NHTSA Complaint #11152216 — 2017 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

ON JULY 12, 2017, I HAD BACKED UP MY 2017 TOYOTA SEQUOIA TO A FAMILY MEMBER'S HOUSE AND THEN PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, BUT LEFT IT RUNNING. MY THREE CHILDREN REMAINED INSIDE THE VEHICLE, SEATED AND BUCKLED. I EXITED THE VEHICLE TO WALK TO THE BACK AND PUT A BOX IN THE BACK AND WHEN I TURNED AROUND, THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND WAS SPEEDING AWAY. THE VEHICLE STRUCK A SMALL SECTION OF TREES ON THE RIGHT SIDE, WHICH POPPED THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR OPEN. THE VEHICLE THEN CONTINUED ON UNTIL IT RAN THROUGH TWO FENCES AND INTO THE WOODS BEHIND THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE, WHERE IT STRUCK OTHER TREES AND CAME TO A STOP. UPON CATCHING UP WITH THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT WAS STILL REVVING AND WAS DIGGING RUTS INTO THE GROUND. I OPENED THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND FOUND THE GEAR SHIFT JUST SLIGHTLY OUT OF PARK, WHICH IS NOT WHERE I LEFT IT. I HAD TO FORCEFULLY PUT IT BACK INTO PARK BY HITTING IT AND THEN TURNED THE KEY OFF. THE MOTOR WOUND DOWN WITH A HIGH PITCHED WHINING NOISE. I THEN UNBUCKLED ALL THREE OF MY CHILDREN (AGES 11, 9, AND 5) AND GOT THEM OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED IN THE FRONT END AND PASSENGER SIDE BUT NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THERE HAD BEEN TWO OTHER INSTANCES OF TROUBLE WITH THIS VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY THAT TOYOTA HAD STATED THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THE FIRST WAS APPROX 2 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE WHERE IT WOULD LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING AND THEN SUDDENLY GET IT BACK AND SURGE. THE SECOND OCCURRED IN MARCH 2018 AND THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY DECELERATE WHILE ON CRUISE CONTROL, EVEN WHEN THERE WERE NO VEHICLES IN FRONT, AND THEN SUDDENLY REACCELERATE. NEITHER TIME TOYOTA COULD PINPOINT A CAUSE OR FIX FOR EITHER BUT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WORKED AFTER THEY CHECKED IT OUT. THE EDR REPORT COLLECTED BY TOYOTA CONTAINED A LARGE AMOUNT OF INCORRECT DATA, SUCH AS THE VEHICLE ROLLING OVER WHEN IT DID NOT AND OTHER INFO.