NHTSA Complaint #10450696 — 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY

I WAS SLOWLY PULLING MY 2004 CAMRY INTO A PERPENDICULAR PARKING SPACE IN A PUBLIC PARKING LOT, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. AS I APPROACHED THE CURB TO COME TO A STOP, THE CAR SUDDENLY LEAPED FORWARD AT WHAT SEEMED LIKE FULL THROTTLE, JUMPED THE CURB, LUNGED UP A FLIGHT OF THREE CONCRETE STEPS, AND CRASHED THROUGH THE GLASS DOORS OF THE ENTRY OF THE BUILDING. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, AT THE HOUR OF THE DAY WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED (3:30 PM), THERE ARE SMALL GROUPS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WAITING FOR RIDES OR CHATTING IN FRONT OF THIS FACILITY. BY SOME MIRACLE THERE WERE NO PEOPLE PRESENT ON THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE CAR OR COMING OUT OF OR GOING INTO THE BUILDING WHEN THIS HAPPENED. TRULY A MIRACLE THAT NO ONE WAS HURT OR WORSE. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES. THE POLICE HAD THE CAR REMOVED BY FLATBED TO A BODY SHOP YARD. I LATER LEARNED THAT THE POLICE HAD DRIVEN THE CAR IN THE BODY SHOP YARD AND COMMENTED THAT THE CAR DROVE WITHOUT ISSUES. I SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED A CARELESS DRIVING CITATION IN THE MAIL. A LOCAL MEDIA REPORT OF THE INCIDENT, CRIBBED FROM THE POLICE BLOTTER, STATED THAT THE POLICE BELIEVED THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS DRIVER ERROR. THERE IS NOT THE LEAST DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT MY FOOT WAS FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHICH WENT TO THE FLOOR AND DID NOT STOP THE CAR! THE CAR ACTED ON ITS OWN AS IF POSSESSED! I WILL NEVER DRIVE THIS CAR AGAIN! I BOUGHT A NEW CAR AND TOOK A HUGE LOSS ON THE VALUE OF THE TOYOTA BY SELLING IT FOR PARTS TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR A TENTH OF ITS RETAIL VALUE SO IT WOULD NEVER FIND ITS WAY BACK ONTO THE ROAD TO THREATEN OTHER PEOPLE WITH INJURY OR DEATH! *TR