2008 Toyota RAV4 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I'M EXPERIENCING UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WITHOUT ENGAGING THE PEDAL FROM A STATIONARY POSITION.

THE PROBLEM IS REPEATABLE. GOING UPHILL ON A HIGHWAY AT AROUND FIFTY MPH WITH SPEED CONTROL ON. VEHICLE SPEED HAS DROPPED ABOUT 2 MPH BELOW THE SET POINT. I TAP THE SPEED CONTROL LEVER ONCE TO REDUCE THE SET POINT BY ABOUT 1 MPH. THE SPEED CONTROL INSTANTLY OPENS THE THROTTLE WIDE AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO A LOWER GEAR. THE RESULT IS AN ABRUPT INCREASE IN SPEED RATHER THAN THAN THE INTENDED DECREASE. IF, UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES, I PULL THE SPEED CONTROL LEVER TO TURN OFF THE CONTROL THE SAME THING HAPPENS BUT IS QUICKLY TERMINATED WHEN THE CONTROL DISCONNECTS, WITHOUT MUCH INCREASE IN SPEED.

SUDDEN ACCELERATION. CAR WAS STOPPED IN PARK AND SHIFTED TO DRIVE. TRANSMISSION MADE A LARGE CLUNK SOUND AS IT WENT INTO DRIVE AND THEN ACCELERATED TO WHAT SOUND LIKE FULL THROTTLE. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR DIDN'T MOVE MUCH BUT WAS BUCKING AGAINST THE BRAKE. I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. I THEN PUT IT INTO PARK. I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE, LOOKED UNDER THE DASH AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL LOOKED LIKE IT WAS IN A NORMAL POSITION AND THE FLOOR MATS WERE SEVERAL INCHES FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS TOOK PLACE AT THE BEMIDJI HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT. I THEN RE-STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE IT HOME WITH NO INCIDENT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND NO INJURIES.

WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT WAITING TO TURN LEFT THE RAV4 ENGINE BEGAN TO REV AND LURCHED FORWARD WITH DRIVER'S FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE. DRIVER PUT CAR INTO NEUTRAL WHILE HOLDING DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT THE CAR HURTLING INTO THE INTERSECTION. DRIVER THEN TURNED OFF THE CAR AND PUT GEAR SHIFT TO PARK. AFTER 30 SECONDS RESTARTED THE CAR WITH FOOT ON BRAKE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV AGAIN WITH CAR IN PARK. THE ENGINE NOISE WAS VERY LOUD. CAR WAS AGAIN TURNED OFF. CAR WAS RESTARTED AFTER ABOUT 2-3 MINUTES AND ENGINE BEHAVED NORMALLY. OWNERS TOOK CAR TO TOYOTA DEALER WITHIN AN HOUR OF THE INCIDENT. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP RAN DIAGNOSTIC AND MANAGER SAID DRIVER HAD FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR WHEN IT HAPPENED WHICH IS CERTAINLY NOT TRUE. DEALER WOULD NOT RELEASE A COPY OF THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT. OWNERS HAVE HAD ALL RECALL WORK DONE ON THE VEHICLE AND HAVE DONE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AS REQUIRED IN THE OWNER MANUAL. *TR

THE RAV4 HAS EXHIBITED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION THREE TIMES: LATEST OCCURRED ON 7/17/2015 AT 7:30 PM WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION; THE 2ND ON 7/06/15 WHILE IN PARK IN MY DRIVEWAY JUST AFTER STATING THE CAR; THE 1ST ON ABOUT 6/30/15 AROUND NOON WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. FORTUNATELY, I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BREAK OR WAS IN PARK SO THAT THE CAR DID NOT MOVE. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TESTED AT LOCAL DEALER ON 7/20 WITH DIAGNOSTIC DATA SENT TO TOYOTA CENTRAL, BUT THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM IN THE DATA - NO ERROR CODES. THE TECHNICAL CASE NUMBER IS [XXX]. AFTER CONTACTING TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE (CASE # [XXX]) I WAS TOLD THEY COULD DO NOTHING FURTHER THAT THE CAR "PERFORMED AS DESIGNED" PER SABINA CHARFAUROS, CASE MANAGER, 188-331-4331 EXT. 73846 UPDATED 9/28/15 *LN UPDATED 3/23/2016*JS

