NHTSA complaint: 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY — SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
11 DAYS AGO THE MARINA TOYOTA DEALERSHIP PERFORMED BOTH TOYOTA RECALL REPAIRS ON MY 2008 CAMRY. ON MARCH 10, AROUND 0519 AM, I WAS STARTING TO PARK MY CAR AT THE GYM. I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW INTO THE PARKING STALL. THE MOMENT THAT I APPLIED THE BRAKES; THE ENGINE STARTED TO RACE; THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD; THE BRAKES WERE USELESS IN STOPPING THE VEHICLE; AND I COULD NOT STEER THE VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE SLAMMED INTO A PARKED JEEP CHEROKE; THE JEEP INTURN COLLIDED WITH A PARKED SUBARU OUTBACK. MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WE ARE WAITING FOR TOYOTA'S TECHNICIANS TO EXAMINE THE CAR. I AM VERY THANKFUL TO GOD THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED OR KILLED IN THIS INCIDENT. HOWEVER, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT MY CAMRY IS UNSAFE AND I WILL NEVER DRIVE IT AGAIN. I HAVE WRITTEN THE VEHICLE OFF AS A TOTAL LOSS. SINCE I AM A JEHOVA WITNESS, I CANNOT SELL THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEN I WOULD BE BLOOD-GUILTY IF ANYONE WAS INJURED OR KILLED BY THE VEHICLE. I AM A ELECTRICAL ENGINEER WITH A MASTERS DEGREE IN ELECTRONICS AND CONTROL SYSTEMS. I HAVE 32 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN SYSTEMATICALLY SOLVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS (PARTICULARLY INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUES). IN MY CASE, GIVEN THE SIMULTANEOUS FAILURE OF MULTIPLE SYSTEMS (ENGINE RPM CONTROL, BRAKING AND STEERING), THE CAUSE IS DEFINITELY ELECTRICAL , NOT MECHANICAL. MY EXPERIENCE WITH COMPUTER CONTROLS STRONGLY SUGGESTS THAT THE KEY HARDWARE INVOLVED IS THE ON-BOARD CPU. THEREFORE, IN MY PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING OPINION, TOYOTA HAS NOT DETER
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation