NHTSA Complaint #10142303 — 1997 TOYOTA AVALON

MY SPOUSE HAD DRIVEN OUR 1997 TOYOTA AVALON TO OUR DENTISTS OFFICE FOR A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT. SHE PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE IGNITION SWITCH AND REMOVED THE KEY. WHILE SHE WAS GATHERING HER PERSONAL ITEMS TO TAKE INTO THE DENTISTS OFFICE WITH HER SHE FAILED TO NOTICE THAT THE GEARSHIFT SELECTOR WAS STILL IN THE DRIVE POSITION. (ACCORDING TO A TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER AND MANUFACTURER REP. THE KEY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE UNTIL THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE KEY TURNED TO THE OFF AND LOCKED POSITION.) WHILE MY SPOUSE WAS IN THE DENIISTS OFFICE, AT SOME POINT IN TIME OUR AVALON TO BEGIN TO ROLL ACROSS THE PARKING LOT AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DOORS OF A BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO STORE. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED. WE HAVE CHECKED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND GEAR SELECTOR IN ALL POSITIONS ON THE SELECTOR CONSOLE AND THE KEY WILL SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. WE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS WITH THE AVALON BEFORE OR WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLES WE HAVE OWNED. *NM