2005 SCION XA Complaints

ON AUGUST 20, 2005 I WAS PARKING MY SCION TC 2005 IN MY DRIVEWAY, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY ACCELERATED. THE CAR TOOK OFF AS IF IT WERE POSSESSED. I TRIED TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WITH MY STEERING WHEEL, AND AVOIDED HITTING MY HOUSE AND MY BASKETBALL POLL. SLAMMING THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK, AND EVENTUALLY THE CAR HIT A TREE IN MY BACKYARD. I SUSTAINED MULTIPLE INJURIES, INCLUDING CHEST CONTUSION, AND MULTIPLE FRACTURES IN MY LEFT HAND. MY DAUGHTER CALLED 911, THE POLICE ARRIVED AND I WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL IN AN AMBULANCE. SINCE THEN I HAD TWO SURGERIES DONE, OF WHICH THE OUTCOME IS PENDING. SINCE I AM AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN I AM UNABLE TO WORK. I HAVE NOTIFIED TOYOTA SCION PERSONNEL AND THEY WILL INSPECT THE CAR WHEN THE CAR IS TAKEN TO A YARD, SINCE THE CAR IS TOTALED. A SIMILAR EPISODE HAD HAPPENED WITH THE SAME CAR INVOLVING MY DAUGHTER WHEN SHE WAS DRIVING. THE CAR SUDDENLY TOOK OFF ON THE BQE, AND HIT THE MEDIAN. AT THE TIME, I DID NOT BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN. I RECOMMEND ALL SCION TC'S TO BE CHECKED OUT FOR SIMILAR DEFECTS; SO THAT INJURIES TO OTHERS AND DEATH CAN BE AVOIDED. *NM

COMPLAINT-2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER: UNSAFE OPERATION THIS VEHICLE HAS A "FLY BY WIRE" COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT IS CAUSING HAZARDOUS UNEXPECTED ENGINE STUMBLING, ENGINE HESITATION AND ERRATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING. THE VEHICLE CANNOT ALWAYS BE EASED INTO TRAFFIC AND ON ONE OCCASION WHEN MERGING INTO INTERSTATE TRAFFIC THE ENGINE RACED AND DOWN SHIFTED SO VIOLENTLY THAT THE PASSENGERS THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN HIT FROM THE REAR. AN INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE USING THE CRUISE CONTROL(AT 70 MPH). THE ENGINE RACED,DOWN SHIFTED AND THE VEHICLE JUMPED FORWARD BEFORE IT COULD BE CONTROLLED. ALSO, WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE, WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, I MOVED INTO THE PASSING LANE: THE ENGINE RACED, DOWNSHIFTED AND REFUSED TO ACCELERATE. I COULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED HAD THE DRIVER FOLLOWING NOT BEEN ALERT. ENGINE SPEED CAN VARY AND SHIFTING CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME. WHEN ENTERING A GARAGE OR PARKING SPACE THE DRIVER MUST KEEP FIRM PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, SINCE THE VEHICLE MAY DECIDE TO CHANGE ENGINE SPEED AND MOVE FORWARD. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE COMPUTER CAN TAKE CONTROL OF THE TRANSMISSION, THROTTLE AND BRAKING UNDER COMPUTER ANTICIPATED ROLLOVER CONDITIONS. IMAGINE THE DRIVER'S HORROR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT TO FIND THAT HE IS NO LONGER IN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE MET WITH THE TOYOTA DEALER REPRESENTATIVES, TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR(THREE TIMES ON RECORD), TAKEN TEST DRIVES WITH THE LOCAL TOYOTA TECH AND THE TOYOTA DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER AND WRITTEN E-MAILS TO THE TOYOTA WEB SITE ALL TO NO AVAIL. I AM TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED TO OPERATE THIS WAY AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE. THEY DID IMPLEMENT ONE TSB, BUT NOTHING CHANGED. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING WITH THE HIGHLANDER AND OTHER TOYOTA MODELS SINCE 2004 AND POSSIBLY BEFORE THAT DATE. I GUESS TOYOTA WILL WAIT FOR A CATASTROPHIC EVENT BEFORE IT TAKES AN INTEREST IN CORRECTING THIS POORLY DESIGNED AND HAZARDOUS SYSTEM. MY WIFE AND I ARE AFRAID WE MAY BE AMONG THE VICTIMS OF THIS HAZARDOUS VEHICLE. *NM

ON A ROAD DOING 50 MPH WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO VIBRATE. STARTED TO SLOW DOWN, WHEN THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLOW OUT AND CAUSE THE LOST OF CONTROL, CRASHING INTO THE GUIDE RAIL. THE CAR IS NOW IN THE BODY SHOP FOR REPAIRS. *JB

ENKEI WHEEL RIM BENT AND TIRE AND WHEEL NEED TO BE REPLACED. CAR NOT IN ACCIDENT AND I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRE VALVE BEFORE AND THE DEALER FIXED IT. I ALSO HAD A DEFECTIVE TIRE REPLACED A FEW MONTHS EARLIER. I THINK THIS WAS DEFECTIVE TOO, BUT NOW I HAVE TO PAY 465. TO FIX. *NM

DT: CONSUMER STATES: HEAD REST IS TOO BIG AND THE BACK WINDSHIELD IS TOO SMALL. WHEN CHANGING LANES OR LOOKING TO BACK OUT THE LITTLE SPOT IN THE MIDDLE ONE CAN SEE THROUGH. ITS REALLY A PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. *AK

INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR INTRUDES ON MY LINE OF SIGHT THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, BLOCKING VIEW OF CARS AND PEDESTRIANS APPROACHING AT THAT ANGLE OF SIGHT.

DRIVING AT MODERATE SPEED WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN MAKES VERY LOUD, LOW-PITCH NOISES INSIDE THE CAB THAT ARE SOMEWHAT PAINFUL TO THE EARS AND HEAD. SOMETIMES IT'S WHEN THEY ARE ALL FULLY OPEN OR AT DIFFERENT LEVELS WITH DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OPEN OFF THE FOUR. IT'S VERY HARD TO HAVE THE WINDOWS DOWN COMFORTABLY AND NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE. *AK