NHTSA Complaint #10313414 — 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY

I WAS IN A MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK AND I SPOTTED A FREE SPACE 20 YARDS AHEAD. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, AND THE VEHICLE BEGUN TO LOSE SPEED NORMALLY. I APPLIED THE BRAKE GENTLY TO TURN RIGHT INTO AN EMPTY SPOT. I WAS BRAKING TO A HALT AT AN APPROPRIATE DISTANCE FROM A RETAINING WALL WHEN SUDDENLY, WITH NO WARNING, THE TOYOTA LURCHED FORWARD AT AN INCREDIBLE RATE OF ACCELERATION, STRUCK THE WALL THEN BOUNCED BACK SEVERAL FEET AND THE ENGINE CUT OUT. I SUFFERED SEVERE NECK TRAUMA, DUE FIRST TO THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND THEN THE IMPACT. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS ACCORDING TO AN EXPERT CONSISTENT WITH AN IMPACT SPEED OF 30 TO 35 MPH. EARLIER IN THE SAME TRIP, I WAS STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS WITH THE CAR IN DRIVE AND MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. SUDDENLY THE CAR VIBRATED AND LURCHED AGAINST THE BRAKE, TRYING TO MOVE AHEAD. I HAD TO BRAKE HARD TO PREVENT IT FROM DOING SO. THE LIGHTS CHANGED AND I PROCEEDED TOWARDS THE PARKING GARAGE WHERE THE ACCIDENT DESCRIBED ABOVE SUBSEQUENTLY OCCURRED. THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR HAS NOT YET BEEN FIXED AND THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN USED SINCE THE ACCIDENT. I REPORTED THIS ACCIDENT TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO ARRANGED FOR SOMEONE FROM THEIR LOCAL SERVICE COMPANY TO EXAMINE THE VEHICLE AT THE BODY SHOP WHERE IT WAS LOCATED. THE MAIN CONCLUSION OF THEIR EXAMINATION WAS THAT THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. IN FACT, MY COMPLAINT WAS NOT ABOUT THE BRAKES, WHICH HAD ALWAYS WORKED PERFECTLY NORMALLY. THEIR REPORT ALSO SAID "WE ARE HAPPY THAT YOU DID NOT SUSTAIN INJURIES IN THIS INCIDENT". I AM SORRY TO INFORM THEM THAT I AM STILL SUFFERING FROM SEVERE BACK AND NECK PAIN FROM THE INJURIES THAT I SUSTAINED. *TR