 OF A MILE BEFORE COMING TO RESTING PLACE IN THE MEDIAN ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE. MY WIFE &13 YEAR OLD SON WERE SEVERELY INJURED, MYSELF AND MY OTHER 2 SONS SUSTAINED INJURIES BUT NONE WERE LIFE THREATENING. NEITHER MY WIFE'S NOR MY SONS SEAT BELT LOCKED AND ONCE THE WINDOWS BLEW OUT MY SON WAS DRAGGED DOWN THE INTERSTATE CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES TO HIS HEAD, BACK, ARM AND LEG. MY WIFE SUSTAINED WORSE INJURIES, HER ARM 6 INCHES & 6 INCHES BELOW HER ELBOW WAS CUT OFF. NONE OF THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND NEITHER SEATBELT "FIRED" PROPERLY ALLOWING MY WIFE AND SON TO SUSTAIN LIFE ALTERING INJURIES. NO ONE DOUBTS THAT IF THE SAFETY FEATURES WE PAID ADDITIONAL $ FOR HAD FUNCTIONED PROPERLY, THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER. SOON AFTER THE ACCIDENT I CONTACTED TOYOTA TO HAVE THE INCIDENT INVESTIGATED. AN "INDEPENDENT" INVESTIGATOR READ THE VEHICLE EDR (BLACKBOX) SOON THEREAFTER I RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT TOYOTA HAD NO RESPONSIBILITY. WHEN I CALLED AND SPOKE TO THE TOYOTA REP THAT SIGNED THE LETTER, HE WAS IMMEDIATELY ON THE DEFENSIVE. HE YELLED AND TRIED USING INTIMIDATION TECHNIQUES TO GET ME TO "GO AWAY". MY WIFE IS NOW PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND UNABLE TO WORK AS AN RN. I HAVE OWNED 7 TOYOTA VEHICLES & PAID EXTRA FOR THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS, WE AS CONSUMERS HAVE BEEN DECEIVED BY TOYOTA SELLING US ON SAFETY AND RELIABILITY. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER TOYOTA. I TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO TELL OTHER PERSPECTIVE CAR PURCHASERS MY STORY & THE FAILURE OF TOYOTA TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR LOYAL OWNERS. BUYER BEWARE. *TR