NHTSA Complaint #10715645 — 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA

MY SON WAS DRIVING, I WAS A PASSENGER. HE PULLED INTO THE EMORY, VA POST OFFICE PARKING LOT AND BEGAN TO TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE. I WAS WATCHING HIM CLOSELY AS I WAS TEACHING HIM TO DRIVE. WE WERE GOING VERY SLOWLY WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF THE POST OFFICE, SEVERELY DAMAGING THE BUMPER OF THE CAR. I CAN UNEQUIVOCALLY STATE THAT HE WAS BEGINNING TO APPLY THE BRAKES WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. YESTERDAY I GOT A CHECK FOR $20.46 FOR WHAT IS SAID TO BE A SETTLEMENT FOR ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH THE TOYOTA. I WAS TOTALLY UNAWARE OF THIS ISSUE UNTIL THIS CHECK CAME. WHY DID TOYOTA NOT CONTACT ME. WE WERE LUCKY THAT ONLY THE CAR WAS DAMAGED, AND NOT THE PASSENGERS. THE COST OF THE BUMPER REPAIR WAS APPROXIMATE $3500, PLUS I AM SURE AN INSURANCE RATE INCREASE.