2008 TOYOTA RAV 4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED 2 SERVICE RECALLS WERE PERFORMED. AFTER THE SERVICES WERE PERFORMED, THE CONSUMER STATED A FRIEND PICKUP UP THE VEHICLE, AND EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING EVENTS: WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO IDLE VERY ROUGH WITH CONSIDERABLE VIBRATION, AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING ON 3 CYLINDERS. THE DEALER CLAIMED WITH A LITTLE DRIVING THE SOFTWARE UPDATE WOULD WORK ITSELF OUT AND NO LONGER BE AN ISSUE. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THE ROUGH IDLE WOULD SOMETIME HAPPENS AFTER THE RECALL SOFTWARE UPDATE. OVER THE NEXT 3 WEEKS, THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE DAILY AND IT CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH. AS SHE APPROACHED A RED LIGHT, SHE TOOK HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND PLACED HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE INSTEAD ACCELERATED, AND SHE BEGAN QUICKLY PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL. EVENTUALLY, THE VEHICLE DID COME TO A STOP WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AT A LOWER RATE, BUT STILL RUNNING ROUGH. *JB

I WAS TURNING AROUND IN A PARKING LOT (360 DEGREE TURN) WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED...I HIT THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE AND I TRIED TO PUT THE ENGINE IN NEUTRAL. I WAS HEADING TOWARD A PARKED VEHICLE (I WOULD HAVE T-BONED IT BUT I SWERVED), FOOT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE TO THE FLOOR, NOTHING ON THE ACCELERATOR, ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE AND WHILE I TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL I OVERSHOT, THREW IT INTO REVERSE (ENGINE STILL RACING), THEN PARK. ENGINE RACING, I SHUT OFF THE CAR. NOTHING WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ORIGINAL FLOOR MAT REPLACED BY A DIFFERENT STYLE. I HAD THE ORIGINAL RECALL ISSUE FIXED SO THE ACCELERATOR IS THE NEW, SHORTENED VERSION. APPARENTLY THAT FIX DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. SO NOW WHAT DO I DO? I CAN NO LONGER TRUST THIS VEHICLE TO OPERATE SAFELY. NOTHING SHOULD OVERRIDE THE BRAKE!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, HE THEN APPLIED THE BRAKE, AS STOPPED TRAFFIC WAS AHEAD. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,000. UPDATED 07/16/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED MOST OF THE DATA WAS DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET AS FAR AS IMPLICATIONS CONCERNING THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE TIME OF IMPACT. SPECIFICALLY, THE VEHICLE SPEED SHOWED VERY LITTLE REDUCTION IN MPH UNTIL LESS THAN ONE SECOND BEFORE IMPACT, ASSUMING TIME 0 REPRESENTS IMPACT. THE DATA SUPPORTED THE CONSUMERS CLAIM THAT THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT RESPONSE TO HIS BRAKING WHEN HE BECAME AWARE OF APPARENTLY STOPPED TRAFFIC AHEAD AFTER HE HAD COMPLETED A LANE CHANGE. ALSO, THE ACCELERATOR RATE AND ENGINE RPM DATA DID NOT SUPPORT THE COMMON EXPLANATION THAT HE WAS PUSHING ON THE GAS PEDAL INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE. HIS REACTION AT THE TIME WAS TO BRAKE AS A PANIC STOP, BUT THERE WAS ENOUGH DISTANCE TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP BEFORE IMPACT OR AT LEAST GREATLY REDUCE HIS SPEED BEFORE IMPACT. UPDATED 10/21/13

