NHTSA Complaint #10292642 — 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA

I WAS DRIVING ALONG A RESIDENTIAL STREET (35 MPH) AND I WAS STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED, I BEGAN ACCELERATING UPHILL. ONCE I REACHED MY DESIRED SPEED OF 35 MPH, I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN SPEED (I WAS STILL TRAVELING UPHILL). I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY REVVED UP, ALTHOUGH MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR; BASED ON THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE, I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT IT SURPASSED 4000 RPM. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND 15 MINUTES LATER I TURNED THE CAR ON ONLY TO MEET WITH THE SAME RESULTS. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ARRIVED, HE NOTICED THAT THE THROTTLE VALVE WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. HE CLOSED THE THROTTLE AND THIS FIXED THE PROBLEM. A FEW DAYS LATER, I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A TOYOTA DEALER. THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A KINK IN THE THROTTLE CABLE THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED IT TO GET STUCK. HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE A DEFINITIVE DIAGNOSIS BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS NOT REPEATABLE AND, THEREFORE, DID NOT REPLACE THE CABLE. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 6.5 YEARS AND THIS HAS ONLY HAPPENED TWICE (THE OTHER TIME WAS IN EARLY 2008 AND OCCURRED ON A HIGHWAY). IN LIGHT OF RECENT MEDIA REPORTS ON ACCELERATION PROBLEMS IN TOYOTAS, I MUST NOTE THAT I HAVE THE ORIGINAL FLOOR MATS AND THAT THEY ARE, AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN, PROPERLY SECURED IN PLACE. I DID NOT NOTICE WHETHER OR NOT THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK, BUT I WAS ONLY TRAVELING 35 MPH, SO THE ACCELERATOR WAS NOT DEPRESSED ENOUGH TO GET CAUGHT UNDER THE FLOOR MAT. THE PARTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE SINCE I DID NOT REPLACE THE CABLE. *TR