NHTSA Complaint #10304202 — 2009 TOYOTA RAV4

MY WIFE WAS SITTING AT A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION IN OUR 2009 TOYOTA RAV 4 ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2010 WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD. SHE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM TRAVELING FURTHER BY APPLYING MORE PEDAL PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE AND THEN SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL. WHILE IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE REVVED LOUDLY FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL IDLE. SHE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE HOME BUT WAS VISIBLY SHAKEN UP FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR THEM TO CHECK. THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THIS CONDITION AND THUS SAID THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE AT THIS TIME. THIS IS ONE OF THE VEHICLES THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE SO-CALLED FAULTY STICKING ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND FLOOR MATS DID NOT CAUSE THIS ISSUE, SO THIS LEADS ME TO SUSPECT THAT AN ELECTRONICS PROBLEM IS THE CAUSE AND THAT TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO COME UP WITH A VIABLE FIX FOR THE SITUATION. I CALLED THE TOYOTA MAIN OFFICE THIS MORNING, BUT WAS NOT GIVEN ANY SATISFACTION REGARDING THIS ISSUE. MEANWHILE, WE ARE STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT WE ARE BOTH AFRAID TO CONTINUE DRIVING. *TR