NHTSA Complaint #10629189 — 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA

I WAS DRIVING BACK HOME AND SLOWED DOWN WITH THE INTENTION OF STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC INTERSECTION. MY BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE AT THE NORMAL LEVEL OF PRESSURE THAT I USE, AND I HAD TO PRESS IT ALL THE WAY DOWN. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS SLAMMED ALL THE WAY DOWN THE BRAKES DID ENGAGE, BUT THE ENGINE STARTED REVVING UP AND THE RPM METER WAS TO ITS MAXIMUM. I DID NOT TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKES BECAUSE I KNEW IF I DID, THE CAR WOULD HAVE TRAVELLED AT 120MPH. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE HANDBRAKE LEVER UP, CHANGED THE GEAR TO PARK, AND SWITCHED OFF THE IGNITION. I AM JUST HAPPY TO BE ALIVE TODAY, AND AM VERY THANKFUL FOR MY PRESENCE OF MIND. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND TOWED THE CAR TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. WE DID TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP A WEEK BACK TO DO A SOFTWARE UPGRADE AND A COUPLE OF OTHER RECALLS, AND THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION THAT I EXPERIENCED HAPPENED A WEEK AFTER THAT. TOYOTA AFTER THEIR INVESTIGATION CONCLUDED THAT THE BRAKE AND THE ACCELERATOR WERE ENGAGED AT THE SAME TIME. THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY SAYING THAT MY 5.5 SHOE SIZE FOOT WAS BOTH ON THE BRAKE AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME. I DID LOOK AT MY FOOT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS INDEED ON THE BRAKES WHEN THE CAR WAS REVVING UP. SO I CAN SAY WITH 100% CERTAINTY THAT MY FOOT WAS ONLY ON THE BRAKE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS SLAMMED ALL THE WAY DOWN. LIKE IN PREVIOUS CASES E.G. OKLAHOMA COURT CASE, TOYOTA IS BLAMING THE DRIVER WHEN IN FACT, THE SOFTWARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THROTTLE CONTROL WAS CLEARLY SHOWN TO HAVE OVER 85000 BUGS BY EXPERT TESTIMONY GIVEN IN THE OKLAHOMA CASE. IF NOT FOR MY PRESENCE OF MIND, I WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN DEAD YESTERDAY, AND I AM STILL IN SHOCK AND AWE RECOVERING FROM THE INCIDENT. *TR