NHTSA Complaint #10308061 — 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

I OWN A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. I WENT TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE AND PARKED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE IN THE DRIVEWAY BY PLACING THE GEAR SHIFT IN THE PARK POSITION. I LEFT THE VEHICLE IDLING WHILE I WENT INTO MY FRIEND'S HOUSE TO GET A GROCERY LIST. I WENT IN AND OUT OF THE HOUSE ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT 10- 15 MINUTES TO RETRIEVE ITEMS FOR MY FRIEND THAT WERE OUTSIDE. ON BOTH OCCASIONS MY VEHICLE WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY IDLING. WHILE I WAS BACK INSIDE RETRIEVING THE GROCERY LIST MY FRIEND AND I OBSERVED MY VEHICLE MOVING THROUGH HER BACK YARD AND PROCEEDED INTO THE WOODS BEHIND HER HOUSE WHERE IT CAME TO A STOP AFTER HITTING A TREE. THIS VEHICLE SOMEHOW TOOK ITSELF OUT OF THE PARK POSITION AND INTO DRIVE!!!! I REPORTED THIS TO MY TOYOTA DEALER AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THE REGIONAL TOYOTA MANAGER SAID THERE WAS NO WAY THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED AND THAT IT WAS NOT THE SAME ISSUE BEING INVESTIGATED (GAS PEDAL ISSUE). I WENT AHEAD AND HAD THE CAR REPAIRED AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY PAID FOR IT (EXCEPT FOR MY $500.00 DEDUCTIBLE) WITH NO INVESTIGATION OR QUESTIONS. I PICKED THE CAR UP TODAY AND NOW I AM HEARING ON THE NEWS THAT MANY OF THE SO CALLED GAS PEDAL INCIDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EXPLAINED AND THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT MANY OF THE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED INCIDENTS CAN ONLY BE EXPLAINED BY A FAULTY COMPUTER. RIGHT AFTER THE ACCIDENT I ASKED THE TOYOTA DEALER/REGIONAL MANAGER SPECIFICALLY IF MY INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. THE ANSWER WAS NO! *TR