While driving the vehicle at approximately 45 mph on a clear sunny day the windshield wipers turned on and began to operate at full speed and would not respond at attempts to stop them. The horn started going off with alarm noises in the vehicle. The smell of an electrical odor and white smoke began to enter the cabin through the dash. Attempts to pull the vehicle over were prevented as the steering wheel locked. The brakes would not respond or work despite stepping on them with both feet and attempting to pump them. The vehicle was still traveling on the road and down a hill with no electrical, steering, or power function of the vehicle. As the vehicle slowed the passenger jumped out. Fire began to come through the dash and upon the driver opening his door fire also came into the cabin from beneath the vehicle. The driver jumped out just before the vehicle careened down an embankment and exploded 3 times.

- Herkimer, NY, USA

2013 Toyota Avalon. Consumer writes in regards to steering wheel malfunction. The consumer stated while driving, he heard a strange noise coming from under the passenger seat. As he made a turn, the steering wheel did not respond and instead of snapping back into a 12 O'clock position, it stayed locked into the turn. He could not turn the wheel to straighten out the vehicle. As he looked up, he saw he was about to crash into an oncoming vehicle. With no time to react, he hit the oncoming vehicle, in a front end collision. At the time of the crash, he was only going about 15 mph. The other driver sustained a neck injury and a bump on the top of his head, when he hit the roof on impact and the consumer suffered whiplash. After the vehicle was repaired, the consumer heard the same noise a before, right before the accident occurred. Toyota claimed there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. The consumer has since traded the vehicle. Updated 04/07/14

- Great Neck, NY, USA