NHTSA Complaint #10839095 — 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA

I HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED 2 SEPARATE OCCURRENCES OF SUDDEN UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION IN MY 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE FIRST INSTANCE WAS ON FEBRUARY 25, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:50 P.M. I WAS SLOWING TO STOP AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION BEHIND A VEHICLE. IN THE LAST SEVERAL FEET PRIOR TO STOPPING, I BEGAN BREAKING WITH MY FOOT UNTIL THE CAR WAS WITHIN ABOUT 10 FEET OF STOPPING. COMPLETELY OUT OF THE BLUE, THE REAR WHEELS STARTED SPINNING WILDLY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY MY ENGINE RPM INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY. IN ORDER TO KEEP FROM HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, I STOMPED HARD ON THE BRAKE WITH TWO FEET. WHEN I REALIZED I WASN'T GOING TO STOP, I QUICKLY SHIFTED THE GEARSHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THE RPM SETTLED DOWN AND THE TIRES STOPPED SQUEALING. I THEN SHIFTED TO PARK UNTIL I COMPOSED MYSELF. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I PROCEEDED TO SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE AND CONTINUED ON TO WORK WITHOUT FURTHER TROUBLE THAT DAY. THE SECOND INSTANCE WAS ON FEBRUARY 26, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:10 P.M. I WAS RETURNING HOME FROM WORK AND PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY TO PARK THE TRUCK. AS I PULLED TOWARD THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY, I HAD SLOWLY ACCELERATED UP THE SLIGHTLY INCLINED DRIVEWAY, THEN SLOWLY STARTED TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP. JUST AS I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO STOP, THE SAME THING OCCURRED. MY REAR WHEELS STARTED SPINNING WILDLY AND THE ENGINE RPM SHOT UP VERY HIGH. I PUT BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE TRUCK FROM ENTERING THE BACK YARD, BUT THE TIRES WERE LAYING RUBBER ON THE DRIVEWAY. I QUICKLY SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, THEN INTO PARK, AND TURNED OFF THE KEY. THE TRUCK HAS SAT IN THE DRIVEWAY SINCE BECAUSE I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT. THE TRUCK WAS PURCHASED FOR MY SON TO DRIVE AFTER HE RECEIVED HIS LICENSE. FORTUNATELY, I HAD NOT YET TURNED THE KEYS OVER TO HIM, AS AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER, HE WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT, OR KILLED SOMEONE ELSE.