NHTSA Complaint #11149666 — 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

ON SUNDAY OCT 21 2018, THE DRIVER HAD JUST LEFT THE OLIN REST AREA IN NORTH CAROLINA, HEADING NORTHBOUND ON RT 77. AFTER DRIVING FOR A LITTLE BIT THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATION UNINTENTIONALLY BY ITSELF. AND THE CAR STARTED TO ZIG ZAG ACROSS THE HIGHWAY LANES WITHOUT THE DRIVER TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER TRIED TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE BUT IT WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. THE CAR THEN GRAZED AN HIGHWAY GUARDRAIL AND IT PARTIALLY RIPPED OFF THE REAR LEFT SIDE AND REAR BUMPER. THE DRIVER KEPT PRESSING THE BRAKE WITHOUT EFFECT WHILE SWERVING ACROSS THE LANES. THEN SUDDENLY THE BRAKES STARTED TO WORK AND THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER. THE DRIVER PUT IT INTO PARK BUT THE ENGINE KEPT REVVING AT HIGH RPM UNTIL THE DRIVER TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I THINK THE CAR HAD A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENT DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. IN ADDITION, I THINK THE ZIG ZAG WAS DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC TRACTION/ STABILITY CONTROL, SENDING EXCESSIVE POWER TO A WHEEL ON A PARTICULAR SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHEN IT DIDN'T NEED IT.