NHTSA complaint: 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING DAYTIME, CLEAR SKIES, DRY ROAD,WITH NO DEBRIS. VEHICLE WAS PRACTICALLY NEW, HAVING LESS THAN 300 MILES. AT 1230 IN AFTERNOON, I WAS DRIVING APPROX. 25-30 MPH ON A SLIGHT DOWNGRADE (IN A 45 MPH ZONE). ANOTHER VEHICLE SUDDENLY PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF VEHICLE THAT WAS 5-6 CAR LENGTHS DIRECTLY AHEAD OF ME. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING THE INTERLOPER. I TOO STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL HARD TO AVOID VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. ALTHOUGH I WAS APPLYING SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE (1 LEG PRESS 400+LBS, AND WAS APPLYING APPROX 1/2 TO 3/4 OF THAT) , BUT MY VEHICLE SLOWED NEGLIGIBLE - PROMPTING AN EXPLETIVE VERSION OF "WHAT THE HECK?!?!". AFTER A COUPLE OF INEFFECTIVE ATTEMPTS TO PUSH DOWN BRAKE PEDAL I STOMPED IT, WITH LITTLE OR NO EFFECT. MY VEHICLE ULTIMATELY CAME TO A STOP THROUGH IMPACT WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME (AFTER TRAVELING APPROX 150-200 FEET). THE OTHER DRIVER AND VEHICLE, MY PASSENGER AND I WERE UNHARMED, BUT MY VEHICLE SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT FRONT-END DAMAGE. I REPORTED THE BRAKE PROBLEM TO BOTH MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP (LOCATED 1/4 MILE FROM THE SITE OF THE INCIDENT) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT INCLINED TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM, BUT I PRESSED THE ISSUE WITH TOYOTA AND MY INSURER, UNTIL SOMEONE FROM THE TOYOTA REGIONAL OFFICE IN BALTIMORE AGREED TO EXAMINE MY VEHICLE. THE "EXAMINATION" OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE (FRONT-END DAMAGE AND ALL) HAD BEEN SITTING ON
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation