NHTSA Complaint #10726359 — 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

ON SATURDAY, MAY 30TH AT APPROXIMATELY 8:30 I WAS MOVING OUR 2005 HIGHLANDER FROM THE STREET INTO OUR RESERVED PARKING SPACE WITHIN OUR COMPLEX. AS I WAS STARTING MY RIGHT HAND TURN INTO THE COMPLEX THE CAR ACCELERATOR STUCK. I HIT THE CURB ON THE DRIVER'S/LEFT SIDE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER TO THE RIGHT. AS THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE I HIT A TREE AND KNOCKED OVER ONE OF THE COMMUNITY'S POSTED SIGNAGE. THE IMPACT MADE THE CAR BOUNCE BACKWARD PARTIALLY INTO THE DRIVE, DAMAGING THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE, DRIVE SHAFT BROKE, FRONT END PART FLEW ALL OVER AND A SMALL FIRE OCCURRED. POLICE WERE CALL AND REPORT TAKEN. THEY ESTIMATED THE SPEED AT 20-30 MILES PER HOUR. THE REPORT TAKEN WAS NOT FILED SINCE THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER STARTED THE VEHICLE TO GET IT ON THE TRUCK. HE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME FOR HE COULD NOT GET THE WHEELS TO TURN. ON TUESDAY, JUNE 2, WE WERE NOTIFIED BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THERE WAS A RECALL REPAIR DONE ON MAY 21, 2011, AFTER WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE AVAILABLE TO INSTALL THE FORWARD RETENTION CLIP USED TO SECURE THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR CARPET COVER. WE WERE ADVISED THAT IF IT WAS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY, THE COVER MAY LEAN TOWARD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM. IF THIS OCCURS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY TEMPORARILY BECOME STUCK IN A PARTIALLY DEPRESSED POSITION RATHER THAN RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION. AN ACCELERATOR PEDAL TEMPORARILY STUCK IN A PARTIALLY DEPRESSED POSITION MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH. THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A FAILURE OF THE REPLACEMENT PART. *TR