ON MAY 22, 2009, I BACKED MY 2000 TOYOTA AVALON INTO A PARKING AREA NEXT TO A SHORT PRIVATE ROAD LOCATED ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN A HIGH CLIFF ABOVE A BEACH. AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE CAR, I DECIDED TO MOVE IT ABOUT A FOOT FURTHER OFF THE ROAD. SO I BACKED UP VERY SLOWLY UNTIL THE BUMPER JUST TOUCHED THE CLIFF BEHIND ME. I BRAKED,…
Read full complaint
ON MAY 22, 2009, I BACKED MY 2000 TOYOTA AVALON INTO A PARKING AREA NEXT TO A SHORT PRIVATE ROAD LOCATED ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN A HIGH CLIFF ABOVE A BEACH. AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE CAR, I DECIDED TO MOVE IT ABOUT A FOOT FURTHER OFF THE ROAD. SO I BACKED UP VERY SLOWLY UNTIL THE BUMPER JUST TOUCHED THE CLIFF BEHIND ME. I BRAKED, THE CAR STOPPED, AND THEN I STEPPED VERY LIGHTLY ON THE GAS PEDAL, INTENDING TO BRAKE IMMEDIATELY AFTER MOVING FORWARD A FEW INCHES. TO MY HORROR, THE CAR SHOT FORWARD RAPIDLY, AND I WAS UNABLE TO STOP IT, NO MATTER HOW HARD I PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL. I SOMEHOW MANAGED TO TURN IT TO THE LEFT AND THUS AVOIDED PLUNGING OVER THE CLIFF BELOW ME. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, FISH-TAILING UP A SLIGHT GRADE. THEN IT HIT A PARKED CAR AND TURNED UPSIDE-DOWN ON THE ROAD. I SUFFERED BROKEN VERTEBRAE IN MY BACK AND NECK AND HAD TO BE HOSPITALIZED FOR 12 DAYS AND WEAR A HEAD-NECK BRACE FOR TWO MONTHS. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 AVALON VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF THE STEERING LOCK BAR, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A MINUTE CRACK MAY DEVELOP ON THE SURFACE OF THE LOCK BAR. SUCH A CRACK MAY EXPAND OVER A LONG PERIOD OF REPEATED LOCK AND UNLOCK OPERATIONS, AND EVENTUALLY THE LOCK BAR COULD BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULD THE STEERING LOCK BAR BREAK, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND THE DRIVER WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING INTERLOCK DEVICE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Illustration