NHTSA Complaint #10303258 — 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

I BOUGHT A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED IN MAY 2008. THE CAR HAD JUST UNDER 60,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THIS CAR IS MY SECOND CAR, MAINLY TO BE USED TO TOW MY HORSE TRAILER. WITHIN A MONTH OF OWNING THE CAR IT SHOWED THE SUDDEN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. THIS WAS NOT UNFAMILIAR TO ME BECAUSE I ALSO OWN A 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY. I HAVE OWNED THE HIGHLANDER NOW FOR 1 AND 3/4 YEAR AND THE CAR HAS SHOWED THE DESCRIBED BEHAVIOR OFF AND ON. IT HAPPENS MOSTLY ON THE FREEWAY AND MOSTLY WHEN I AM NOT TOWING. IT DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH FLOORMATS OR STICKY GASPEDALS. SINCE THE SAME BEHAVIOR HAPPENS IN BOTH TOYOTA'S I OWN, IT IS TIME THAT TOYOTA STARTS LOOKING AT SOMETHING ELSE THAN THE SILLY EXPLANATIONS OF FLOORMATS AND STICKY GASPEDALS. IT IS THE ENGINE WHICH RUNS AWAY, LEAVING THE DRIVER NO CONTROL OVER THE SPEED. I HAD NOT EXPECT THIS FROM TOYOTA. I BOUGHT TOYOTAS BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIABILITY AND BECAUSE I TRUSTED THE COMPANY (AS OPPOSED TO FORD, WHICH I ALSO OWNED AND EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WHICH TURNED OUT THE COMPANY KNEW A LONG TIME ABOUT AND DID NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT). I GUESS TOYOTA IS NOT DIFFERENT. ALSO, IT IS TIME THAT THE RECALL GOES FURTHER BACK THEN THE 3-4 YEARS. I EVEN HAVE A COPY OF A PROFESSIONAL CAR REVIEW OF THE CAMRY WHO EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM IN 2002. *TR