NHTSA Complaint #10644757 — 2000 TOYOTA CELICA

I TOWED MY VEHICLE TO NEWBOLD TOYOTA ON JULY 28, 2014, AND ON JULY 29, I SPOKE TO [XXX], A SERVICE ADVISOR AND EXPLAINED WHY MY VEHICLE WAS THERE. HE INDICATED THEY WOULD DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND GET BACK TO ME. AT 3:28 PM [XXX] CALLED ME BACK INDICATING THAT THE ENGINE WAS DONE DUE TO THE OVER-REV WHICH BLEW THE ENGINE. HERE IS MY STATEMENT ON WHAT HAPPENED: ON JULY 28 2014 AT ABOUT 7 A.M., I WAS TRAVELING TO WORK ON I-255 SOUTHBOUND WHEN MY GAS PEDAL SUNK TO THE FLOOR WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH IN FIFTH GEAR. THE CAR SPED UP, SO HAVING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. I PROCEEDED TO RAISE THE PEDAL WITH THE TIP OF MY SHOE, WITH NO SUCCESS AND ENGINE REVVING, I DECIDED TO SLAM ON THE BRAKE FOR A BRIEF SECOND, WHEN THE GAS PEDAL SPRUNG RIGHT BACK UP. I THEN PLACED IT IN SIXTH GEAR AND KEPT GOING FOR APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES, DESPITE HEARING A RATTLING NOISE. AS I TURNED OFF ONTO MY EXIT, I PLACED THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND THAT'S WHEN THE ENGINE DIED. AT THIS POINT I COASTED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE EXIT RAMP.ON JULY 31, 2014 AT 2:14 PM, I SPOKE WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER ([XXX] ) ABOUT MY SITUATION WITH THE VEHICLE, AND HE TOLD ME TO CALL TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE (1-800-331-4331). I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH [XXX] WHO STARTED A CASE FOR ME. AFTER GIVING HER THE ABOVE DETAILS, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SHE REQUESTED, SHE CHECKED ON EXTENDED WARRANTIES AND RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. SHE INFORMED ME THAT TOYOTA RESPECTFULLY DECLINES ANY ASSISTANCE. I THEN ASKED TO SPEAK TO HER SUPERVISOR, WHICH SHE REPLIED, "THAT WON'T HELP YOU", AND HUNG UP. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I COULD HAVE VERY EASILY CRASHED THIS VEHICLE UNDER NO FAULT OF MY OWN. I FEEL LIKE TOYOTA NEEDS TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. I FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD REPLACE MY ENGINE, AS WELL AS ISSUING A RECALL ON THIS MODEL YEAR BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR