NHTSA Complaint #10296326 — 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY

I WAS DRIVING DOWN AN OPEN ROAD AT A MODERATE SPEED (ABOUT 40 MPH). THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THIS ONLY CAUSED THE ENGINE TO REV. I CONTINUED TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH A GREAT DEAL OF FORCE AND WAS EVENTUALLY WITH DIFFICULTY ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO BE REVVING VERY HIGH. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER WAITING FOR A FEW SECONDS, I TURNED THE VEHICLE BACK ON AGAIN. THE ENGINE WAS STILL REVVING OUT OF CONTROL. I TURNED THE VEHICLE BACK OFF AND WAITED A FEW SECONDS THEN TRIED AGAIN. THE ENGINE WAS STILL REVVING VERY HIGH. ON THE THIRD OR FOURTH TRY OF THIS CYCLE, THE ENGINE FINALLY STARTED NORMALLY. I WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE AWAY AT A NORMAL SPEED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA DEALER ON 6/18/09. THEY CHECKED IT WITH A SCAN TOOL AND DID A ROAD TEST BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS A ONE-TIME EVENT AND HAS NEVER HAPPENED AGAIN. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY A FLOOR MAT BUT I FIND THIS SIMPLY IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE. I CHECKED THE PEDALS AFTER STOPPING THE CAR AND THEY WERE NOT OBSTRUCTED IN ANY WAY. *TR