NHTSA Complaint #10567171 — 2013 TOYOTA AVALON

2013 TOYOTA AVALON. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, HE HEARD A STRANGE NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. AS HE MADE A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT RESPOND AND INSTEAD OF SNAPPING BACK INTO A 12 O'CLOCK POSITION, IT STAYED LOCKED INTO THE TURN. HE COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE VEHICLE. AS HE LOOKED UP, HE SAW HE WAS ABOUT TO CRASH INTO AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. WITH NO TIME TO REACT, HE HIT THE ONCOMING VEHICLE, IN A FRONT END COLLISION. AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, HE WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 15 MPH. THE OTHER DRIVER SUSTAINED A NECK INJURY AND A BUMP ON THE TOP OF HIS HEAD, WHEN HE HIT THE ROOF ON IMPACT AND THE CONSUMER SUFFERED WHIPLASH. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, THE CONSUMER HEARD THE SAME NOISE A BEFORE, RIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. TOYOTA CLAIMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE. *JB UPDATED 04/07/14