NHTSA complaint: 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS — ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
THIS IS AN UPDATE TO AN EARLIER COMPLAINT (#10304111). WE HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH OUR 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS WHICH WE FIRMLY BELIEVE WAS CAUSED BY BRAKE FAILURE. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A SLIPPERY ROAD, IT WAS LIGHTLY SNOWING, AT ABOUT 10-15 MPH AND CAME TO A STOP SIGN. SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND SAID NOTHING HAPPENED. AS A CAR WAS AT THE STOP SIGN SHE TURNED TO AVOID THE CAR AND HIT A RAISED AND SHARP CURB, WHICH PIERCED THE TIRE AND BENT THE TIE-ROD. OUR CAR WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. AFTER ABOUT 10 DAYS, STATE FARM INSPECTED THE CAR, BUT BY THIS TIME THE RECALL FOR THE PRIUS HAD BEEN ANNOUNCED. THE BODY SHOP THEN REFUSED TO FIX THE CAR AND WE HAD TO TAKE IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER. STATE FARM HAS SINCE DECIDED NOT PURSUE THIS INCIDENT AS THEY FEEL THE SNOW CAUSED THE ACCIDENT AND THAT THE TEMPORARY LOSS OF BRAKES IS NOT WHAT THE RECALL IS ABOUT. FROM OUR READING OF NUMEROUS ARTICLES (NY TIMES) AND THE RECALL INFORMATION ITSELF, PLUS WHAT HAPPENED, WE ARE STRONGLY STATING THAT THERE WAS IN FACT A TEMPORARY OR MOMENTARY LOSS OF THE BRAKES WHICH DIRECTLY CAUSED THIS ACCIDENT. FROM OUR READING OF THE RECALL AND OTHER COMPLAINTS, SLIPPERY CONDITIONS ARE ONE OF THE FACTORS WHICH CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. IN OUR CASE, THIS PROBLEM WAS EXACERBATED AS NOT ONLY WAS THERE SLIPPERY CONDITIONS, BUT THE CAR WAS ON A HILL AS WELL. WE HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT A SKIPPING OR MOMENTARY BRAKE PROBLEM WHEN GOING OVER BUMPY ROADS. WHEN ASKING ABOUT THIS WE WERE ALWAYS TOLD IT HAD
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation