1995 Toyota Tercel problems

TIRES

THIS IS A RECOUNT OF EVENTS IN WHICH MY TIRE FAILED. I BEGAN MY COMMUTE TO WORK BY ENTERING ONTO A GOOD CONDITION STATE HIGHWAY AND BEGAN DRIVING 65 MPH AROUND 6:30 AM EDT. APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE WITH LITE TRAFFIC, I DECIDED TO CHANGE FROM THE MIDDLE LANE INTO THE RIGHT HAND LANE. DURING THIS LANE CHANGE THE CAR STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND THEN VIOLENTLY SHAKE. I APPLIED MY BREAKS TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OVER, BUT I COULD NOT STOP NOR CONTROL THE DIRECTION OF CAR. THE CAR BEGAN TO PULLING TO THE LEFT AND STARTED TO SPIN. THE CAR IMPACTED THE GUARDRAIL TWICE WHILE IN A SPIN AND RECEIVED UNFIXABLE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE CAR BODY FRAME, AND OTHER COMPONENTS. THE WITNESSES ON SCENE, CALLED THE POLICE AND REPORTED THAT THEY SAW THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BLOW OUT CAUSING THE ACCIDENT. THE TIRE WAS BRAND NEW AND WAS PROFESSIONALLY BALANCED, INSTALLED, AND ALIGNED JUST 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS CHECKED AND SET AT LESS THAN MAX MANUFACTURER TIRE PRESSURE. ALL OF MY TIRES WERE PURCHASED AT A TIRE KINGDOM STORE. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE TIRE, THE BLOWOUT OF THE TIRE OCCURRED ON THE SIDEWALL AND NO DAMAGE TO THE TREAD WAS FOUND. NO OBJECT WAS DESCRIBED AT THE SCREEN OF THE ACCIDENT OR BY WITNESSES THAT CAUSED THE TIRE TO RUPTURE. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND I RECEIVED BODILY INJURY FROM THE ACCIDENT. THERE WERE NO OTHER ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE, EQUIPMENT, DRIVER, HIGHWAY, TRAFFIC, MAYBE A LIGHT RAIN IN THE EARLY MORNING, THAT CAN EXPLAIN THE CAUSE OF THE TIRE FAILING. THE TIRE WITH DRIVEN LESS THAN 3,000 MILES BEFORE IT FAILED. THE POLICE REPORTED THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE, BUT SINCE THE TIRE IS NEW THAT THERE ARE NO CURRENT CLAIMS TO REPORT THIS DEFECTIVE TIRE. THIS TIRE WAS PURCHASED AT TIRE KINGDOM, MODEL UNIROYAL TIGER PAW AWPII WITH DOT SBXGHSTR1418 2.

NHTSA complaint #11149486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

I HIT A CURB SIDE AND MY BUCKLE UNLATCHED AFTER FURTHER CHECKING I NOTICED WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE IT SOMETIMES UNLATCHES EVENTHOUGH IT MAKES THE CLICK SOUND. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I NOTICED IT IN PAST UNLATCH BUT I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE NOT PUSHED IT WELL. BUT IT SEEMS PART IS DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA complaint #10532096 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I WAS STOPPED ON THE FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC THAT HAD STOPPED, AND I WAS SEVERAL FEET AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE GAS PEDAL ENGAGED AND MY CAR LUNGED FORWARD. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I COULD BUT IT DID NOT STOP IT, SO I PULLED UP THE HAND BRAKE BUT NOT BEFORE I HAD HIT THE REAR BUMPER OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS TICKETED FOR FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE WHICH WAS NOT THE CASE. I EXPLAINED TO THE OFFICER WHAT HAPPENED WHEN MY GAS PEDAL UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSED TO CAR TO ACCELERATE BUT ALL HE SAID IS THAT I BETTER GET IT FIXED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY FIXED IT, BUT MY CAR INSURANCE WENT UP, AS WELL AS THE DEDUCTIBLE I HAD TO PAY TO GET MY CAR FIXED AND REPAIR THE OTHER GENTLEMAN'S CAR. AT THE TIME I DIDN'T CONSIDER THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT BUT NOW I KNOW IT MIGHT WELL COULD HAVE BEEN. MY MOM HAD GIVEN ME THE CAR TO DRIVE AFTER SHE COULD NOT DRIVE IT ANY MORE, AND SHE DIED NOT TOO LONG THEREAFTER. I NOW HAVE OVER 210,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND IT HAS BEEN A PRETTY GOOD CAR, EXCEPT FOR THAT ONE INCIDENT. THANKS.

