NHTSA Complaint #11150693 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

I HAVE OWNED A 2007 TOYOTA RAV 4 FOR 10 YEARS. I WAS LEAVING A DELAWARE, OHIO, HOSPITAL PARKING LOT, BACKING OUT SLOWLY, MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE ROARED AND I SHOT BACKWARD, SMASHING INTO THE CAR PARKED BEHIND WHERE MY CAR HAD BEEN. THE CAR I HIT WAS SOMEWHAT DAMAGED IN THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE FENDER. THE IMPACT SHOVED IT OUT OF ITS SPACE AND ALMOST INTO A SMALL TRUCK TO THE RIGHT. MY CAR'S REAR WINDSHIELD SHATTERED AND THE RIGHT BACK BUMPER AND SIDE WERE CRUMPLED. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME. THE FIRST TIME, I AGAIN WAS BACKING FROM A TIGHT SPOT, THIS TIME TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, WHEN THE ENGINE ROARED AND THE CAR LURCHED BACKWARD. THAT TIME, I HIT NOTHING. IT HAPPENED ANOTHER TIME WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS BACKING, AGAIN FROM A TIGHT SPOT WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL. BACK AT THE HOSPITAL LOT. I INFORMED THE FRONT DESK EMPLOYEE, WHO INFORMED THE OHIOHEALTH HOSPITAL POLICE. TWO OFFICERS REPORTED, TOOK MY INFORMATION AND BEGAN SEARCHING FOR THE OTHER CAR'S OWNER. I ALSO CALLED THE CITY POLICE; AN OFFICER CAME BUT LEFT AFTER CONFERRING WITH OHIOHEALTH'S POLICE. I THEN TOOK THE CAR DIRECTLY TO MY LOCAL INSURANCE AGENT, WHO CONNECTED ME WITH A CLAIMS ADJUSTER. AT FIRST I THEORIZED THAT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE MUST HAVE PIVOTED SLIGHTLY AS I TURNED IN MY SEAT TO ENSURE I COULD BACK SAFELY. MY FOOT MUST HAVE PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. PRESSED WITH CONSIDERABLE POWER, GIVEN THE CAR'S BACKWARD LEAP. NOV. 8 I TESTED THIS THEORY ON MY DRIVEWAY, AND SAW IMMEDIATELY IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. I WOULD HAVE HAD TO LIFT MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE DELIBERATELY TO PRESS THE GAS FIRMLY. THIS CAR'S REGULAR MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE AT THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. MY CAR WAS NOT AMONG THOSE RECALLED FOR SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEMS, BUT I BELIEVE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THE CAR IS REGISTERED IN MY HUSBAND'S NAME, (XXXXX). PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).