2008 SCION TC Complaints

AS I WAS CHANGING LANES, I VEERED A LITTLE FAR ONTO THE LEFT SHOULDER AND HIT THE RUMBLE STRIPS ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I TURNED A SLIGHT RIGHT TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK INTO THE LEFT LANE AND MY TIRES "BROKE LOOSE". THE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE RIM, AND I SLID INTO A HORIZONTAL POSITION, ACROSS BOTH LANES, ON THE RIM. I THEN TRIED TO STEER THE VEHICLE BACK INTO THE LEFT LANE, HOWEVER MY CAR TURNED A 180 AND WENT INTO A FORWARD HORIZONTAL MOTION. I THEN HIT A BUMP OR SOMETHING IN THE ROAD AND MY CAR FLIPPED AND WENT AIRBORNE. MY CAR MADE A COMPLETE TURN IN THE AIR, SMASHED ON ITS SIDE AND THEN LANDED ON ITS WHEELS, ON THE MEDIAN. IT THEN BOUNCED AND SMASHED INTO THE METAL POLES OF THE MEDIAN. MY CAR WAS TOTALED AND MIRACULOUSLY I HAVE VERY FEW MINOR INJURIES. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE TIRES ON THE SCION TC ARE SO LOW-PROFILE. I AM CONFUSED HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN ON A BRAND NEW CAR. ON A 2008 VEHICLE, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO OVER RUMBLE STRIPS AND EASILY MANEUVER MY WAY BACK INTO MY LANE. THE TIRES SHOULD NOT BREAK LOOSE ON A BRAND NEW CAR. I PURCHASED THE CAR 3 WEEKS AGO AND HAD ROUGHLY 770 MILES ON IT. *TR

1) THIS IS NOT A FAILURE DUE TO AN EVENT BUT A DESIGN FLAW ON THE SCION TC WITH ELECTRONIC THROTTLE "DRIVE-BY-WIRE". THE THROTTLE RESPONSE IS DELAYED BY 1/2 TO 1 FULL SECOND UPON LAYING FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. 2) AS A RESULT OF THIS DESIGN FLAW, THE CAR IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN DRIVING BECAUSE THE CAR REACTS TOO SLOWLY IN COUNTERACTING ANY HAZARDOUS ROAD CONDITION ONE MAY FACE. WHEN THE SITUATION CALLS FOR ACCELERATION, THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND TO THE DRIVER STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE CAR BEGINS TO REACT 1/2 TO 1 SECOND LATER WHICH CAN BE CRUCIAL TIME WASTED TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE LAG IN THROTTLE RESPONSE. FOR INSTANCE, I WAS FORCED TO APPLY MY BRAKES ABRUPTLY DUE TO THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF MY CAR. I IMMEDIATELY SAW THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME APPROACH ME AT A FASTER THAN NORMAL PACE BECAUSE THE DRIVER REACTED LATE. I WAS FORCED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR SLIGHTLY TO MAKE MORE ROOM FOR THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME TO BRAKE AND THEREFORE REDUCING THE IMPACT OF OUR CARS OR TO AVOID IT COMPLETELY. HOWEVER, THIS WAS UNAVOIDABLE BECAUSE MY CAR DID NOT RESPOND FAST ENOUGH TO MY ACCELERATION. LUCKILY, MY REAR BUMPER SUFFERED NO VISIBLE DAMAGES. *JB