1995 Toyota Camry

WHILE DRIVING ON THE 190-N APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES FROM MY HOME, MY HOOD DID POP OPEN AND WAS EJECTED FROM MY VEHICLE TRAVELING ABOUT 100 FEET STRIKING ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING IN THE SAME DIRECTION CAUSING DAMAGE TO SAME. MY MECHANIC DID STATE THAT THE LATCH WAS EXTENSIVELY COVERED IN RUST. I AM CURRENTLY WAITING FOR MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE AND INVESTIGATE AS TO THE REASON MY LATCH DID NOT WORK RELEASING MY HOOD. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED MANY FATALITIES HAD IT BEEN A BUSY WEEK DAY. I WAS DRIVING WITH MY 8 YEAR OLD SON, THANK GOD I KEPT A CLEAR HEAD AND WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE PULLING IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE THAT WAS HIT DID STOP AVOIDING THE HOOD FROM STRIKING HIS WINDSHIELD BY INCHES DEFINITELY SAVING HIS LIFE. I NEED TO KNOW HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED.

THE LATCHES ON ALL FOUR DOORS HAVE BROKEN DUE TO WEAK PLASTIC. IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM, BUT A PASSENGER OF MINE, A CHILD, CUT HER FINGER ON THE EXPOSED METAL. I HAVE CALLED DEALERSHIPS TO GET THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED BUT HAVE JUST BEEN LAUGHED AT AND BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS TO BE SO, BECAUSE I HAVE PURCHASED TOYOTA VEHICLES IN THE PAST AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP BEFORE. THIS INCIDENT MAY DETER ME FROM BUYING ANOTHER TOYOTA VEHICLE IN THE FUTURE. CURRENTLY, I AM IN THE MARKET FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE.