NHTSA Complaint #10559668 — 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA

AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 A.M. ON A BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY, I WAS DRIVING ON THE PA TURNPIKE AT THE SPEED OF 65 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING IN MY 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA FAILED. MY CAR UNINTENTIONALLY VEERED LEFT AND RIGHT AS IF I WAS ENCOUNTERING HURRICANE-LIKE STRONG WIND GUSTS. THE CAR BOUNCED BACK AND FORTH FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS, WHILE FEELING AS IF IT WAS FLOATING/HYDROPLANING, AS I ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL. MY ATTEMPTS AT CORRECTING THE POWER STEERING ISSUE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND ULTIMATELY THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF MY CAR CRASHED INTO THE RIGHT GUARDRAIL. FORTUNATELY, I WAS UNHARMED IN THIS FRIGHTENING ACCIDENT AND THE STATE TROOPERS AND TOW TRUCKS RESPONDED IN A TIMELY MANNER. NO OTHER INDIVIDUALS WERE HURT AND THERE WAS ONLY MINOR GUARDRAIL DAMAGE. MY CAR, HOWEVER IS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THIS WAS NOT A RESULT OF DRIVER ERROR OR UNFORESEEN WEATHER CONDITIONS. ONE OF THE STATE TROOPERS THAT REPORTED TO THE SCENE EVEN COMMENTED, "EVERYONE OUT HERE IS DRIVING THE SAME SPEED AS YOU AND NO ONE ELSE EXPERIENCED ANY OF THESE WIND GUSTS.' I AM AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER WHO HAS BEEN DRIVING THIS CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2009, WITH NO PRIOR POWER STEERING CONCERNS OR ISSUES. MY CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND A WEEK BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, I HAD IT AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN INSPECTION, ALIGNMENT AND NEW TIRES. I INTEND TO FILE A CLAIM WITH TOYOTA. *TR