NHTSA complaint #10229825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT CAME OUT OF THE MECHANISM IN A REAR END COLLSION. AS A RESULT, DRIVER WAS INJURED.

NHTSA complaint #10037624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *MR WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITON THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *SCC

NHTSA complaint #8019735 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHILE BEING PARKED ALL DAY.

NHTSA complaint #767444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

LOW SPEED IMPACT ACCIDENT, AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG CAUGHT FIRE. TOYOTA WAS CONTACTED BUT AFTER INSPECITON SEND MEMO THAT FIRE WAS NOT CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURING OR DESIGN DEFECT. NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. CAR WAS TOTALLED BY INSURANCE DUE TO COST TO REPLACE AIRBAGS. IF THIS IS A "SAFETY FEATURE" WHY WOULD IT CATCH FIRE? LUCKILY THERE WAS NO PASSENGER IN THE CAR. DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG ALSO DEPLOYED AND SINGED THE JEANS THAT MY SON WAS WEARING.

NHTSA complaint #754953 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE TRAVLING ABOUT 50 MPH, VEHICLE HIT A DITCH AND GUARDRAIL, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG, VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.

NHTSA complaint #784026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION TRAVAELING 30-40 MPH IN WHICH NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING INJURIES TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OCCUPANT. ALSO, VEHICLE IS WAS TOTALED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #857189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH DRIVER HIT A DEER HEAD-ON,WITHOUT BRAKING, AND DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJUIRES.PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN HEAD-ON COLLISION ON 11/98, AND DUAL AIRBAGS DIDNOT DEPLOY AT THAT TIME ALSO.

NHTSA complaint #855184 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

AIR BAGS

DURING A RAIN STORM CAR SLID OUT OF CONTROL, THEN DOWN EMBANKMENT WITHOUT AIR BAGS EVER DEPLOYING. BUSHES, TREES, ETC WERE HIT, BUT CAR LANDED ON DRIVERS SIDE. DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE HEAD INJURY.

NHTSA complaint #704549 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

CAR REAR-ENDED BY VEHICLE TRAVELING AT LESS THAN 30MPH. CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, INCLUDING FAILURE OF DRIVER'S SEAT WHICH FELL COMPLETELY BACK, EXPOSING DRIVER'S HEAD TO IMPACTED CRASH ZONE. BRACKET ON SEAT WAS FOUND TO BE FAULTY (APPARENTLY METAL WAS WEAK AND WARPED OUT OF SHAPE UPON IMPACT) AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED BY BODY SHOP. TOYOTA CANADA WAS INFORMED AND SAID THEY WOULD CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION. ALL PERTINENT DATA WAS PROVIDED FOR THEM. NO ONE EVEN LOOKED AT THE CAR. FINALLY RECEIVED LETTER FROM TOYOTA STATING THAT TOYOTA HAS "UTMOST CONFIDENCE IN THE SAFETY OF THE SEATS" IN MY CAR! LETTER. ALSO, DOWN PLAYED FACT THAT REPAIR WORK WAS DONE TO FIX FAULTY SEAT BRACKET (EVEN THOUGH I HAVE REPAIR REPORT AVAILABLE). I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR IN EVENT OF ACCIDENT AND TOYOTA HAS NOT BOTHERED TO EXAMINE CAR, REPAIR REPORT ETC..OR CONSIDER A RECALL OF SIMILAR MODELS TO CHECK INTEGRITY OF METAL BRACKET SEAT SUPPORTS! HAD IMPACT BEEN EVEN SLIGHTLY HARDER IN THIS CASE. DRIVER WOULD HAVE SUSTAINED SERIOUS HEAD INJURY OR BEEN KILLED INSTANTLY.

NHTSA complaint #701266 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.