2001 Toyota Sienna

[THIS INCIDENT HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED TO TOYOTA - CASE # [XXX].] I EXITED PARKING LOT AND TURNED LEFT TO TRAVEL NORTH ON TWO-LANE STREET AT 5 PM. IMMEDIATELY AFTER ENTERING THE LANE, MY CAR BEGAN TO DECELERATE. I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, AND IT WAS STUCK IN POSITION. I TAPPED THE PEDAL, AT WHICH POINT THE PEDAL LOCKED IN THE DOWN POSITION, AND THE CAR RACED FORWARD, WITH TIRES SCREECHING. I IMMEDIATELY HIT THE BRAKES AND PUT IN CAR IN NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV AT 5000-6000 RPM WHILE I PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER ON THE RIGHT. AFTER PUTTING THE SHIFT INTO PARK, I REACHED DOWN WITH MY HAND, NOTED THERE WAS NO CARPET INTERFERING WITH THE PEDAL, YET IT WAS STUCK IN THE DOWNWARD POSITION. I PULLED BACK A FEW TIMES AND WAS ABLE TO FREE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MOVEMENT, AT WHICH POINT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO IDLE. I TESTED THE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE RESUMING MY ROUTE. AT MY FIRST LEFT TURN AFTER THE ACCELERATION INCIDENT, I NOTED THAT THE CAR HAD NO POWER STEERING, AND I WAS BARELY ABLE TO TURN THE CAR A SHARP 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT. THE REMAINDER OF MY RIDE HOME, THE CAR HAD NO POWER STEERING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR UPDATED 4/19/2016*JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DRIFT FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

07-08-01 34 MILES STEERING FAILURE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. 01-29-03 7552 MILES STEERING FAILURE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. AFTER SLOWING DOWN AT TOLLS,FAILS TO ACCELERATE,LOUD NOISE FOLLOW. WET/RAINY SURFACE,FRONT TIRES SPIN AT TAKE-OFF. WIND NOISE VERY PROMINENT ON HIGHWAYS. RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER LOCK DOES NOT LATCH/UNLATCH AT TIMES. REAR HEATER IS DEFECTIVE.

LEASED VEHICLE NEW IN APRIL 2001. TO DATE, HAVE HAD 11 BRAKE REPLACEMENTS IN A PERIOD OF 21 MONTHS. BRAKES SQUEALING IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING REPLACED, SOUNDS LIKE A SEMI COMING TO STOP. FILED UNDER FLORIDA LEMON LAW, WHICH DEALER SAID "COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONCERN-OPERATING TO DESIGN & INTENT". BRAKES GRIND METAL TO METAL AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. VIBRATION & UNEVEN, PREMATURE TIRE WEAR DESPITE SEVERAL ALIGNMENTS. VEHICLE ALSO MAKES CLUNKING SOUND WHEN BREAKING IN REVERSE & INITIAL ACCELERATION.

2001 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE VAN, VIN [XXX], APPROX 34,600 MILES. VEHICLE STILL UNDER MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY OF 36 MONTHS, 36,000 MILES. DRIVING STRAIGHT, LANE 2, NB 880 N OF MARKET STREET, APPROX. 50-55 MPH (ELEVATED FREEWAY, BROKEN CLOUDS, INTERMITTENT SUNSHINE WINDY AND LIGHT RAIN (RAINBOW CONDITIONS), ROADWAY GROOVED, AND ROADWAY UNDER 4 YEARS OF AGE). SUDDENLY, STEERING LIGHT, SIMULTANEOUSLY SENSED REAR SLIDING COUNTERCLOCKWISE VIEWED ABOVE, STEERED RIGHT, COUNTER SPIN. VEHICLE 1 DARTED UNCONTROLLABLY RIGHT, GROSSLY OVER STEERING, HEADING FOR RIGHT WALL, CORRECTED STEERING LEFT VEHICLE DARTED UNCONTROLLABLY LEFT, GROSSLY OVER STEERING, CROSSING ACROSS LANE 2 TO LANE 1, HEADING FOR LEFT WALL. VEHICLE 2, IN LANE 1, MADE CONTACT, COUNTERCLOCKWISE SPIN RESULTING WITH SEVERE IMPACT WITH LEFT WALL AT RIGHT FRONT OFFSET ANGLE. VEHICLE CONTINUED COUNTERCLOCKWISE RESTING FORWARD AT AN ANGLE TO LANE 1, AND LEFT REAR OF VEHICLE SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE, AWAY FROM LEFT WALL. BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER OF VEHICLE 2 FIRST OBSERVED THAT WHEEL-SIDE END OF LEFT CONTROL ARM (LCA) OBSERVED TOUCHING ROADWAY IMMEDIATELY AFTER COLLISION. ALL 3 PARTICIPANTS OBSERVED WHEEL-SIDE END OF LCA STRAIGHT, APPEARING UNDAMAGED SAVE DISCONNECTION FROM LEFT SUSPENSION. LCA THREADS, LIKE NEW IN THE CENTER OF THREADED PORTION POINTING DOWN 90 DEGREES TO LCA, TOUCHING ROADWAY. BALL JOINT OBSERVED AT TOP,INTACT, NO DAMAGE. COLOR OF MIDDLE SECTION OF THREADED PORTION WAS BRIGHT/CLEAN, ALMOST LIGHT BRASS-LIKE COLORED, AVAILABLE SUNLIGHT. LEFT FRONT WHEEL FULLY DISPLACED CLOCKWISE EXPOSING STRAIGHT LCA. CHP ACCIDENT REPORT TAKEN STATEMENTS FROM 3 OCCUPANTS. REPORTED TO CHP SERVICE BREAKS NEVER APPLIED, THERE WAS NO TIME DRIVER OF VEHICLE 2 ANSWERED/REPORTED TO CHP THAT LCA BROKEN, AND SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION BY CHP CONFIRMED CONDITION OF LCA. CHP USED CRUISER TO 3 TIMES RAM RIGHT QUARTER, PUSH PARALLEL TO LANE 1 AND LEFT RETAINING WALL, TO FACILITATE REMOVAL BY TOW TRUCK. TS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION