NHTSA Complaint #10359897 — 2010 TOYOTA RAV4

MY 2010 TOYOTA RAV4 WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES. THE CAR SLOWLY BEGAN ACCELERATING DESPITE NORMAL PRESSURE BEING APPLIED TO THE BRAKES, AND THEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE BEGAN REVVING LOUDLY AND THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE MORE QUICKLY. THE CAR ACCELERATED TO PERHAPS A FEW MILES AN HOUR INTO THE INTERSECTION BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO STOP IT BY APPLYING HEAVY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES AND ALSO APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE. AFTER I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV INCREASINGLY LOUDLY FOR SEVERAL MORE SECONDS (WITH OBVIOUS POWER THAT I COULD EASILY FEEL TRYING TO OVERCOME THE BRAKES I WAS APPLYING) UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE INCIDENT DID NOT RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. BEING IN A BUSY AND DANGEROUS INTERSECTION, I DECIDED TO RESTART THE CAR AND DRIVE IT WITH EXTREME CAUTION TO A SAFE AREA TO PARK. WHEN RESTARTED, THE CAR OPERATED NORMALLY AND PRESENTED NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. THE CAR'S AIR CONDITIONING AND SATELLITE RADIO WERE OPERATING AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR AND SUNNY, AND THE ROADS WERE DRY. THE CAR DOES HAVE A RUBBER ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MAT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, WHICH WAS SECURED BY HOOKS INSTALLED BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THE EDGE OF THE FLOOR MAT IS SEVERAL INCHES AWAY FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHEN IT IS FULLY DEPRESSED, AND THE MAT ITSELF WILL NOT PHYSICALLY MOVE OR SLIDE EVEN WHEN PURPOSEFULLY TRYING TO MOVE IT WITH FORCE. I'M ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT IT DID NOT MOVE OR OTHERWISE INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS IS THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I DROVE THE CAR WITH EXTREME CARE TO MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP (AND EXPERIENCED NO FURTHER PROBLEMS), WHERE IT IS NOW BEING HELD FOR INSPECTION. THE CAR'S MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,200 MILES. IT WAS ALSO SERVICED BY TOYOTA SEVERAL MONTHS AGO IN RESPONSE TO THE RECALL RELATING TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *TR