NHTSA Complaint #10312990 — 2009 TOYOTA AVALON

WE PICKED UP OUR NEW 2009 AVALON LIMITED ON 7/31/09. ON 9/7/09, AFTER RETURNING FROM A DRIVE, THE CAR ACCELERATED INTO THE GARAGE DOOR AS IT WAS OPENING. WE HAD STOPPED ABOUT 6 FEET FROM THE DOOR TO OPEN IT. AS WE RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL THE CAR SHOT FORWARD INTO THE DOOR. DAMAGE TO THE CAR AMOUNTED TO $1500, AND ANOTHER $1000 FOR THE GARAGE DOOR. I DID NOT FILE AN INSURANCE CLAIM. TOYOTA LATER RECALLED THE VEHICLE TO PUT A SPACER ON THE GAS PEDAL AND TO "RE-FLASH" THE COMPUTER. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE GAS PEDAL CONTROL SYSTEM AND NOT A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE SPACER WAS THE SOLUTION. I'VE ALSO RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A PROBLEM WITH THE FLOOR MATS; BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE TO FIX IT. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT AN OVERRIDE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL (TO CUT OUT THE GAS PEDAL) WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF THAT RECALL. THAT MIGHT HELP, BUT I'M STILL WAITING. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED ONLY ONCE. ONCE WAS ENOUGH! *TR