NHTSA Complaint #10326165 — 1995 TOYOTA CAMRY

PROBLEM: MY 1995 CAMRY SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO INCREASE SPEED FROM 32 TO 35 MPH IN THE THIRD LANE DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED AS IF I HAD FLOORED THE GAS PEDAL (THE PEDAL WAS MINIMALLY DEPRESSED.) I IMMEDIATELY STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, THEN TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND GLIDED TO A STOP. AFTER WAITING 2 MINUTES I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL THE ENGINE REVED UP PAST 7,000 RPM. I TURNED OFF THE CAR IMMEDIATLY. I TRIED PUSHING THE PEDAL UP AFTER WAITING 3 MINUTES. ONCE AGAIN THE VEHICLE RACED IN NEUTRAL TO 7,000 RPM. I OPENED THE HOOD AND (USING A PAIR OF PLIERS) ROTATED THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY. WHILE ROTATING THE ASSEMBLY I FELT THE ASSEMBLY HIT AND GO THROUGH SOME KIND OF BARRIER. I RESTARTED MY VEHICLE. THIS TIME IT STARTED NORMALLY. I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPAIR TECH WHO SAID HE THINKS THE SPARK PLUG WIRE CAUGHT ON THE ASSEMBLY. HE WIRE TIED THE SPARK PLUG WIRES TO A SMALL RUBBER HOSE TO SECURE IT. THERE IS ENOUGH PLAY IN WHERE THE CABLES ARE ROUTED (EVEN THOUGH THE WIRES ARE TIGHT) FOR THE SPARK PLUG WIRES TO TOUCH THE ASSEMBLY WHILE DRIVING. THE TECH SAID THAT THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE PROBLEM AND TO CALL HIM IF I HAD ANY MORE PROBLEMS. HE ALSO REMINDED TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE (AGAIN) IF I HAD ANY FURTHER ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. ANY OTHER CAUSES? I ALMOST HIT THE VEHICLE IN IN FRONT OF ME. HAD I NOT TURNED OF THE ENGINE THE BRAKES (EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NEW) WOULD NOT HAVE STOPPED THE ACCELERATION. I REACTED QUICKLY. FROM SUDDEN ACCELERATION TO ENGINE OFF WERE LESS THAN 3 SECONDS AND THE ENGINE WAS REALLY RACING. THE DEPRESSION I PLACED UPON THE PEDAL SHOULD HAVE TAKEN 10 SECONDS TO BRING ME TO 35 FROM 32. INSTEAD, IN LESS THAN 3 SECONDS I WAS GOING 40 AND ACCELERATING. THE BRAKES ALONE COULD NOT HAVE STOPPED THE ACCELERATION OF THE CAR. *TR