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SITTING IDLE WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS THE ENGINE RPMS ABNORMALLY INCREASED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING THAT VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A THIRD VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HER THAT THEY WOULD SEND AN INVESTIGATOR TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 40,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD LURCH INTO GEAR. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THIS WAS CALLED JACK RABBIT STARTS. THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 03/29/2013 *JS

CAR WAS PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE. SUDDENELY, ENGINE REVVED UP, ACCELERATED, AND JUMPED THE CURVE. WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WHEN APPLIED THE BRAKES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, SHE REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED WITH EXTREME PRESSURE, BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED DOWN A HILL AND CROSSED INTO A PATCH OF LARGE ROCKS. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES WHEN HER HEAD MADE CONTACT WITH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE FAILURE WOULD BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 33,000. UPDATED 06/12/12*LJ UPDATED 06/13/12

I WAS CROSSING A PARKING LOT AND PULLING OUT INTO A STREET. I STOPPED THEN PULLED FORWARD, SO I COULD SEE IF ANY CARS WERE APPROACHING. A CAR WAS APPROACHING SO I PRESSED THE BRAKES, THEN THE CAR SURGED FORWARD. IT FELT LIKE WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL ACCELERATES. BECAUSE A CRASH WAS IMMINENT, I DECIDED MY BEST CHANCE WAS TO MOVE MY FOOT TO THE GAS PETAL AND SPEED UP. I DROVE THE CAR STRAIGHT AND THEN TO THE LEFT. THE OTHER DRIVER LAID ON HIS HORN, SLOWED DOWN AND DROVE ON. I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN EARLY NOVEMBER 2011 FROM FRED ANDERSON TOYOTA. IT APPEARS TO NEVER HAVE BEEN WRECKED. IT HAD AROUND 23,300 MILES ON IT AT TIME OF PURCHASE. THAT NIGHT OF 02/21, I CHECKED CONSUMER REPORTS ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE NEXT MORNING, I REMOVED THE FLOOR MAT FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR. IT DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN MOVED BEFORE. THERE ARE 2 HOLES AT THE BACK OF THE MAT AND ONE OF THE HOLES HAD A BLACK RUBBER HOOK DEVICE HOLDING IT TO THE FLOOR. THE OTHER HOLE (BACK RIGHT SIDE) DID NOT HAVE A HOOK. WHEN I ENTERED THE VIN ON THE TOYOTA WEBSITE, IT SHOWED A REPAIR ORDER FOR A CAR WITH 30,599 MILES ON 11/08/2012. MY CAR STILL DOES NOT HAVE THAT MANY MILES. I DON'T THINK A REPAIR HAS BEEN DONE ON MY CAR. MY NOTES SHOW THAT I BOUGHT THE CAR ON 11/05/2011. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO USE EXTREME FORCE ON THE BRAKES IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 52 MPH WHEN A ROARING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AFTER BEING DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE INCREASED IN SPEED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE FAILURE CAUSED ANOTHER VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE CONTACT FROM THE REAR. THE CRASH CAUSED NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 54,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH AND CAME TO A STOP. AS HE SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AND THE ENGINE EXHIBITED AN INCREASE IN RPMS UP TO 7000. HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY PLACING THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE FAILURE NOR WAS IT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 26,500.

