NHTSA Complaint #10319375 — 2000 TOYOTA RAV4

WHEN THE NEWS CAME OUT REGARDING THE ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH THE TOYOTAS, I RECALLED HAVING A SIMILAR PROGRAM WITH MY 2000 RAV 4. ON JULY 8,2002 I EXPERIENCED AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM WHILE ON MY WAY TO WORK. I WAS GOING AROUND 55 MPH ON FREEWAY, WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. DESPITE APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO ABOUT 70MPH FROM 55MPH. I TRIED PUTTING MY FOOT UNDER THE THROTTLE TO PULL IT UP WITHOUT SUCCESS, I ALSO TRIED PUSHING BACK ON THE MAT, THINKING THE MATT WAS IN THE WAY, BUT THE MATT WAS NOT STUCK UP AGAINST THE THROTTLE. I ALSO PUT ON MY FLASHERS TO TRY AND WARN OTHER DRIVERS THAT I WAS HAVING A PROBLEM. I KEPT THINKING, "WITH A GAS TANK HALF FULL, I WOULD NEED TO TRY AND DRIVE TO SEATTLE IN ORDER FOR THE GAS TO RUN OUT, WHICH WOULD THEN STOP THE CAR". MEANWHILE, I CONTINUED TO KEEP TRYING TO PUSH THE THROTTLE UP WITH MY FOOT AND APPLY THE BRAKES. AFTER WHAT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY, BUT WAS PROBABLY ONLY A FEW MINUTES, BECAUSE I DROVE PASS MY USUAL EXIT , THE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND I HAD CONTROL OF THE CAR AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW IF MY PUSHING UNDER AND UP ON THE THROTTLE DID IT. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY "DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT". I STILL HAVE THE SERVICE INVOICE , WHICH DOCUMENTS MY PROBLEM. NATURALLY I WAS FRIGHTENED BY THE WHOLE SITUATION AND IT TOOK ME AWHILE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE CAR AGAIN. HOWEVER, I ALSO HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ACCELERATION SINCE. IT SEEMS THOUGH THAT TOYOTA'S ACCELERATION PROBLEM STARTED WAY BACK. MAYBE THERE ARE OTHER OLDER RAV4S OUT THERE THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I TEND TO KEEP ALL MY CAR INVOICES, SO LIKE I SAID I HAVE THE ORIGINAL INVOICE. THANK YOU. *TR