NHTSA Complaint #10320685 — 2007 TOYOTA MATRIX

I WAS DRIVING OUT OF A PARKING GARAGE WHEN THE FORWARD PROGRESS OF THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPPED, ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL WAS DIFFICULT AND IT WOULD NOT PROPEL THE CAR FORWARD. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO BILL KIDD'S TOYOTA IN COCKEYSVILLE, MD. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE AND THAT IT WAS A COMPUTER CHIP THAT HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN MANY OF THE MATRIX MODELS BY GENERAL MOTORS IN CALIFORNIA THAT SEEMED TO BE CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. THE CHIP WAS REPLACED WITH A TOYOTA ONE. I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT, NOT BECAUSE IT CAUSED ME ANYTHING MORE THAN AGGRAVATION, SINCE I WAS MOVING AT UNDER 10 MPH WHEN THE ISSUE AROSE, BUT BECAUSE JUST BEFORE THIS MALFUNCTION, I WAS ON A FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE THE AUTO WOULD HAVE ESSENTIALLY DROPPED FROM 55 MPH TO 0 MPH VERY QUICKLY. I HAVE JUST READ THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOW ONE OF MANY OF THIS KIND THAT ARE BEING REPORTED, SO I WANTED TO ADD MINE TO THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS SO THAT PROPER ATTENTION CAN BE GIVEN TO WHAT SEEMS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. *TR