NHTSA Complaint #10302968 — 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY

ON 6-12-2009 APPROXIMATELY 5PM. I HAD AN INCIDENT WITH MY 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY. WE WERE ON VACATION, DRIVING TO SOUTHERN SHORES, NC. STOPPED AT: THE VIRGINIA DINER GOT IN THE CAMRY. TO START THE CAR THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH THE OPTION, SMART KEY, YOU MUST DEPRESS THE FOOT BRAKE AND PUSH THE START BUTTON TO START THE ENGINE. AGAIN, TO PLACE THE CAR IN GEAR, THE FOOT BRAKE MUST BE DEPRESSED. I PLACED THE CAR IN REVERSE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE WITH THE BRAKE BEING PUSH AS HARD AS I COULD, THE CAR COULDN'T BE HELD. IT MOVED BACKWARD. I HIT A PARKED PICKUP TRUCK AND DROVE IT INTO A SUV PARKED NEXT TO IT. THE INCIDENT TOOK ONLY SECONDS. I EXCHANGED INFORMATION WITH THE OWNERS OF THE DAMAGED VEHICLES. SOMEONE CALLED THE SUSSEX CO. SHERIFF, WHO ARRIVED, CHECKED FOR INJURIES. THERE WERE NONE AND HE SAID, THAT THIS HAPPENING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY WITHOUT INJURIES, MEANS HE WOULD NOT SUBMIT A POLICE REPORT. MY CAMRY WAS RECEIVED THE MOST DAMAGE, ABOUT $5,000.00. IT WAS DRIVABLE AND THE TRUNK LID STAYED LATCHED AND WAS ABLE TO BE OPENED WITH THE DASH RELEASE. NATIONWIDE INSURANCE PAID ALL OF THE DAMAGES. MY DEDUCTIBLE WAS $500.00. I HAD NO IDEA HOW THIS HAPPENED AND ASSUMED IT WAS USER ERROR. WITH THE NEWS REPORTS AND RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA. THE TOYOTA FLOOR MAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE FLOOR WITH THE SAFETY CATCHES. I REMOVED THE MAT AS DIRECTED. I FEEL THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY A SYSTEM ERROR. I TOOK MY '07 CAMRY TO MY DEALER, TOYOTA OF GREENSBURG AFTER MY EXPLANATION, THE SERVICE MANAGER, TOLD ME THAT I SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING THE CAR AND RENTED A LOANER CAR FOR ME. HE SAID, THAT A CORPORATE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WOULD EXAMINE MY AUTO. I'M WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE DEALER. *TW