insist that your toyota dealer knows of this problem

First let me say that I am not an amateur when it comes to vehicle safety, accident prevention and investigation. It was my job for 32 years!

MY 2016 Toyota Corolla car steering wheel locked up while changing from the left to right lane at approximately 55 miles per hour. I was unable to turn the wheel to alleviate the problem and keep the car on the road. The car ran off the road to the right into a culvert and crashed into the culvert drain which was several feet of concrete and a steel grate. I fought the wheel but was unable to break it loose. Car turned onto its left side and last thing I remember was seeing the culvert drain as I crashed into it. Upon hitting the drain the car flipped and landed a few feet above the drain on its top. I was knocked unconscious for at least 20 minutes and came to when the first responders were trying to cut me out of the car. They finally cut an opening in the left side of the windshield and pulled me out over the steering wheel through the windshield.

I sustained several serious injuries: Head injury, right leg, right arm (it hit the steering wheel), Left shoulder and arm from seatbelt (no doubt it saved my life; air bag in steering did not deploy properly and provided no help; contusion of lungs, massive internal contusions (deep bruising) of chest and lower back and other less serious injuries. Although I am unable to remember any of it I was taken to the emergency room (ER) where they took X-rays, C-scans, etc. of just about every part of my body. I was sent home too soon and put on Home Health Care and when the first nurse came to my house and saw my condition she immediately called an ambulance right away and I was taken to a much better ER where I received much better care and spent several days in the hospital. When I was released I was on Home Health Care for over 2 months in rehab and on oxygen for 2-months. So my life was saved twice, once by a seatbelt and once by a nurse that recognized the seriousness of my condition, unlike the so-called doctor that had sent me home.

I shoulder some blame since I am very knowledgeable when it comes to vehicle safety. I never felt this was a very safe car from shortly after I bought it. I had another experience with it early on (that’s another report and you can read about it here later on) but due to the loss I would take to get rid of it then I decided to keep it for a year and then unload it. I obviously waited too long. If you experience any problems with the steering mechanism get it to the dealer immediately. Don’t wait, your life may depend on it.