NHTSA complaint: 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY — STRUCTURE:BODY
I WAS APPROACHING A FREEWAY IN ATLANTA, GA. AS THE CONNECTOR CURVED, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH AND GENTLY BRAKE ABOUT 200 FEET FROM THE FREEWAY. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AND VIOLENTLY ACCELERATED, THROWING MY HEAD BACK AGAINST THE HEADREST; I BRAKE HARDER BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE CAR; THE CAR SEEMED TO PIVOT ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND THE REAR END FLEW TO MY LEFT ABOUT 240 DEGREES OR SO AND STRUCK THE GUARD RAIL WITH THE LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL AND BUMPER. THE CAR THEN, CONTINUING AT HIGH SPEED, RICOCHETED OFF THE GUARD RAIL AND THE REAR END PIVOTED TOWARD THE ROAD, MAKING THE FRONT BUMPER STRIKE THE SAME GUARD RAIL. THE SECOND COLLISION SCRAPED THE PAINT OFF THE CENTER OF THE BUMPER BUT THE IMPACT SEEMED STRONGER THAN THE DAMAGE WOULD INDICATE. THE SECOND IMPACT DID STOP THE CAR. I MAKE THIS REPORT BECAUSE MY CAR WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE RECALLED BY TOYOTA FOR THIS PROBLEM; BUT, BELIEVE ME, IT HAPPENED. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation