NHTSA Complaint #10343770 — 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA

TOPIC: TOYOTA ACCELERATION PROBLEM: ON JULY 4TH AT 10:00 AM, AS MY 2006 SIENNA TOYOTA WAS EMERGING FROM THE DRYER-END OF WELL KNOWN CARWASH, THE SIGNAL AT THE TERMINAL POINT INDICATED THAT I WAS TO MOVE MY CAR OUT OF THE STRUCTURE. I SHIFTED OUT OF NEUTRAL INTO DRIVE. AT THE INSTANT I PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE, MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF THE CAR WASH STRUCTURE, MISSING ABOUT 12 VEHICLES AND DRIVERS IN THE PARKED AREA DRYING THEIR CARS. THE POLICE AND WITNESS SAID I REACH 60 MPH WHEN I HIT AN EMBANKMENT, DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE EXIT TO THE CARWASH PROPERTY AT THE EXIT POINT, THE EMBANKMENT WAS ACROSS THE BUSY STREET LEADING OUT OF THE CARWASH AREA. I TURNED SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT, IN A VAIN HOPE TO SLOW MY VEHICLE DOWN; TEARING OFF THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE AND WHEEL, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED ON, SLIDING DOWN ONTO A BUSY ROAD. IN TRYING TO AVOID A BUSY INTERSECTION, I PULLED UP OVER THE EMBANKMENT AT A LOWER GRADE ON TO A FLAT GRASSY AREA WHERE I COULD TAKE MY RIGHT HAND OFF THE WHEEL AND PULL THE GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN OFF IGNITION. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY TOYOTA SUBCONTRACTORS AND IS BEING REPAIRED TO BE RETURNED TO US. IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO ALLOW MY FAMILY OR ANYONE FOR THAT MATTER TO DRIVE THAT CAR IN THE FUTURE, THE CAR IS WORTH MORE TO US THAN TO OTHERS. THE TONE OF THE INSPECTORS AND OTHER CONTACTS WITH THE TOYOTA COMPANY WAS ONE OF SKEPTICISM. I DID NOT HAVE FLOOR MATS IN THE CAR AND I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE AND LOCATION OF MY BRAKE, CONTRARY TO THEIR SUGGESTIONS. I THINK IT IS INTERESTING THAT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND INSPECTORS CONTINUE TO TREAT THEIR LOYAL CAR OWNERS WITH SUCH DISDAIN AND DISBELIEF AS IF WE ARE ALL LIARS. IT IS STRANGE THAT THE COMPLAINTS ARE ONLY COMING FROM TOYOTA OWNERS, BUT AS ONE REPORTER NOTED TOYOTA DRIVERS ARE AN AGING GROUP AND IT HAS NOT HAPPENED TO SCION DRIVERS. I HOPE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY TOYOTA. *TR