NHTSA Complaint #10330043 — 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX

AT 10:30 AM ON A SUNNY DAY, I EXITED THE I-880 NORTHBOUND 23RD AVE EXIT. COMING UP TO A LINE OF CARS STOPPED AT THE E11TH ST SIGNAL LIGHT, I BEGAN PRESSING DOWN ON THE SERVICE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN. AS I WAS COMING UP TO THE BMW AHEAD OF ME, I PRESSED MORE ON THE SERVICE BRAKE TO STOP MY CAR. THINGS WENT WRONG WHEN I FELT AND HEARD THE ACCELERATOR REVVING UP, CAUSING ME TO INSTINCTIVELY PRESS EVEN HARDER ON THE SERVICE BRAKE. AS THE ACCELERATION INCREASED, MY TOYOTA MATRIX'S BRAKES BEGAN SLIPPING CAUSING MY CAR TO INCH CLOSER TO THE BMW. REALIZING THAT THE SERVICE BRAKE WAS NOT HOLDING, I PULLED UP ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SHIFTED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, ALL THE WHILE STILL PRESSING DOWN ON THE SERVICE BRAKE. SINCE THE ENGINE WAS STILL ACCELERATING FASTER, I MANAGED TO TURN THE IGNITION KEY OFF, SUCCESSFULLY SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE AND STOPPING THE ACCELERATION. AFTER A BRIEF 15 SECONDS, I RESTARTED THE CAR WITH THE ENGINE IN PARK, AND THE EMERGENCY AND SERVICE BRAKES ON. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY REVVED UP AS BEFORE AND I ONCE AGAIN TURNED OFF THE IGNITION KEY TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. REALIZING I HAD A MAJOR PROBLEM, I KEPT THE ENGINE OFF AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL SO I COULD PUSH THE CAR TO A SAFER PART ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT MY FLOOR MAT WAS SECURELY LOCKED INTO PLACE, AND THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS IN THE UP POSITION, A FEW INCHES OFF THE FLOOR. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER WITH 75000 ACCIDENT AND INCIDENT FREE MILES ON THE CAR, AND THIS IS THE FIRST THING THAT HAS EVER GONE WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAD AAA TOW THE CAR TO ONE TOYOTA IN OAKLAND, AND THEY ARE DOING DIAGNOSTICS WITH THE VEHICLE. THEY GAVE ME A RENTAL CAR FREE OF CHARGE UNTIL THEY DETERMINE WHAT WENT WRONG. THE SERVICE DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT IS THE 2007 AND LATER MATRIX'S THAT HAVE THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM, AND THAT FOR MY 2006 MATRIX TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM IS UNCOMMON. HOPEFULLY TOYOTA WILL FIND AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO OTHERS. *TR