NHTSA Complaint #11217264 — 2015 TOYOTA RAV4

THE POWER STICK SHIFT MOVES TO EASILY OUT OF GEAR. IT REQUIRES ONLY A LIGHT DEPRESSING OF THE BREAK TO DISENGAGE IT. ON MAY 17 2019, I HAD BEEN PARKED WITH THE CAR ON. I HAD DROPPED SOMETHING ON THE FLOOR AND WENT TO PICK IT UP. MY FOOT WAS LIGHTLY TOUCHING THE BREAK AS I BENT DOWN. THE BREAK WAS DEPRESSED JUST ENOUGH TO ALLOW MY SHOULDER OR BACK TO HIT THE STICK SHIFT AND PUSH IT INTO REVERSE. UNBENOUNCED TO ME, AS I WAS STILL BENDING OVER TO PICK SOMETHING UP, THE CAR WAS PUSHED INTO REVERSE AND MOVED BACKWARDS INTO TWO CARS BEHIND ME. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A REALLY TRAGIC SITUATION HAD SOMEONE BEEN BEHIND ME IN THE PARKING LOT. OR WORSE, IF I HAD A CHILD IN THE CAR AND I HAD GOTTEN OUT TO GET SOMETHING FROM THE TRUNK AND THE CHILD JUMPED INTO THE DRIVERS SEAT. I AM NOT VERY TALL, AND SO A CHILD COULD EASILY DEPRESS THE BRAKE JUST ENOUGH TO RELEASE THE STICK SHIFT AND COULD HAVE RUN ME OVER. THERE SHOULD BE A SECONDARY RELEASE BUTTON ON ALL STICK SHIFTS OR THE BRAKE PEDDLE SHOULD NEED TO BE DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY. THIS INCIDENT DAMAGED THREE CARS. AND WHILE NOT MY FAULT AS IT WAS A DEFECT OR SAFTEY ISSUE WITH THE CAR, MY INSURANCE HAS NOW BEEN DINGED FOR IT. I HAVE REPORTED IT TO TOYOTA BUT THEY DO NOT SEEM TO CARE.