NHTSA complaint: 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA — STEERING
I WAS DRIVING ON TO THE OFF RAMP AND OFF THE FREEWAY DECELERATING FROM ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR. I FELT AS IF A STRONG GUST OF WIND PUSHED MY CAR TO ONE SIDE AT THE SAME TIME THIS OCCURRED THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE LEFT PULLING MY HAND WITH IT. AT THIS POINT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAD HAPPENED I TRIED TO RECORRECT THE WHEEL AND INSTEAD IT WENT WILDLY BACK TO THE RIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ANOTHER TIME WITHIN A COUPLE OF SECONDS. THE NEXT THING I KNOW THE CAR SPUN AROUND 180 DEGREES FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC OF CARS COMING OFF THE FREEWAY AT WHICH POINT THE CAR DRIFTED, HIT THE CURB AND ROLLED INTO THE EMBANKMENT. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. MY PASSENGERS LEG WAS ALSO INJURED AND WE ARE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. UNTIL ALL THIS NEWS CAME OUT ABOUT TOYOTA I HAD THOUGHT THAT WHAT HAD CAUSED MY ACCIDENT WAS STRONG WINDS BECAUSE HONESTLY THAT IS WHAT IT FELT LIKE WHEN I WAS DRIVING BEHIND THE WHEEL AND ON TOP OF THAT I WAS TRAUMATIZED SO I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE ACCIDENT HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CARS MECHANICAL FAILURE. LOOKING BACK I DON'T EVEN BELIEVE THE WIND WAS EVEN BLOWING THAT DAY THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I DROVE THAT CAR ON THE FREEWAY AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR. MY SISTER ALSO DROVE IT ONCE ON THE FREEWAY AND SHE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FELT HARD TO HANDLE. SHED MENTIONED THAT DRIVING FROM SAN JOSE TO SAN FRANCISCO SHE HAD TO HAVE A FIRM GRIP WITH TWO HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE IT FELT STRANGE. THE ACCIDENT WAS IN 2008 AND IT WAS A 2009 COROLLA. BECAUSE O
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation