NHTSA Complaint #10291101 — 2008 TOYOTA AVALON

I PURCHASED A USED 2008 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED FROM HORNBURG JAGUAR DEALER IN SANTA MONICA ON 10/29/2009. AT HOME AT 8 AM, ON THE CLEAR, COOL DAY OF 11/1/2009 I HAD THE CAR PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY TO INSTALL THE GARAGE DOOR OPENER. WANTING TO MOVE THE CAR TO THE STREET I STARTED THE CAR USING THE REQUIRED PROCEEDURE FOR A PUSHBUTTON IGNITION (LIKE ON MY 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID FOR 2 1/2 YEARS). THAT IS, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND PUSHED THE IGNITION BUTTON SIMULTAENEOUSLY. THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE RAPIDLY DOWN MY SHORT SLOPING DRIVEWAY (7 OR 8 FEET). AS I PUSHED HARDER, THE BREAK PEDAL IN EFFECT WENT TO THE FLOOR- NO BREAKING AT ALL. I HIT THE CURB VERY HARD ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE NARROW STREET, THE REAR END OF THE CAR BOUNCING INTO THE AIR , AND ENDED UP, PERHAPS 10 FEET BEYOND, HITTING THE FRONT BEDROOM WALL OF MY NEIGHBOR'S HOME WITH CONSIDERABLE FORCE AND RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE WALL. I APPARENTLY DID NOT SUSTAIN PHYSICAL DAMAGE. I AM INCLINED TO BELIEVE THERE WAS AN ACCELERATOR COMPONENT PROBLEM ALSO BECAUSE I WAS MOVING SO FAST. THE CAR IS BEING REPAIRED NOW PHYSICALLY, AS IS THE HOUSE, AND I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA LOCALLY IN TORRANCE AND I UNDERSTAND SOMEONE THERE WILL FOLLOW-UP ON THIS ACCIDENT WITHIN THE NEXT 4 DAYS. I TRIED TO DUPLICATE THE BRAKE FAILURE PROBLEM WITH MY CAMRY HYBRID AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE IT. WHEN PRESSING ON THE START BUTTON AND THE BRAKE AT THE SAME TIME I ALWAYS HAVE A FIRM BRAKE ON THE CAMRY. WHEN I DUPLICATED THE PROCEEDURE ON THE AVALON I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT SOFT RAPIDLY, THE MORE I PUSHED IT, TO THE FLOOR. MY REPAIR SHOP WILL NOT DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL SOMETHING IS RESOLVED, NOR WILL I. I WILL BE GLAD TO FURNISH ANYTHING MORE YOU MAY WISH TO KNOW ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. *TR