NHTSA complaint: 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AS I WAS DRIVING I NOTICED A SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING COMING FROM MY CAR. AS I ACCELERATED THE SMELL INCREASED. I HAD MY TWO CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND WE WERE DRIVING. I PULLED OVER, CHECKED MY OIL, BRAKES FLUID AND TIRES TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL, WHICH IT WAS. AS I DROVE AWAY I BEGAN TO SMELL THE SMOKE AGAIN. I CONTINUED DRIVING DOWN THE STREET MY CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE AND SPARKS CAME FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE. IN A PANIC, I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER, TOOK MY CHILDREN OUT OF THE CAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND RAN ACROSS A BUSY INTERSECTION. I LATER CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND TOYOTA. THE DEALER ACTUALLY MADE JOKES ABOUT US BEING "IN A FIRE". ONCE THEY FOUND OUT MY CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY THEY SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT. I TOLD THEM I WANTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO COME OUT AND SEE THE DAMAGE BEFORE THEY DID ANY REPAIRS. THEY IGNORED MY REQUEST AND REPLACED THE PARTS WITHIN 12 HOURS. MY CAR SMELLED OF SMOKE AND FIRE FOR MONTHS, THEY REFUSED TO DETAIL OR REPLACE ANY OF THE INTERIOR AND EVERY TIME THE ADJUSTOR CAME TO SEE THE CAR. THEY HAD ALL OF THE WINDOWS COMPLETELY DOWN. I REPORTED MY COMPLAINTS AND INCIDENT TO THE MAIN TOYOTA OFFICE VIA EMAIL. I EVEN SENT PICTURES OF THE BURNED PARTS WHICH I CONFISCATED FROM THE DEALER. I RECENTLY READ OF YOUR AGENCY HAVING ONLY REPORTED SIX OF THESE CASES IN THE ATLANTA JOURNAL. I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE MORE. I DIDN'T WANT THE CAR BACK AND WAS AFRAID FOR MINE AND MY FAMILIES SAFETY. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation