NHTSA Complaint #10340327 — 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

FROM A STOPPED POSITION ON A SIDE STREET, I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO PULL ONTO A MAIN STREET. BECAUSE TRAFFIC ON THE MAIN STREET MOVES RATHER FAST, I ACCELERATED SOMEWHAT ABOVE NORMAL, BUT IN NO WAY EXCESSIVE. AFTER GETTING INTO MY LANE, I BACKED OFF THE ACCELERATOR, BUT THE ENGINE ACTED AS IF I WAS FLOORING IT AND THE CAR CONTINUED ACCELERATING. IT WAS SCARY. I PUSHED HARD ON THE BREAK. THE CAR STILL ACCELERATED. I STEPPED ON THE HAND BRAKE. IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. FINALLY, I TOOK THE CAR OUT OF DRIVE AND INTO NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SCREAM, BUT I WAS ABLE TO STOP AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AT SOME POINT THE ENGINE DID COME DOWN TO NORMAL IDLE, BUT I WAS SO SHAKEN, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT HAPPENED. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS AHEAD OF ME, THE ROAD IS STRAIGHT AND LEVEL, ETC. ASIDE FROM SHATTERED NERVES, THERE WAS NO HARM DONE. BUT I CAN IMAGINE ALL KINDS OF HORRIBLE OUTCOMES HAD CONDITIONS BEEN DIFFERENT. THE CAR ACTED AS IF THE ACCELERATOR STUCK ALL THE WAY DOWN, HOWEVER I KNOW I DIDN'T PRESS IT DOWN THAT FAR. LATER MY HUSBAND DROVE THE CAR HOME FROM WHERE I STOPPED IT. WITH THE CAR OFF, MY HUSBAND INSPECTED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL PRESSING IT WITH HIS HAND AND LETTING IT BACK UP. THERE IS A POINT ABOUT HALF WAY BACK UP WHERE THE MECHANISM IS NOT SMOOTH. THE PEDAL COMES ALL THE WAY BACK UP, BUT SOMETHING INSIDE CATCHES AND CAUSES LOTS OF GAS TO FLOW INTO THE ENGINE. AT LEAST ONE TIME HE WAS ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IN PARK. I AM AFRAID TO EVER DRIVE IT AGAIN. THIS TIME I WAS LUCKY, BUT I SHUTTER TO THINK. IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN IN ONE OF THE CROSSWALKS. IF I HAD BEEN APPROACHING A RED LIGHT. WHEN MIGHT THIS HAPPEN AGAIN? *TR