NHTSA Complaint #10609281 — 1996 TOYOTA AVALON

WHILE DRIVING TO AN APPOINTMENT, I HAD UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AFTER USING TWO FEET TO SLOW VEHICLE, AND SHUT VEHICLE OFF. AFTER TRYING TO RESTART VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, IT WAS STILL REVVING. AFTER A HALF HOUR, I WAS ABLE TO START IT AND BRING IT HOME. VERY SCARY! IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN, WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING, AND WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF TO SAFETY. WE TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC, AND SINCE IT WAS NOT DOING IT WHILE THEY HAD IT, THEY COULDN'T FIND WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM, AND FIX IT. WHILE TRYING TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, WE DISCOVERED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM TO THIS VEHICLE YEAR, AND MOST WERE ON CAMRY'S. WE DO NOT HAVE REPLACEMENT FLOOR MATS, AND THE PEDAL WAS NOT STUCK. WE CALLED TOYOTA TO CHECK ON RECALL INFORMATION. SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON OUR VIN#, AND TOLD IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, DUE TO THE MILEAGE, BUT THEY DOCUMENTED MY REPORT IN THEIR CORPORATE RECORDS, AND TO TAKE IT TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT EVALUATED AND REPAIRED, WHICH WOULD NO DOUBT BE AT OUR EXPENSE SINCE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. WE ARE SENIOR CITIZENS, AND ARE AFRAID TO EVEN DRIVE THIS CAR NOW, MUCH LESS DRIVE IT ALL THE WAY TO A DEALER OUT OF TOWN. *TR