YESTERDAY, JUNE 16, 2011, AS I WAS DRIVING MY TOYOTA 2008 RAV4 (35,500 MILES), THE CAR ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CAR WAS STILL COLD -- IT WAS LESS THAN 2 MILES AFTER START-UP. OUTDOOR TEMP WAS ABOUT 65. NO RAIN OR INCLEMENT WEATHER. I APPROACHED A RED LIGHT VERY SLOWLY, AT LESS THAN 10 MPH. AS I WAS BRAKING, I BECAME AWARE THAT THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPING. I BRAKED HARDER AND COULD FEEL THE BREAKS ENGAGING, BUT UNDERNEATH THAT FEELING WAS THE FEELING OF THE CAR CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE AND FIGHT THE BRAKES. I GOT THE CAR STOPPED, BUT ONLY AFTER EXTREMELY HARD BRAKING. IF THERE HAD BEEN SOMEONE IN THE CROSS WALK IN FRONT OF ME, I'D HAVE HIT THEM. THE CAR WAS STILL TRYING TO TAKE OFF. I PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK AND TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. BY NOW THE ENGINE WAS SCREAMING. I SAT THERE FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS, FOOT NEITHER ON THE BRAKE NOR THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR SOUNDING AS IF IT WOULD SOON EXPLODE, AND FINALLY JUST TURNED THE CAR OFF AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE WRITER WAS COLD AND DISTANT, NON-VERBALLY MAKING SURE I UNDERSTOOD THAT HE THOUGHT I WAS EITHER LYING OR BLOWING THE INCIDENT OUT OF PROPORTION, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME SAYING NOTHING THAT COULD ACTUALLY BE QUOTED AS RUDE. A SPECIAL TECHNICIAN IS SUPPOSED TO COME OUT FROM TOYOTA TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. BASED UPON WHAT OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED, I EXPECT THE DEALERSHIP TO DO NOTHING. THE CAR IS CLEARLY UNSAFE, AND KNOWING THAT, I CANNOT EVER DRIVE IT AGAIN. *TR

MY 2008 TOYOTA RAV4 CRUISE CONTROL FAILS TO HOLD SPEED DURING UP HILL CLIMB AND CAUSES ENGINE SURGES. *TR

WHILE MY WIFE ATTEMPTED TO PARK THE VEHICLE HEAD FIRST, UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, AT THE STREET IN FRONT OF OUR HOME, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE ACCELERATION OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY NEARLY STOPPED, AND CAUSED HER TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED IN FRONT CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. EVEN AFTER OUR VEHICLE WAS STOPPED THE ENGINE KEPT ACCELERATING, THUS PUSHING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT WHICH WE HAD COLLIDED INTO. THE ENGINE ONLY STOPPED ACCELERATING AFTER MY WIFE TURNED OFF THE CAR. AT NO POINT DID MY WIFE STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL, THIS WAS NOT A CASE OF PEDAL CONFUSION. HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE (SLOWING DOWN TO PARK) BEFORE AND AFTER THE VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING. THE ACCELERATION WAS QUITE SEVERE, I AM NOT SURE THE CAR COULD ACCELERATE THAT FAST EVEN IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS PUSHED ALL THE WAY DOWN INTENTIONALLY. THIS IS THE FOURTH INCIDENT OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WE'VE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE THREE OTHER INCIDENTS OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY. WE COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA IN THE SUMMER OF 2010, BUT THEY TOLD US THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL AND WE COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THEY REFUSED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE CLOSELY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. IN NO CASE WAS THE GAS PEDAL STUCK, OR THE FLOOR MAT WAS IN THE WAY. THE VEHICLE SIMPLY ACCELERATES WITHOUT WARNING AND AT SEEMINGLY RANDOM TIMES.THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSED OVER $4000 IN DAMAGES IN JUST THE LATEST INCIDENT. WHEN WE REPORTED THE LATEST INCIDENT TO TOYOTA THEY CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS A CASE OF PEDAL CONFUSION AND DISMISSED OUR COMPLAINT. THIS WAS NOT A CASE OF PEDAL CONFUSION. MY WIFE ALREADY HAD HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE SLOWING DOWN TO PARK THE VEHICLE. ONLY ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEARLY PARKED DID THE VEHICLE ACCELERATE WHILE MY WIFE'S FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKES. OUR PROBLEM IS BEING DISMISSED BY TOYOTA. SURELY OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES ARE SUFFERING THE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4 LTD (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 65 MPH. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO PARK AND THEN DRIVE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN SO THE CONTACT RUBBED THE TIRES ALONG THE CURB AND APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CONTACT FAINTED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 32,000.

