NHTSA Complaint #10303772 — 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON DURING LAST SUMMER, I WAS DRIVING MY 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH MY WIFE AND 9-YR OLD DAUGHTER AT THE BACK SEAT. I HAD THE CAR ON CRUISE CONTROL AT ABOUT 65/70 MPH. BEFORE MOVING OVER TO MY DESTINATION OFF RAMP, I TRIED TO CANCEL THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT TO MY HORROR IT WAS NOT CANCELING. THE HARDER I PRESSED THE BRAKE, THE FASTER THE CAR TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD/ACCELERATING. I HAD TO TAKE AND SOMEHOW MANAGED A IMMEDIATE LEFT ON A T JUNCTION WITH TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL. I WAS ALMOST GOING TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT RUNNING AT A SPEED APPROPRIATE FOR A BUSY CITY STREET. WE ALL STARTED PRAYING TO GOD. I WAS ON A BRIDGE/OVERPASS. THERE WAS NO WAY TO DRIVE OFF THE ROADWAY. I ALMOST PASSED OUT IN HORROR, BUT BARELY MANAGED TO MOVE OVER TO THE LANES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION (LUCKILY THERE WAS NO MEDIAN AND THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LIGHT WAS RED). WHEN NOTHING WAS WORKING, I SOMEHOW MANAGED TO TURN THE ENGINE SWITCH OFF. AND STOP THE CAR WITH THE HELP OF THE BREAK WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED FEET JUST BARELY AVOIDING HEAD ON COLLISION WITH THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. AFTER STOPPING, I TRIED TO START THE CAR. AS SOON AS I TURNED THE KEY ON THE RPM JUMPED TO 6000/7000. AS I PUSH THE BRAKE HARD TO STOP THE CAR FROM MOVING, THE CAR WAS JUMPING VIOLENTLY. WE WERE SCARED, GOT OUT OFF THE CAR AND THE ROAD. I CALLED THE POLICE. BEFORE A POLICE OFFICER CAME, A KIND DRIVER STOPPED AND HELPED ME PUSH THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. THE OFFICER LEFT WITHOUT EVEN TAKING A REPORT. I TOOK AND LEFT THE CAR TO THE NEARBY TOYOTA DEALER. NEXT DAY, THEY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE THROTTLE VALVE GETTING STUCK OPEN. I HAD TO PAY TO CLEAN THE VALVE. *TR UPDATED 04/22/10 *BF THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 10/05/10