NHTSA Complaint #10902936 — 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA

WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE AND CURBING THE TIRES ON A MEDIUM DOWNWARD GRADE, WITH CAR IN "DRIVE" AND MY RIGHT FOOT FULLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY WENT FULL THROTTLE. BY APPLYING MAXIMUM PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE FORWARD MOTION OF THE VEHICLE AS IT JUMPED THE CURB, HEADING FOR THE WALL OF A LOCAL SCHOOL. BY CONTINUING APPLYING MAXIMUM BRAKE PRESSURE AND DISENGAGING THE TRANSMISSION, I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE...APPROXIMATELY TWO FEET SHORT OF IMPACT WITH THE WALL. BY GOOD FORTUNE, THERE WERE ON INJURIES, AND NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGEDY. THERE WAS A FUNCTION AT THE SCHOOL ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT, AND PARENTS WITH CHILDREN WERE ON THE SIDEWALK IN THE AREA BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE INCIDENT. UPON STOPPING THE CAR AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED MAT POSITIONS, MY FOOT POSITIONS, AND THE THROTTLE PEDAL AREA. THE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE MAT AND THE THROTTLE PEDAL, NOR ANY CONTACT OR INTERFERENCE OF ANY KIND WITH THE PEDAL. AS I CONSIDERED THE CAR FAR TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT THAT POINT, I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO MY RESIDENCE. INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE AND FURTHER ACTION IS PENDING.