NHTSA Complaint #10968536 — 2009 TOYOTA MATRIX

MY MATRIX 2009 HAS HAD INTERMITTENT SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. I MENTION IT AT MY REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECK UPS, BUT RECEIVE NON-COMMITTAL REPLIES. I FIGURE I MUST BE LOSING IT. OVER THE LAST 8 MONTHS OR SO, IT GOT EXTREME: THE CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD AT DIFFERENT TIMES: WHEN I START UP THE CAR, IDLING AT A LIGHT, OR SLOWING TO A STOP. TODAY, SUNDAY MORNING, AS I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AT WALMART, I BEGAN TO BRAKE SLOWLY WHEN THE TRANS ROARED AND LURCHED FORWARD. IT JUMPED THE CURB AND PLOWED INTO THE FRONT END OF THE CAR FACING ME. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT I MUST HAVE HIT THE GAS - BUT NO. MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE - ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I STILL OWE MONEY ON THIS CAR. I RUINED THE FRONT END OF ANOTHER CAR. I AM A SINGLE MOM OF 2 AND A TEACHER. I DON'T KNOW HOW I AM GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THIS. I DO NOT INTEND TO REPAIR THIS CAR. IT IS NOT SAFE. THANK GOD THE OTHER CAR WAS EMPTY. THIS CAR COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE. AND, NO: NO TICKETS/ACCIDENTS/AGEISM. JUST A REGULAR MIDDLE-AGE LADY WHO BOUGHT A USED CAR 4.5 YEARS AGO, TOOK GOOD CARE OF IT, AND AM NOW SERIOUSLY STUCK AND STRESSED. SO, THANK YOU TOYOTA. I SAW ON OTHER BLOGS TODAY THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT A RECURRING PROBLEM. YOU HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS, AND HAVE DONE NOTHING. YOUR COMPANY WILL CAUSE INNOCENT PEOPLE TO KILL SOMEONE OR THEMSELVES.