NHTSA Complaint #10522868 — 2008 TOYOTA YARIS

PURCHASED 2008 TOYOTA YARIS SEDAN USED IN 7/09 FOR MY DAUGHTER WITH 16,000 MILES ON IT. SHE'S AT COLLEGE SO I DRIVE IT EVERY OTHER DAY TO WORK WHICH IS ONLY 10 MILES. I BEGAN TO NOTICE A SOUND WHEN I MADE A SHARP RIGHT HAND TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT LIKE THE NOISE OF AN ACTUAL BAR AND ALSO A RATTLE IF I WENT OVER A SMALL DIP IN THE ROAD. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED NEW TIRES ON 10/12/12 @ 29,645 MILES, I BOUGHT GOOD,SAFE TIRES:GOODYEAR EAGLE LS TIRES 185/60R15. ON 5/10/13 I HAD HER CAR SERVICED AT TOYOTA: OIL CHANGE, TIRES ROTATED, INSPECTION OF AIR FILTER, BALL JOINTS, ETC. AFTERWARDS, AS I WAS DRIVING MY DAUGHTER AND I UP TO MY SON'S COLLEGE GRADUATION IT WAS 80 DEGREES/SUNNY/CLEAR ROADS. 52 MILES INTO OUR TRIP I WAS IN THE SLOW LANE FOLLOWING TRAFFIC AT 65 MPH.WATCHING THE ROAD, BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE LEFT AND WE BEGAN TO GO INTO A SKID.I WAS AVOIDING OTHER CARS AS I WAS TRYING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE YARIS. IT WAS BUCKLING UNDER ME EACH TIME I TRIED TO CAREFULLY GET US OUT OF THE SKIDS.MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE BRAKE BUT I HAD CAREFULLY PULLED IT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR AND I REMEMBER THINKING WHY WASN'T THE CAR SLOWING DOWN, IT JUST KEPT SKIDDING. AFTER THE 4TH SKID IT WENT INTO A COMPLETE 180 DEGREE SPIN WITH US SLAMMING INTO THE CEMENT MEDIAN.I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AS WE WENT TOWARD THE WALL. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 35 YRS WITH NO ACCIDENTS AND I HAVE BEEN IN SKIDS BEFORE, ON ICY ROADS & REGAINED CONTROL. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE STEERING TO MALFUNCTION. I HAVE READ ABOUT FAULTY BOLTS ON THE CONTROL ARM. THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP DID TELL ME THEY REPLACED THE STABILIZER BAR.I HAVE NOTICED SINCE THE REPAIR THE NOISE UNDER THE CAR IS GONE AND THE THROTTLE NO LONGER "SCREAMS" WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS GOING DOWNHILLS. WE WERE NOT SPEEDING, NOR DRIVING CARELESSLY. THIS CAR DOES NOT HAVE ABS NOR ANTI-SPIN BRAKES. *TR