REVEALING TOYOTA FRAUD*CW THE CONSUMER STATED ON JUNE 30, 1997 WHILE DRIVING ON THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE WITH HER TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT OF A BRAND NEW TOYOTA COROLLA THAT WAS LESS THAN 1 YEAR OLD, THE VEHICLE BECAME PROBLEMATIC AND SHE WAS OVERTHROWN WHICH LEFT HER PARALYZED. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF FINDING NO EVIDENCE, TOYOTA MADE A SETTLEMENT OFFER OF $1,000,000 IN 2002. THE CONSUMER COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE ASSERTING AN OFFER, WHEN THEY CLAIMED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMERS HUSBAND IS AN ENGINEER WITH A PHD IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. HER HUSBAND PURCHASED AN IDENTICAL VEHICLE AND THROUGH MUCH RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATION, THEY DISCOVERED WHAT POSSIBLY CAUSED THE ACCIDENT WAS THE STRUT ROD THAT CONNECTED THE REAR LEFT WHEEL. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THEY ALSO DISCOVERED AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF EVIDENCE IN A POLICE PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT, WHICH A DARKENED IMAGE WAS TAKEN FACING THE SUN. THEY DISCOVERED A WHITISH OBJECT NEAR THE LEFT REAR WHEEL IN THE DARKENED PHOTO. IT WAS THE BRAKE DRUM, WHICH HAD BEEN PUSHED BACK AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IN A NORMAL CAR. THAT IS, THE STRUT BAR WHICH PERFORMS AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION, HAD FALLEN OFF. THE STRUT ROD IS A LONG BAR THAT AFFIXES THE WHEEL IN A CERTAIN POSITION TO PREVENT IT FROM ROLLING WITHOUT CONTROL. *JB