NHTSA Complaint #10348535 — 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY

ON JUNE 20 SHORTLY BEFORE 6:00 PM I BACKED OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE OF OUR CONDO BUILDING, AND I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH ABOUT 10 MLS/HOUR TOWARD A STREET CCA 50 YARDS AWAY. BEFORE ENTERING THE STREET THE CAR HAS TO BE STOPPED, HOWEVER, WITHOUT PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, THE CAR ON ITS OWN ACCELERATED. IMMEDIATELY I APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND. THE CAR SPEEDED INTO A GRASSY AREA, AND FROM THERE TO OUR OVERFLOW PARKING LOT, AND FROM THERE TO A SECOND PARKING LOT. THE TIRES BURNED THE GRASS DUE TO THE APPLIED BRAKES. PICTURE OF THE BURNED GRASS CAN BE SUPPLIED IF REQUESTED. THE UNSTOPPABLE CAR TRAVELED ABOUT 170 YARDS. DUE TO THE FORCE BY WHICH THE CAR HIT FOUR CURVES, THE FRONT TIRES WERE FLATTENED AND THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE FRONT END COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND AND THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED. MY WIFE AND MYSELF WERE WEARING THE SAFETY BELTS, WHICH PREVENTED TO BE THROWN INTO THE FRONT WINDSHIELD..MY WIFE WAS SITTING NEXT TO ME, THERE WERE NO OTHER PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. IN ADDITION THE FORCE CAUSED BOTH OF THE FRONT AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. MINIMIZING THE HUMAN DAMAGE. THE AIRBAGS CAUSED A SECOND DEGREE BURN ON MY LEFT ARM AS DETERMINED IN THE ER. THE AIRBAG ALSO HIT THE FRONT OF MY FACE. AND SLIGHTLY BURNED THE FINGER ON HER LEFT HAND. NEEDLESS TO STAY THAT WE WERE EXTREMELY SHAKEN AND FRIGHTENED. UPON EXITING THE CAR I CALLED 911 AND REPORTED WHAT HAPPENED. AN UNKNOWN NEIGHBOR CALLED AN AMBULANCE, WHICH CAME VERY SOON WITH A LARGE FIRE TRUCK. WE WERE TAKEN TO THE ER OF A LOCAL HOSPITAL. WE SPENT AT 4-5 HOURS IN THE ER OF THE HOSPITAL WHERE WE WERE X-RAYED. EVEN AS OF THE DATE OF THIS REPORT, SOME 2 MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT BOTH MY WIFE AND I REMAIN EXTREMELY SHAKEN BY THIS TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE. MY WIFE'S SPINAL PROBLEMS WERE ENHANCED BY THE CRASH, AND HER CONDITION IS BEING MONITORED BY SPECIALISTS. THE CAR WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST.. I SUSPECT THE ORIGINAL MICRO CHIP TO CAUSE THE MALFUNCTION OF THE GAS FLOW. *TR