LAST NIGHT I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS WHILE STOPPING AND WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AFTER MY CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE ON A COLD ENGINE (ALTHOUGH THE TEMP OUTSIDE WAS IN THE 70S). THE AIR CONDITIONER MAY HAVE BEEN ON IN THE CAR. I WAS JUST COMING UP TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO ROAR AND THOUGH I SAW A CAR COMING ON THE CROSS STREET, I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE CAR SEEMED TO BE HARD TO RESTRAIN FROM MOVING FORWARD. I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC 2008 RAV4 V6 WITH ABOUT 15,000 MILES, AND I HAD MY FOOT SQUARELY ON THE BRAKE. THERE IS NO FLOOR MAT AS I REMOVED THAT THE FIRST WEEK OF THE NEWS THAT MATS COULD BE A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE SLIGHT INCREASE IN RPMS THAT HAPPENS WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING CYCLES, AND THIS WAS SEVERAL ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE BEYOND THAT. I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. AT THAT POINT, I SMELLED A VERY DISTINCTIVE CHEMICAL SMELL, PROBABLY FROM THE TIRES SINCE THE BRAKE AND THE ACCELERATOR WERE BOTH WORKING AT THE SAME TIME. I STARTED THE CAR UP AGAIN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AND IT WAS FINE FOR THE 10 MINUTE DRIVE HOME. THE NEXT MORNING I DROVE IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY RAN A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC ON IT AND THEY SAID IT SHOWED NOTHING. THEY TOLD ME TO "MONITOR THE CAR AND NOTE THE TACHOMETER READING IF IT EVER HAPPENS AGAIN." TO BE HONEST, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT PEOPLE MADE TOO MUCH OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEN I NEVER EXPECTED IT TO HAPPEN TO ME. I AM RELUCTANT TO DRIVE THE CAR NOW, SO I WANT IT NOTED THAT THIS MODEL AND YEAR OF RAV4 MAY ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF SO QUICKLY THAT THE COMPUTER DIDN'T REGISTER THE PROBLEM? I'M JUST GLAD THAT I WASN'T ON THE OPEN ROAD, BUT AT A STOP SIGN WHEN THIS HAPPENED SO I WAS ABLE TO SHUT THE CAR OFF IMMEDIATELY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH SLOWLY INTO A PARKING SPACE HER VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AND PROCEEDED ONTO A NEARBY CURB, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNTIL IT CRASHED INTO A BRICK BUILDING. THE ENGINE CONTINUED IDLING AS THE PASSENGER PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO THE PARK POSITION AND EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER ALSO GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE WHEELS ON THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE AS IF IT WANTED TO CONTINUE ACCELERATING. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER BOTH SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES FROM THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

2008 TOYOTA RAV4 (35K MILES) PURCHASED IN 12/07. AFTER A 40 MILE DRIVE, WE WERE SITTING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC FOR APPROX 20 MINUTES. DURING A STOP, THE ENGINE BEGAN REVVING LOUDLY AND LUNGED FORWARD. WITH BOTH FEET STILL ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR CONTINUED TO CREEP FORWARD UNTIL HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US. THEN THE CAR WAS PUT INTO NEUTRAL AND IGNITION WAS SHUT OFF. THIS IS THE FIRST OCCURRENCE. AFTER SETTLING DOWN, AND DISCUSSING THE ACCIDENT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE, NO DAMAGE TO THEIR CAR, SO NO NEED TO FILE AN ACCIDENT REPORT. WE CALLED TOYOTA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. AND TOOK THE CAR DIRECTLY TO THE NEAREST DEALER. AFTER A CHECKING OUT THE CAR, THEY FOUND NO ISSUES, AND SAID THE CAR WAS 'TO TOYOTA'S SPECIFICATIONS', AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THEY ALSO SAID THEY COULDN'T GUARANTEE HOW IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

