NHTSA Complaint #10572518 — 2012 TOYOTA TUNDRA

ON 12/24/2012 AROUND 04:00HRS I STRUCK AN ADULT MOOSE IN BEAR LAKE, CANADA WITH THE FRONT END OF MY WIFE'S 2012 TOYOTA TUNDRA CREWMAX ON THE BRITISH COLUMBIA HIGHWAY. THE CONDITION OF THE ROAD WAS SNOW AND ICE BUT WE HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED AFTERMARKET RIMS AND TIRES ON 12/18/2012 IN CALIFORNIA; 18IN MB VOTEX RIMS WITH BFG ALL TERRAIN TIRES. THE TRACTION OF THESE TIRES BOOSTED MY CONFIDENCE IN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 30-40MPH AT NIGHT. WE HAD TRAVELED ALL THE WAY FROM GEORGIA WITHOUT SEEING ANY ANIMALS AT NIGHT. THE HID HEAD LAMPS GAVE ME A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY NAVIGATING THROUGH THE NIGHT IN ORDER TO MAKE THE FINAL LEG TO ANCHORAGE, AK FOR CHRISTMAS DAY. TO MY SURPRISE, A MOOSE TIPTOED FROM THE WOODS ON MY RIGHT ABOUT 20 FEET AHEAD OF ME AS I INTENDED TO PRESS ON PASS IT. BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT GOT SPOOKED AND DARTED INTO MY PATH. I STRUCK THE ANIMAL BROAD SIDE WITH THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK KNOCKING IT INTO THE ENGINE BAY. INITIALLY I THOUGHT THE CONTACT WAS NOT SEVERE BUT INSPECTION PROVED OTHERWISE. THE HOOD WAS CRUMPLED UP UNTO THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE RADIATOR AND MOTOR WAS PUSHED SO FAR BACK THAT IT WAS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. I BELIEVE MY SPEED WAS AROUND 30MPH UPON IMPACT WHICH SURPRISED ME THAT THE ANIMAL WAS DEAD. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP FOR AN INSURANCE ESTIMATE AS A TOTAL LOSS. I WAS CONCERNED AS TO WHY THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY SINCE THE DAMAGES WAS SO GREAT. THE TECH EXPLAINED THAT THE SENSORS FOR THE AIRBAGS ARE LOCATED BEHIND THE BUMPER OF THE TRUCK WHERE IMPACT WAS MINIMAL. BECAUSE THE CONTACT TO THE MOOSE KNOCKED HIM OFF HIS LEGS THE LARGE BODY FELL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL HAD IT A FULL RACK OF ANTLERS. THANK GOD HE DID NOT! THOUGH WE HAVE PURCHASED A 2013 REPLACEMENT OF THE SAME TRUCK, THE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING IS STILL A CONCERN AS A DESIGN FLAW AND NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR