NHTSA Complaint #10908230 — 2011 TOYOTA VENZA

ON APRIL 11, 2016, A COMPLAIN WAS SUBMITTED UNDER TARAKA: COMPLAINT NUM: 10854818 FOR A TOYOTA VENZA 2011.WHILE CAR IN MOTION AT AROUND 55MPH, ON A HIGHWAY, NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AND EXCELLENT CAR MAINTENANCE A LOUD EXPLOSION BURST OCCURRED IN THE CAR. WITH NO VISIBILITY AT ALL, I MANAGED TO CONTROL THE CAR AND STOPPED IT. THEN, I NOTICED THAT THE HOOD SUDDENLY HAD POP-UP WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF ALERT OF FLASHLIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THERE WAS NO HOOD VIBRATION THAT WOULD SUGGEST IT WAS OPENED. I DID A PANIC STOP AND TRIED TO CONTROL THE CAR AVOIDING A COLLISION; THE AIRBAG WAS NOT DEPLOYED AT A POTENTIAL COLLISION. THE BURST COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE FRONT GLASS; BUMPERS WERE MOVED OUT OF PLACE AND DAMAGE THE ROOF OF CAR. MY MECHANIC SCANNED THE BLACK BOX AND NO CODE WAS PRESENT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND AFTER 5 DAYS THEY NOTIFIED TO REMOVE THE CAR FROM THEIR PREMISES BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE TECHNICIANS AVAILABLE FOR THE NEXT MONTH TO CHECK IT. I REMOVED THE CAR AND WAITED 30 ADDITIONAL DAYS FOR THEIR INSPECTION WITH NO POSITIVE RESULTS. AFTER MORE THAN A MONTH, I TOOK THE CAR TO A COLLISION CENTER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE HOOD LOCK SYSTEM, IN SPECIFIC THE LATCH AND SPRINGS WERE RUSTY AND THE LATCH HAD STUCK PROBLEMS_ UNABLE TO CLOSE COMPLETELY THE HOOD. THE CAR GETS ITS MAINTENANCE ALMOST EVERY 5 MONTHS_ ONLY AT THE TOYOTA DEALER. I EXAMINED THE CAR MAINTENANCE INVOICES FROM THE TOYOTA DEALER AS WELL AS THE CAR MANUAL AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OR ADVICE THAT THE HOOD LOCK SYSTEM AND LATCHES WERE LUBRICATED OR A NOTE ADVISING PERIODIC LUBRICATION. THERE COULD BE ANOTHER POSSIBILITY THAT THE HOOD LOCK SYSTEM MAY HAVE SOME TYPE OF OTHER DEFECT, WHICH IS NOT VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE. THIS PROBLEM REPRESENTS A CRITICAL UNSAFE RISK. THE SUDDEN/PANIC STOP I DID CAUSED ME PERSONAL INJURIES.