2003 Toyota Sequoia SR5

"BALL JOINT FAILURE" WHILE TRAVELLING DOWN FREEWAY AT 35-40 MPH THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE HAD COME OFF AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DROP. LOST STEERING, BRAKES AND ANY CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. THE VEHICLE SKID INTO THE GUARD RAIL SPINNING IT AROUND AND SLIDING UNTIL IT CAME TO A STOP. THE ARM CAME DIRECTLY OFF THE VEHICLE AND IS STILL ATTACHED TO THE WHEEL.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A FAMILIAR TWO LANE ROAD WITH MANY CURVES AND NOT REACHING A SPEED ABOVE 45 MPH, I CAME UPON A CURVE, BRAKED, AND STEERED MY SEQUOIA APPROPRIATELY. I WAS DRIVING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CURVE, BUT WHEN I TRIED TO TURN WITH THE CURVE, MY SEQUOIA HEADED TOWARD THE ONCOMING LANE OF TRAFFIC. AS IT VEERED TOWARD THE FENCE POSTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD, I COULD NOT SLOW IT DOWN OR STEER IT BACK TO MY LANE. NO MATTER HOW I PRESSED THE BRAKES, IT WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN BUT INSTEAD SPED UP. THE LAST I REMEMBER IS THE REALIZATION THAT I COULD DO NOTHING TO STOP OR STEER MY SEQUOIA. I ROLLED IT 3 1/2 TIMES (THROUGH THE FENCE AND THEN BACK THROUGH IT AGAIN IN ANOTHER SPOT). MANY THANKS TO GOD, MY 3 YEAR OLD MADE IT OUT WITH BUT ONE SMALL SCRATCH ON HIS ARM AND A HUGE FEAR. HOWEVER, IT TOOK THEM 1 1/2 HOURS TO GET ME OUT AND THEN I HAD TO BE CARE-FLIGHTED DUE TO FACIAL INJURIES, HEAD TRAUMA, AND DISFIGURED LEFT ARM. ALTHOUGH MY SEQUOIA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE EQUIPPED WITH SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS ALONG WITH FRONT AIRBAGS NOT A SINGLE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I KNOW CERTAIN SENSORS HAVE TO BE ACTIVATED TO INFLATE AN AIRBAG SO I FEEL I NEED TO MENTION THAT THIS VEHICLE NO LONGER RESEMBLED A SEQUOIA. NO HEADLIGHTS REMAINED, ALL WINDOWS WERE GONE, THE DASH, HOOD AND ROOF COLLAPSED IN ON ME. IT TOOK ME FIVE WEEKS TO GET BEHIND THE WHEEL AGAIN AFTER FEELING SUCH HELPLESSNESS. LAST WEEK I RECEIVED A POST CARD ABOUT TOYOTA RECALLS THAT INVOLVED MY SEQUOIA SO I DECIDED TO LOOK IT UP. I GOT VERY SICK READING THE RECALLS AND INVESTIGATIONS THAT ARE RELATED TO WHAT I EXPERIENCED. IT IS VERY UPSETTING THAT I TRUSTED TOYOTA FOR MY FAMILY AND THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. *TR