NHTSA Complaint #10293809 — 2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

I PURCHASED A 2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, IN FEBRUARY 2009. ON JUNE 1, 2009, I WAS NORTHEAST OF ROCKVILLE, INDIANA ON HIGHWAY 47 IN THIS TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. I APPROACHED A SLOW MOVING VEHICLE ON A STRAIGHT SECTION OF ROADWAY AND PASSED THE VEHICLE. AS I WAS PASSING I FELT LIKE THE CAR WAS GOING FASTER THAN I WAS ACCELERATING. WHEN I PULLED BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE THE CAR WAS GOING EVEN FASTER AND I REALIZED THAT THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. LUCKILY, I WAS STILL ON A LONG STRAIGHT SECTION OF THE ROAD AND HAD SOME TIME. I FIRST TRIED TO BRAKE BUT THE CAR KEPT GOING EVEN FASTER. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND STARTED BRAKING AND LUCKILY FOUND A PLACE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I WAS COMPLETELY SHOCKED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RACING UNCONTROLLABLY. I LOOKED DOWN AT THE ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING WAS PUSHING OR TOUCHING IT. I THEN TURNED OFF THE CAR, PUT THE CAR IN 'PARK', GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND LOOKED AROUND THE ACCELERATOR AGAIN TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING WAS PUSHING ON IT, THEN WAITED FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THE CAR STARTED WITH THE ENGINE RACING. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED THE CAR TWO MORE TIMES AND EACH TIME THE ENGINE RACED UNCONTROLLABLY. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, LEFT A MESSAGE FOR MY HUSBAND ON HIS CELL PHONE AND WAITED FOR FIVE MINUTES WITH THE CAR TURNED OFF AS I WAITED FOR MY HUSBAND TO CALL BACK. HE NEVER DID CALL SO I DECIDED TO START THE CAR ONE MORE TIME. WHEN I DID, THE CAR STARTED NORMALLY AND THE ENGINE DID NOT RACE. I TRIED TO CALM DOWN EMOTIONALLY AND DROVE HOME NOT KNOWING WHEN OR IF THE ACCELERATOR WOULD BE A PROBLEM. I TOOK THE HIGHLANDER IN FOR SERVICE TO JORDAN AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, MISHAWAKA, INDIANA ON 6/3/2009 AND THEY INSISTED THAT THE FLOOR MATS WERE THE PROBLEM. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS BECAUSE I HAD CHECKED EVERYTHING AROUND THE ACCELERATOR WHEN THE ENGINE WAS RACING AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR. THE PROBLEM IS ELECTRONIC. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE. *TR