NHTSA Complaint #10454377 — 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY

MY DAUGHTER WAS ON HER WAY TO SCHOOL ON THE MORNING OF 3/28/2012, WHEN OUR 1999 TOYOTA CAMRY STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. MY DAUGHTER TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY PRESSING THE BRAKE AS HARD AS SHE COULD BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. SHE PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE'S RPM'S WENT TO THE MAXIMUM. THE CAR AT THAT POINT MUST HAVE BLOWN A PISTON ROD OR VALVE, OIL WAS SPRAYING INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SHE MADE AN ATTEMPT TO BUMP THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES TO SEE IF IT WOULD RELEASE. THE CAR WAS STALLED ON A MAIN STREET WITH EMERGENCY FLASHERS ON. SHE AGAIN TRIED TO START THE CAR AND RPM'S WENT TO THE MAX AND THE AT THAT POINT SMOKE STARTED RISING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SEVERAL PEOPLE CAME TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AND TRIED TO HELP TRAFFIC MOVE AROUND THE VEHICLE. I ARRIVED AT MY DAUGHTERS LOCATION AND WITH THE HELP OF OTHERS PUSHED THE CAR SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET INTO A RESIDENTIAL DRIVE WAY. I HAVE NOW TOWED THE CAR BACK TO MY HOME AND NEED HELP TO DETERMINE WHAT THE ROOT CAUSE FOR THIS FAILURE WAS. I AM VERY RELUCTANT TO MAKE REPAIRS TO THIS VEHICLE KNOWING THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. AS I REVIEW OTHER VEHICLE ACCELERATION COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL, I WANT OTHER 1999 CAMRY OWNERS TO BE AWARE THAT THIS TYPE OF ACCELERATION PROBLEM CAN AND DOES OCCUR. WE ARE VERY LUCKY OUR DAUGHTER DID NOT SUFFER ANY INJURIES OR CAUSE ANY DEATHS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE FINAL MILEAGE IS AT AROUND 162,000. *TR