NHTSA Complaint #10340948 — 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID

I HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. ON 1/26/2009 I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT, BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE, WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE. I HADN'T BEEN DOING ANYTHING BUT SITTING THERE, WAITING FOR THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME TO START MOVING, WHEN MY VEHICLE WENT FORWARD (LURCHED) AND I REAR-ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME! I HAVE NEVER DONE THAT IN MY LIFE. MY CAR HIT THE VEHICLE - A MINIVAN, IN FRONT OF ME VERY HARD, (FELT LIKE 10-15 MPH) CAUSING A LOT OF DAMAGE TO THE REAR CARGO DOOR. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE EVENT WAS SO ODD, AND HAPPENED SO FAST, (AND THIS HAPPENED BEFORE TOYOTA EVER RECALLED ANYTHING EXCEPT THE PRIUS), I ASSUMED I MUST'VE DONE SOMETHING TO CAUSE IT. SO WHEN THE POLICE GOT THERE, I TOLD THEM MAYBE I WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION, AND MAYBE I ACCELERATED BEFORE THE LIGHT CHANGED (BUT EVEN AT THE TIME, IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME, BECAUSE I WASN'T FIRST IN LINE AT THE LIGHT, I WAS WAITING, PATIENTLY, BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE). IN FACT, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER LOOKING AT THE LIGHT, I WAS JUST WAITING FOR THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME TO MOVE, AS I USUALLY DO - DID. I WENT IN TO MY TOYOTA DEALER A FEW MONTH AGO (MARCH 2010) AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED, AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS A HYBRID, SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU'RE STOPPED AT A LIGHT, IT SWITCHES FROM THE ELECTRIC MOTOR TO GAS, AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE PETAL HARD ENOUGH, IT CAN LURCH FORWARD. PLEASE CAN YOU LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER, IT WAS QUITE SCARY. I BET ALLSTATE AND OTHER INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE MANY CLAIMS WHERE A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER REAR-ENDS OTHER VEHICLES, AND PEOPLE ASSUME IT'S THEIR FAULT, NOT ASSUMING THE VEHICLE MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM. *TR