2008 Toyota Corolla VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND I HIT THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME DESPITE BRAKING AS HARD AS I COULD

ON NOVEMBER 22, 2010 I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE BETWEEN TWO PARKED CARS ON THE ROOF OF A PARKING GARAGE. THE SPACE WAS STRAIGHT AHEAD OF ME AND AS I STARTED TO PULL IN AND APPLIED THE BRAKE, MY 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA ACCELERATED TO TOP SPEED CAUSING ME TO CRASH INTO THE CONCRETE WALL APPROXIMATELY 18.5 FEET IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR JUMPED THE CONCRETE PARKING BLOCK AND HIT THE 3FT. CONCRETE WALL. MY AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT EXTENDED TO ITS LIMIT BUT DID NOT RETRACT. I WAS BRUISED AND SORE FROM THE IMPACT. THE ESTIMATE TO REPAIR MY CAR IS IN EXCESS OF $7,500. I CALLED MY DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE ARE NO ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH THE 2008 COROLLAS (CONTRARY TO WHAT I SEE ON THE WEBSITE) BUT THEY WILL LOOK AT IT IF I BRING IT IN AFTER IT IS FIXED. IT WAS OBVIOUS THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND I HAD NO CONTROL. IT WAS A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE AND I DON'T THINK I WILL BE COMFORTABLE DRIVING MY CAR AGAIN. *TR

2008 TOYOTA COROLLA. CONSUMER STATES CONTINUED ACCELERATION PROBLEMS AFTER CRASH. *TGW THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED HER VEHICLE WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST AND THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. UPDATED 08/31/11.*JB

DEFECTIVE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE IN THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE SPEED DID NOT INCREASE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WHEN THE TRAFFIC LIGHT TURN GREEN. LOW SPEED DRIVING (LESS THAN 20 MPH) WAS USED TO REMOVE VEHICLE FROM ROAD. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE COMPUTER CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. *TR

ON 8/29/08 I WAS SLOWLY ACCELERATING AS I PULLED ONTO THE HIGHWAY WHEN I EXPERIENCED WHAT I HAVE COME TO UNDERSTAND WAS AN SUA, A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. WITH HEAD-ON TRAFFIC COMING AT ME FAST I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TURN SHARPLY TO GET OFF THE ROAD. MY REAR AXLE WAS CAUGHT ON A BERM OF DIRT AT THE EDGE OF A CORNFIELD. BRAKING HAD NO EFFECT. AS I SAT THERE I REALIZED THE ENGINE WAS RACING WILDLY. THERE WAS NO OBSTRUCTION TO THE GAS PEDDLE, SO I HAD TO CUT OFF THE ENGINE BY TURNING THE KEY OFF. MY CAR IS A 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE ROAD WAS DRY, HOWEVER, IT WAS A DAMP MORNING AND CHILLY. I HAVE HAD NO RECURRENCES. I AM A SAFETY COMPLIANCE OFFICER WITH OSHA SO I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN INVESTIGATING THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM. I DO NOT FEEL THE ADDITION OF THE PLATE BEHIND THE GAS PEDAL IS THE SOLUTION. TOYOTA TOLD ME AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THAT IT WOULD DO NO GOOD TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE SENSOR, SO I REALIZED THAT THEY HAD A DEFECT PROBLEM. I AM LOOKING INTO ADDING A SMART THROTTLE SOFTWARE PLUG-IN TO PROVIDE AN OVERRIDE TO THE THROTTLE. TOYOTA REFUSED TO TELL ME WHO MADE THE PART OR FROM WHOM THEY PURCHASED IT. PLEASE PROVIDE ME THAT INFORMATION IF POSSIBLE. PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR INVESTIGATION, AND I WOULD SUGGEST WIDENING IT TO INCLUDE ALL DRIVE-BY-WIRE SYSTEMS. *TR

VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AFTER RELEASING THROTTLE. UNABLE TO STOP VEHICLE AND HAD ACCIDENT WITH VEHICLE AHEAD. PLENTY OF DISTANCE BETWEEN CARS TO STOP VEHICLE, BUT UNABLE TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP IN TIME. APPARENT THROTTLE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT RENTED A 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHEN THE CONTACT WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BRIEFLY AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT THOUGHT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATE DUE TO OPERATOR ERROR. THE FOLLOWING WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER OF THE VEHICLE. NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING THE CRASH. THE CONTACT RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE RENTAL COMPANY SINCE IT WAS UNSAFE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

WHEN BRAKING AND ALMOST AT A FULL STOP THE ENGINE RPM'S REV UP AND VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD. AT THOSE INSTANCES, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP EVEN WHEN I STAND ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. *TR

FROM THE DAY OF PURCHASE, THE GAS PEDAL WAS WAY TOO HARD TO PRESS. IT IS SIMILAR TO THE TENSION OF A CLUTCH PEDAL. THE REGIONAL/DISTRICT TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER AND THE SERVICE REPS AT THE AT KEARNY MESA TOYOTA IN SAN DIEGO STATED THE IT WAS NORMAL AND THAT ALL OF THE COROLLAS WERE THE SAME. HOWEVER, WHEN SAN DIEGO MOSSY TOYOTA SERVICE PERSONNEL WERE ASKED ABOUT THIS, THEY STATED ON 8 OR 9 JAN 09 THAT THERE HAD BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE GAS PEDAL HAVING TOO MUCH TENSION AND THAT THERE PROBABLY WOULD BE A RECALL ON IT IN THE FUTURE. WHILE THIS MAY NOT CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT, I AM SURE THAT SOMEONE WILL TRY TO ACCELERATE SLOWLY, AND BECAUSE OF THE TENSION, THEY WILL LUNGE FORWARD AND STRIKE ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE PEDAL REQUIRES A CONSTANT AWARENESS TO AVOID LUNGING. IT IS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO TAKE OFF ON AN INCLINE SMOOTHLY. *TR

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE, SHE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHOT BACKWARDS AT APPROX 100 MPH. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER HITTING THE CEMENT POST IN FRONT OF A SUPERMARKET. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE IN THE PAST. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THE ISSUE WOULD OCCUR. SHE SPOKE WITH BOTH THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WHO WOULD NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 3,200. UPDATED 05/27/09. *LJ UPDATED 05/28/09.*JB VIN UPDATED SMCH**THREE VOQS ON SAME VIN: 10256808,10335955,10266580 *SMCH

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH OUT OF A PARKING LOT THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER IT CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUFFERED A BACK INJURY DURING THE CRASH BUT WAS NOT TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED AND HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW WHY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,700 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,500.

2008 TOYOTA COROLLA ACCELERATED WHILE THE DRIVER STILL HAD HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AT A SPEED OF 100 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*JB UPDATED VIN SMCH**THREE VOQS ON SAME VIN: 10256808,10335955,10266580 *SMCH

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE AT 5 MPH, IT SURGED FORWARD AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT END SUSTAINED DAMAGES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 2,580 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,480. *UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 5 MPH WHEN SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXECUTE A TURN, WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. UPDATED 04/05/10.*JB