NHTSA Complaint #10316952 — 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA

MY MOTHER WAS DRIVING A 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA AND WAS PULLING INTO HER PARKING PLACE AT HER APARTMENT (ESTIMATED MOVING ONLY SEVERAL MPH). WHEN SHE TOOK HER FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR TO BRAKE, THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD ACCELERATING VERY FAST, JUMPED THE CURB, AND CRASHED THROUGH THE BUILDING WALL AND INTO A NEIGHBOR'S APARTMENT. THE CAR STRUCK THE TENANT INSIDE, CAUSING EXTENSIVE INJURIES. THE POLICE SURMISED HER FOOT HIT THE ACCELERATOR, BUT SHE KEPT REPEATING 'THE CAR SUDDENLY JUMPED FORWARD ON ITS OWN'. LACKING EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY, WE HAD NO WAY TO QUESTION THE POLICE'S REPORT; HOWEVER, IN MY MOTHER'S RECOUNTING THE EXPERIENCE, IT DIDN'T SEEM TO MAKE ANY SENSE. THEN, AS WE HAVE SEEN OTHERS RECENTLY RECOUNTING SIMILAR EXPERIENCES AND WATCHING VIDEOS ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTA VEHICLES, WE REALIZED THAT THIS SEEMED TO BE EXACTLY WHAT OUR MOTHER EXPERIENCED. FURTHERMORE, BOTH MY SISTER AND MY NIECE BOTH RECENTLY DROVE MY MOTHER'S CAR ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND BOTH EXPERIENCED SUDDEN RAPID ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. THE PROBLEM THEY EXPERIENCED WAS SO UNSETTLING, THAT THEY WARNED MY MOTHER TO KEEP THE CRUISE CONTROL TURNED OFF. THESE EXPERIENCES COMBINED WITH REPORTS THAT PROBLEMS WITH EARLIER MODELS OF TOYOTA VEHICLES THAN THE 2009-2010 RECALLED MODELS LED US TO BELIEVE THAT OUR MOTHER'S ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THIS SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN UNCOVERED WITH TOYOTA VEHICLES. *TR