NHTSA Complaint #10284241 — 2007 LEXUS ES350

I WAS DRIVING A 07 LEXUS 350 WHEN THE GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK UNDER THE FLOOR MAT. I AM SORRY THAT I DID NOT REPORT THIS PRIOR TO THE DEADLY CRASH IN SAN DIEGO. I FIRST THOUGHT THAT I POSSIBLY DID NOT PUT THE MAT BACK CORRECTLY AFTER VACUUMING THE CAR. I REMEMBER SECURING THE TABS WHEN I REPLACED THE MAT. I WAS MERGING ONTO INTERSTATE 480W AT THE TIME. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC. I WAS TALKING ON THE CELL PHONE AT THE TIME TO MY HUSBAND ON THE WAY TO WORK. I REALIZED THAT I WAS GOING FASTER AND FASTER AND STARTED TO PANIC. I YELLED "THE CAR IS OUT OF CONTROL I AM GOING FASTER I CANT STOP, RYAN ,RYAN OH MY GOD". I THREW THE PHONE DOWN AND I COULD HEAR HIM YELLING PUT IT IN NEUTRAL SO I DID. THE CAR WAS REVVING SO FAST THAT IT WOULD NOT STOP. I GOT OFF TO THE SIDE AND WAS ROLLING SLOWLY. I PUSHED THE BUTTON BUT IT WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. I THEN THOUGHT TO JAM IT INTO PARK HOWEVER REVERSE COMES FIRST ! THE CAR THEN SHOT BACKWARDS AND I PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL AGAIN. FINALLY I STARTED REACHING DOWN TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG AND PULLED ON THE MAT. THE TABS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO REMOVE. ONCE THE MAT WAS FOLDED BACK THE PEDDLE LET LOOSE. I WAS HORRIFIED AND SAT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR AT LEAST TEN MINUTES. I WAS LATE FOR WORK AND UPSET ALL DAY. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS MY FAULT. THE CAR COMPANY NEEDS TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF THIS! *TR INVOICE RECEIVED. UPDATED 11/13/09