NHTSA Complaint #10463474 — 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA

THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE ISSUES WHICH MAKE A DEADLY COMBINATION. WHEN I STOP IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY THEN ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR WILL REV AT A HIGH RPM WHILE FAILING TO ACCELERATE AS IT WOULD UNDER NORMAL OPERATIONS. NOW THIS IS WHERE IT IS SCARY FOR ME. WHEN I LET OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, SOMETIMES THE RPM'S WILL GO DOWN AS YOU WOULD EXPECT BUT SOMETIMES THE RPM'S WILL STAY VERY HIGH EVEN AFTER I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL. AT THAT POINT I STEP ON THE BRAKE, TURN ON MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS, PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE THEN TURN IT ON AGAIN. THIS IS ALL TOO REMINISCENT OF THE PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA CARS THAT ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. LUCKILY, THE FIRST ISSUE I MENTIONED, WHERE THE CAR DOESN'T ACCELERATE PROPERLY AFTER STOPPING, IS STOPPING THIS CAR FROM ACCELERATING AT A HIGH SPEED AND CAUSING INJURY TO ME AND ANYONE IN MY PATH. *TR