NHTSA complaint: 1981 TOYOTA COROLLA — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I WAS DRIVING HOME AND OUTSIDE OF MY GARAGE I PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND GOT OUT AND OPENED OUR GARAGE DOOR, WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT SHOT ACROSS OUR GARAGE BREAKING STAIRS LEADING INTO OUR HOUSE, A WORKBENCH AND DID THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE TO MY TOYOTA COROLLA AND OUR HOUSE. THE SOUND OF THE TIRES SCREECHING WAS LIKE SOMETHING ON A RACE TRACK. LUCKILY MY 8 YEAR DAUGHTER WAS ASLEEP ON THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR THEREFORE DID NOT GET OUT AND OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR, OTHERWISE SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN RUN OVER. I HAD TWO NEIGHBORS BY MY HOUSE ONE A LAWYER THE OTHER AN ENGINEER FOR BELL LABS AND BOTH AGREED MY CAR OVER ACCELERATED. I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE TOYOTA REGIONAL OFFICE TO REPORT THIS AND THE REGIONAL OFFICE IN PHILADELPHIA WAS EXTREMELY RUDE AND SAID I MUST HAVE STEPPED ON THE GAS. FIRST OF ALL STEPPING ON THE GAS WOULD NEVER HAVE MADE THE CAR GO AT THAT RATE OF SPEED. I THINK TOYOTA HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM A LONG TIME, MY BOSSES NEIGHBOR HAD THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPEN TO HIM. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation