NHTSA Complaint #10599193 — 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA

I WAS DRIVING IN THE COUNTRY WITH MY DAUGHTER. I WAS DRIVING SLOW BECAUSE I HAD NEVER DRIVEN THAT ROAD BEFORE AND THERE WAS A SPEED LIMIT 30 AND THE 45 MPH. THERE WAS A STOP SIGN WHERE I NEEDED TO TURN RIGHT. I STARTED SLOWING DOWN BUT THE CAR WOULD COMPLETE THE STOP. SO, I TURNED RIGHT AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND GOT OUT OF CONTROL. IT WAS ACCELERATING AND MOVING LEFT AND RIGHT LIKE CRAZY. I TRIED TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHT BUT I WASN'T ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF CONTROL. THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK EITHER. THERE WERE SMALL HILLS ON THE BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD THAT'S WHY THE CAR KEPT DRIVING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. PROBABLY 3000-4000 FEET FROM THE STOP SIGN THERE WAS A BIG IRON GATE LEADING TO THE PASTURE. MY CAR KNOCKED DOWN THE WHOLE GATE AND KEPT MOVING INTO THE PASTURE. FINALLY THE CAR HIT ANOTHER POLE AND A FENCE AND STOPPED. THE CAR IS TOTALED. FORTUNATELY I DIDN'T SUFFER ANY SERIOUS INJURES EXCEPT I SUFFERED CONSTANT HEADACHES FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND MY DAUGHTER HAD LONG SCRATCHES ACROSS HER THROAT FROM A SEATBELT. THIS IS A MIRACLE THAT WE ARE ALIVE. IF IT HAD HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY BAD. TWO OF OUR CHURCH MEMBERS DROVE 2 MINUTES AFTER ME SO THAT I RECEIVED HELP FROM THEM. THEY DIDN'T WITNESS THE CRASH BUT THEY SAW WHERE IT HAPPENED, HOW THE PLACE OF ACCIDENT LOOKED LIKE, AND LONG MARKS THAT MY CAR LEFT ON THE SIDES OF THE ROAD. ALSO, I GOT A POLICE REPORT WHERE IT SAYS THAT THE DRIVER DIDN'T DO ANYTHING IMPROPER AND THERE IS A MAP OF THE PLACE OF THE ACCIDENT ATTACHED. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND HAVEN'T HAD ANY RESPONSE YET. FIRST THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT IT TAKES THEM 30 DAYS TO MAKE A DECISION, LATER HE SAID THAT IT'S 60 DAYS. THE INSPECTOR CAME AND GOT THE CDR DATA FROM THE CAR. HE DIDN'T EXPLAIN ANYTHING TO ME BUT HE EMAILED A CRASH DATA FILES AND SAID TO WAIT A CALL FROM TOYOTA. *TR