NHTSA Complaint #10725936 — 2014 TOYOTA COROLLA

WHILE MAKING A 90 DEGREE TURN FROM THE ROADWAY INTO A PARKING SPACE I HEARD A LOUD SNAPPING, BANGING NOISE FROM THE RIGHT FRONT OF MY VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND CHECKED THE FRONT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE AND WAS ALARMED TO FIND THAT MY RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS POINTED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF MY LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION FOUND WHAT APPEARS TO BE A SNAPPED TIE ROD END OR LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE FOLLOWING MORNING I HAD A TOW TRUCK HAUL THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THAT I ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE WHEEL IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE ON THE TRUCK. THE DRIVER COMMENTED " YOU ARE SOME FORTUNATE THAT YOU WEREN'T TRAVELING ANY FASTER YOU WOULD HAVE NO CONTROL OVER YOUR STEERING!" THE DEALER LET ME KNOW THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS AN INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD, SWAY BAR LINK, A STRUT ASSEMBLY AND A NEW AXLE!! THE DEALER FURTHER WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE PARTS ARE ALL UNDER WARRANTY SO YOU ARE ALL SET!! I ASKED, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 11,800 MILES COULD HAVE HAD SUCH A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE ANSWER, WE ARE NOT SURE AT THIS POINT THE PARTS WILL BE SHIPPED BACK TO THE FACTORY.