NHTSA Complaint #10535798 — 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA

I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE WAY THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS ARE CONFIGURED I FREQUENTLY HIT THE GAS PEDAL ALONG WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN DEPRESSED GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THE PEDALS ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT THE GAS PEDAL IS SOMETIMES CAUGHT BY THE EDGE OF MY SHOE WHILE BRAKING CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RACE. THIS ESPECIALLY HAPPENS WHEN BACKING UP AND MY BODY IS CONTORTED TO SEE OUT THE REAR WINDSHIELD. BUT IT ALSO HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY WHEN DRIVING FORWARD AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE AND HAD NUMEROUS CLOSE CALLS ALMOST RUNNING INTO CARS OR OBJECT IN FRONT OF ME. I HAVE REFERRED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER. THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO REMEDY FOR THE PROBLEM. I WAS REFERRED TO TOYOTA CORPORATE NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS PHONE # 1-800-331-4331 AND HAD AN INVESTIGATION CASE OPEN, CASE NUMBER 1307222061. AFTER THE INSPECTION OF MY VEHICLE THEY SAID THAT MY TRUCK IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. I STILL FEEL THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT. ANOTHER SIDE NOTE IS THAT WHENEVER I BROUGHT MY TRUCK IN TO THE DEALER JUST ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THEY WOULDN'T CHARGE FOR THE INSPECTION OR BRAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND SO NO PAPERWORK WAS WRITTEN UP OF MY COMPLAINTS WHICH HAS HAPPEN TWO OR THREE TIMES. SO YOU PROBABLY WON'T SEE MUCH OF ANY HISTORY ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS BY DESIGN TO NOT HAVE A PAPER RECORD TO AVOID RECALLS OR HAVING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS DOCUMENTED. I HAVE ALSO MENTIONED THIS TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS DURING ROUTINE SERVICE VISITS BUT IT WAS NEVER REALLY WRITTEN UP. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT OTHER TACOMA OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE LAST INCIDENT THAT I HAD A MONTH AGO I ALMOST WENT OF A CLIFF BECAUSE MY FOOT CAUGHT ON THE GAS PEDAL WHILE BRAKING. IT'S A POOR DESIGN TO HAVE THE BRAKE PEDAL GO BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE GAS PEDAL AT ANY TIME WHEN THEY ARE SO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. *TR