DATED: MARCH 10, 2010 I OWN A 2008 RAV 4WD. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHEN DRIVING THE CAR ENGINE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE BADLY, WE TOOK THE CAR FOR SERVICE TO THE INTERSTATE TOYOTA, IN MONSEY, NY ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, FIRST ON FEBRUARY 17TH AND THEN ON FEBRUARY 23RD, 2010. INTERSTATE TOYOTA CLAIMS THAT THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THEREFORE THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX OUR RACING SITUATION. THE DEALER INFORMED US THAT THEY OBTAINED A CASE NUMBER FOR US AND THAT WE SHOULD CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER AT 1 800 331 4331. OUR COMPLAINT IS THAT IN AS MUCH AS WE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WE COULD NOT GET THRU TO ANY ONE. THE DEALER WILL NOT MAKE ANY REPAIRS UNLESS THEY ARE ORDERED BY THE MANUFACTURER. WHAT SHOULD WE DO? IN ANTICIPATION FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, WE THANK YOU. *TR

PURCHASED TOYOTA RAV 4 2008 [XXX] ON 12/07. 4 INCIDENTS OF THROTTLE OPENING. FIRST 2 OCCURRED WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF EACH OTHER WHEN CAR WAS NEW. ENGINE STARTED TO RACE AT HIGH RPM WHEN PLACING CAR IN PARK AFTER HAVING BEEN DRIVEN ON AN OUTING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. NOT REPORTED TO TOYOTA. EARLY MAY 2010, IN CONGESTED CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC INCHING ALONG, THROTTLE OPENED AGAIN. STAYED HARD ON BRAKE BUT CAR KEPT INCHING FORWARD AND TAPPED A CAR IN FRONT BEFORE I PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL. REPORTED INCIDENT TO NATIONAL TOYOTA AND BROUGHT CAR TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. MAY 14 WITH WIFE IN CAR, FOOT ON BRAKE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THROTTLE OPENED UP COMPLETELY-RED LINE RPM. IMMEDIATELY PLACED CAR IN NEUTRAL AS ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE FOR 20-30 SECS. DEALER COULD FIND NO PROBLEM AS WELL AS NATIONAL COMPANY TECHNICIAN A WEEK LATER. WE OFFERED TO LET TECHNICIAN KEEP AND DRIVE OUR CAR FOR A MONTH OR TWO IN THE HOPE THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD MANIFEST ITSELF BUT TOYOTA DECLINED. CAR IS ESSENTIALLY NEW, NO SCRATCHES, DENTS ETC. 7200 MILES. WE TOLD TOYOTA THAT WE ARE A FAMILY FAR REMOVED FROM LITIGIOUS BEHAVIOR AND AGITATING TROUBLE. AS MY FAMILY IS NOW NOT COMFORTABLE WITH DRIVING THE CAR WE ARE BEING FORCED TO TRADE THIS CAR IN AT A DEALERSHIP (WE COULD NOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SELL IT PRIVATELY) FOR A PRICE THAT IS NOWHERE NEAR ITS VALUE. WE HAVE EXPLAINED THIS TO TOYOTA. ALL WE WANT IS FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE RECOGNIZED AND FIXED ON OUR CAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A HALT. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT HALT AND PROCEEDED TO CRASH INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE 2 ADDITIONAL TIMES. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WITH SUCH FORCE IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE ACCELERATING VEHICLE THAT THE ACTUAL BRAKE PEDAL FRACTURED. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE ARRIVED TO THE SCENE AND OCCUPANTS FROM THE FOREGOING VEHICLE SUFFERED UNKNOWN INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS DUE TO FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE. ALL REPAIRS WERE COVERED BY HER INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CURRENTLY, SHE WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,500.