NHTSA Complaint #10249011 — 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY

THE CAR WAS IDLING, WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK, FOR ABOUT THREE MINUTES. I PLACED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE IN ORDER TO SHIFT THE CAR FROM PARK INTO DRIVE. THE INSTANT THE SHIFT LEVER WENT INTO DRIVE THE CAR ENGINE ROARED, THE TIRES SQUEALED, I WAS PUSHED BACK INTO THE SEAT AND THE CAR SHOT FORWARD HEADING TOWARD VEHICLES ON A BUSY STREET. I SEEMED TO HAVE NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, EXCEPT FOR STEERING, FROM THAT POINT ON. TO AVOID A BROADSIDE COLLISION WITH VEHICLES THE STREET I FOLLOWED THE CONTOUR OF THE BANKS DRIVE THROUGH LANE WHICH WAS A 90 DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT. NOTHING I DID SEEMED TO HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE MOTION AND OPERATION OF THE CAR. IN MAKING THE TURN THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CLIMBED OVER THE DRIVEWAY CURB. IN CORRECTING FOR THAT I OVER STEERED THE CAR AND CLIMBED THE CURB ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY STRIKING A WELLS FARGO SIGN ON THE PROPERTY ADJACENT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY BEFORE ADVANCING INTO THE MAIN BANK PARKING LOT. THE CAR PROCEEDED FORWARD WHERE, JUST AFTER ENTERING THE PARKING LOT, IT STRUCK THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER AND BUMPER OF A USPS MAIL TRUCK. THE CAR RICOCHETS OFF THE MAIL TRUCK AND PROCEEDS INTO AND ALMOST THROUGH THE ADJACENT CVS PHARMACY PARKING LOT BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE GASOLINE TANK WAS GUTTED WHEN THE CAR RAN OVER THE SIGN RESULTING IN GAS BEING DUMPED ON THE BANK DRIVEWAY. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE GAS WAS SPILLED ON THE BANK DRIVEWAY JUST AFTER THE SIGN. THE GAS CONTINUED TO SPILL BUT DIMINISHED AS THE CAR PROCEEDED THROUGH THE CVS PARKING LOT TO THE POINT WHERE THERE WAS NO GASOLINE SPILL AT ALL WHERE THE CAR CAME TO A STOP. IT IS MY BELIEF THE CAR STOPPED FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN IT RAN OUT OF GAS. NOTHING I DID OR TRIED TO DO APPEARED TO HAVE ANY EFFECT. *TR