NHTSA Complaint #10519656 — 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS

LAST WEEK I WENT OUT DRIVING WITH A FRIEND, I WAS DELIVERING MEALS ON WHEELS TO VARIOUS HOMES IN MY AREA. AT ONE HOUSE I BRAKE THE CAR TO A STOP AND SHIFTED INTO PARK AND LEFT THE MOTOR RUNNING. I THEN GOT OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT, WENT AND OPENED THE BACK DOOR, TOOK OUT THE NECESSARY MEALS, CLOSED THE DOOR AND THEN WENT INTO THE HOUSE FOR THE DELIVERY. IN THE MEANTIME, MY FRIEND SAT IN THE PARKED CAR AND AFTER A VERY FEW MINUTES GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO LOOK AT SOMETHING IN THE NEIGHBORING GARDEN. OUT OF THE CORNER OF HER EYE SHE SAW THE CAR CREEPING FORWARD. SHE RUSHED TO THE CAR AND TRIED TO STOP IT BUT COULDN'T AND SO BEGAN TO SCREAM MY NAME? JUST AT THAT TIME I FINISHED MY DELIVERY CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE AND NOTICED THE CAR WAS NOT PARKED WHERE I LEFT IT AND HEARD HER SCREAMS. I RAN TO THE DRIVEWAY AND SAW THE CAR MOVING FORWARD. I RAN AFTER IT, MANAGED TO OPEN THE DOOR AND PUSHED THE POWER BUTTON TO TURN OFF THE MOTOR. THIS STOPPED THE CAR JUST IN TIME BEFORE RUNNING EITHER INTO A TREE, INTO ANOTHER CAR OR OFF THE DRIVEWAY DOWN A CLIFF. WE WERE, OBVIOUSLY VERY SHAKEN UP BY THE INCIDENT. NO ONE KNOWS WHY OR HOW THE CAR WENT OUT OF PARK INTO DRIVE. BOTH MY FRIEND AND I ARE SURE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY WHEN I LEFT IT AND WHEN SHE LEFT IT. IT SEEMS TO HAVE SUDDENLY SHIFTED. I HAVE GONE BACK TO THAT SITE TO CHECK IF THERE WAS IN INCLINE OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE CAR TO MOVE. THE GROUND WAS FLAT, DRY AND NOTHING WAS THERE TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS INCIDENT. I AM WRITING THIS TO SEE IF THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR THE PRIUS. IS IT SOMETHING I MUST BE AWARE OF? IS THERE SOMETHING THAT MUST BE DONE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN? AND I WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE NOTED AND MADE A RECORD OF BY THE COMPANY AND THE BOARD OF TRANSPORTATION. I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM? *TR