NHTSA Complaint #10193125 — 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

THERE IS A DELAY AND THEN A SUDDEN AND ABRUPT ACCELERATION IN THE VEHICLE A 2004 TOYOTA SUV, VIRTUALLY EVERY TIME DURING SLOW DOWNS IN TRAFFIC AND WHEN MAKING TURNS. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO JERK AND HAS CAUSED A HOT BEVERAGE TO SPILL ON THE DRIVER, NEARLY CONTRIBUTED TO AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHILE CHANGING LANES, AND WITH PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT WHILE MAKING A TURN ON A WET ROAD SURFACE - HAD THERE BEEN ANOTHER VEHICLE AT THE INTERSECTION AT THE TIME A CERTAIN COLLISION WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE RESULT IS THAT I MUST CONSTANTLY NEGOTIATE THE DEGREE OF PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND WHEN MAKING TURNS. DESPITE ALTERING MY DRIVING HABITS I AM NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM JERKING AND THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING AND HAS BEEN A DETERRENT FROM LETTING OTHERS DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS WILL BE A PROHIBITIVE FACTOR IN PERMITTING MY DAUGHTER TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WHEN SHE REACHES DRIVING AGE. ULTIMATELY THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND THERE DOCUMENTED RESPONSE IS AS FOLLOWS: CONDITION IS NOT ABNORMAL FOR THIS MODEL VEHICLE. BELIEVE DELAY AND HARSHNESS UPON ACCELERATION ATTRIBUTABLE TO DRIVE LINE LASH AND ENGINE LAG DUE TO ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. COMMENTS AS A RESULT OF FURTHER PHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE DEALER WERE ABOUT DESIGN FLAW, WARRANTY NOT APPLICABLE IN THIS SITUATION, NO REPAIR .CURRENTLY AVAILABLE, COULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM - EVEN IF I WERE TO PAY, AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND CONCERNS BY OTHER DRIVERS, WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DOCUMENTATION OR ASSISTANCE. *AK