NHTSA Complaint #10744308 — 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

I PURCHASED THE 2013 HIGHLANDER NEW FROM A DEALER IN VIENNA, VA IN JULY 2013. THE AUTO STARTED A STRING OF ENGINE HESITANCY TO ACCELERATE PROBLEMS AT AROUND 5,000 MILES WHICH WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER AT THE 5,000 MILE CHECK-UP AND AGAIN AT THE 7,500 MILE CHECKUP. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND GAVE THE ENGINE A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH. WE MOVED TO MN IN MAY 2014 AND THE HESITANCY OF THE CAR TO MOVE (ACCELERATE) FROM A STOPPED POSITION FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER ENGAGING THE GAS PETAL CONTINUES AND IS INCREASING IN FREQUENCY. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN IN TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS WITH THE SAME ANSWER THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN IN TWO NEAR ACCIDENTS WHILE PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC ON TO A HIGH SPEED DIVIDED HIGHWAY AND CONSIDER THIS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY, (THREE TIMES THIS PAST WEEK), BUT A PATTERN HAS DEVELOPED - MOST INCIDENTS OCCUR WHILE IDLING AT INTERSECTIONS FOR SOME TIME WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR, TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ETC, AND THEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO THE ROADWAY. THE CAR HAS EXHIBITED THIS BEHAVIOR ONLY A COUPLE TIMES WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM A IDLING START. THE SENSATION IS THAT THE ENGINE STALLED AND NO MATTER WHAT IS DONE WITH THE GAS PETAL NOTHING HAPPENS FOR ANYWHERE UP TO 4-5 SECONDS. WITH TRAFFIC MOVING AT 60 MILES AN HOUR AND ONE IS ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC, A FIVE SECOND DELAY BRINGS THE ON-COMING TRAFFIC ALMOST 450 FEET CLOSER TO ONE BEFORE THE CAR STARTS TO MOVE REQUIRING MORE DISTANCE IN TRAFFIC GAPS TO OVERCOME A POTENTIAL STALL IN THE ROADWAY. I HAVE COME ACROSS ANOTHER LOCAL OWNER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND NOTE AT LEAST 15 OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB OF ALMOST THE EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR TOYOTA TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE? UPDATED 12/12/2017*CN