NHTSA Complaint #10627734 — 2008 SCION XB

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR DOWN THE ROAD AND, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING WHICH REALLY CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, I COULDN'T MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR BUT SLOWED DOWN ENOUGH SO THAT I EVENTUALLY COULD STEER IT (VERY HARD TO STEER). THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR INJURY OR FATALITY SINCE IT CAUGHT ME COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE. I WASN'T VERY FAR FROM MY SCION DEALER AND I CAREFULLY DROVE RIGHT OVER THERE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE POWER STEERING ECU COMPUTER HAD FAILED (THE CAR HAS ELECTRONIC STEERING) AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A VERY HIGH COST ($800). SO, MY CAR IS SITTING AND WAITING FOR A NEW COMPUTER WHICH THEY DIDN'T HAVE AND HAD TO ORDER. THIS IS A TERRIBLE AND VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY PROBLEM. I'M A FAIRLY STRONG MALE AND WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR, BUT IF AN ELDERLY PERSON OR SOMEONE SMALL AND NOT STRONG WAS DRIVING, THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT OR FATALITY. THIS ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT HAPPEN (ESPECIALLY IN A CAR LIKE MINE WITH AROUND 73,000 MILES) AND IS, IN MY OPINION, AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND COMPENSATION NEEDS TO BE MADE BY THE MANUFACTURER FOR REPAIRS INVOLVING THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM INVOLVING 2008 SCION XB CARS, AND MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED IT AS AN INTERNET SEARCH CLEARLY SHOWS. AGAIN, THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY AND A RECALL IS CLEARLY JUSTIFIED IN THIS CASE. *TR