NHTSA complaint: 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA — AIR BAGS
ON JANUARY 7, 2006 AT ABOUT 2:30 A.M. MY DAUGHTER, [XXX] DROVE BACK HOME TO SAN MATEO FROM SANTA CRUZ IN A TOYOTA COROLLA LE OF 2003 WITH A[XXX] AND [XXX]. AS SHE DROVE ON HIGHWAY 17 NEAR SAN JOSE SHE TRIED TO STEP ON THE FOOT BRAKE TO MAINTAIN SAFETY CONTROL AT THE SPEED LIMIT OF 35 MILES PER HOUR WHILE GOING DOWN THE WINDING SLOPE. HOWEVER THE CAR SEEMED TO HAVE NO BRAKE AND STARTED SPINNING WITH THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FRONT FIRST HIT THE CENTRAL CONCRETE DIVIDER THEN THE TAIL ALSO HIT THE DIVIDER AND THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED. NO THIRD PARTY WAS INJURED AND NO PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT MY DAUGHTER GOT SOME BRUISES ON HER LEFT THIGH AND THE CAR ENDED UP WITH A TOTAL LOSS. MY DAUGHTER THEN UNBUCKLED HERSELF FROM THE CAR SEAT AND CALLED THE POLICE WITH HER CELL PHONE THROUGH WHICH SHE WAS ADVISED TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED AT THE SCENE THE DRIVER SAID TO MY DAUGHTER THAT THE CAR GOT NO BRAKE AND HE HAD TO PUT ADDITIONAL CHAINS AND STOPPERS TO SECURE THE CAR WHILE TOWING. SURPRISINGLY NONE OF THE AIRBAGS IN THE CAR WAS DEPLOYED IN THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO MY RECORDS, THE CAR WAS FULLY SERVICED BY THE DEALER, TOYOTA 101 IN REDWOOD CITY JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND AS RECENT AS A WEEK AGO THAT I HAD THE CAR'S ENGINE BELT CHANGED ALSO BY TOYOTA 101 BEFORE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING I SUSPECT THAT THERE MUST BE SOME DEFECT IN THE CAR SAFETY SYSTEM INCLUDING THE AIRBAGS AND FOOT BRAKE. I AND MY INSURANCE ADJUST
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation