NHTSA Complaint #761441 — 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY

ON DECEMBER 3RD 2001, I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY A CROWN VICTORIA DOING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH AS THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME HAD STOPPED TO TURN AND THE DRIVER WHO HIT ME HAD FALLEN ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WAS VERY MINIMAL, THE BUMPER AND TRUNK HAD TO BE REPLACED. ON IMPACT OF BEING HIT THE RECLINING PART OF MY SEAT BROKE AND EVEN THOUGH I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT IT THREW ME INTO MY 3 YEAR OLD SON'S CAR SEAT THAT WAS POSITIONED DIRECTLY BEHIND ME (THANKFULLY HE WAS NOT IN THE CAR AT THE TIME). MY INSURANCE COMPANY (AS WELL AS MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND) COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE SEAT WOULD BREAK SO EASILY SO WE ASKED FOR TOYOTA TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY SAID THAT BOTH STEEL RODS ON THE SEAT HAD BROKEN BUT COULD NOT TELL US WHY THEY BROKE, THEY HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE SEAT AND NOW THE NEW SEAT HAS A DEFECT ALSO. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF DEFECT WOULD CAUSE 2 STEEL RODS TO SNAP WITH SUCH LITTLE DAMAGE DONE TO THE CAR AND WHY AM I HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW SEAT? AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT I WAS 28 WEEKS PREGNANT AND I THANK GOD THAT THE BABY WAS OKAY, HOWEVER I AM NOW SUFFERING NECK ,SHOULDER AND ARM PAIN AND I AM TERRIFIED TO PUT MY CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT OF MY CAR, I FEEL THAT IT IS UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS FOR ANY OF THEM TO SIT DIRECTLY BEHIND ME BUT WITH 3 CHILDREN I HAVE NO CHOICE!. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I CAN SEE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS HAD THEIR SEAT BROKEN ACCORDING TO THE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS.*JB