NHTSA Complaint #11338781 — 2010 SCION XD

I WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY BEHIND A SLOW TRUCK. WENT TO PASS AND ACCELERATED TO 50 MPH WHEN ENGINE BECAME ABNORMALLY LOUD AND FELT AS THOUGH SOMEONE HAD TAKEN OVER THE CAR AND IT WANTED TO RACE. RPMS WERE MAXED. I FLOORED BRAKES AND GOT VEHICLE TO SLOW TO 40MPH. PULLED BACK INTO MY LANE, BUT COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO GO ANY SLOWER. I FELT AS IF I WAS GOING TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. WITH TWO BIG TRUCKS BEHIND ME, I FEARED CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I PULLED OFF ONTO THE GRAVEL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CONTINUED DRIVING. I COULD NOT STOP SO THREW IT INTO PARK AT 40 MPH. ENGINE MADE A HORRENDOUSLY LOUD NOISE AS IF IT WAS GOING TO BLOW UP. TURNED CAR OFF AND ON. MADE SAME AWFUL NOISE. TURNED CAR OFF, WAITED 10 MINS, TURNED BACK ON AND IT WAS FINE. TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA TO BE SERVICED ON MON AND DESCRIBED ACCIDENT. I ASSUMED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL, AND ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. AFTER THAT I LEARNED OF THE UNINTENDED ACCLERATION (UA) ISSUE THAT TOYOTA DEALT WITH AND THE 1.2 BILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT FOR THE VICTIMS WHO HAD DIED OR WERE HARMED IN ACCIDENTS. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED AT THIS TIME AND MY ENGINE IS A TOYOTA COROLLA. I CALLED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AND WAS TREATED RUDELY AND SCOFFED AT . I CALLED MANAGER TO REPORT. SHE SET UP AN APPOINTMENT BACK AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP. 2-DAY INVESTIGATION DETERMINED IT WAS DUE TO MY AFTER-MARKET FLOOR MATS CAUSING THE PEDAL ENTRAPMENT. I HAD ACTUALLY TRIED TO REPLICATE THIS ISSUE IN MY DRIVEWAY PRIOR TO THE EXAM AND DID GET THE PEDAL TO STICK WITH MAT, BUT I COULD NOT GET THE RPMS TO ACCELERATE MUCH, NOTHING LIKE I HAD EXPERIENCED (10 RPM VS 3). I ALSO DID NOT FEEL A FLOOR MAT CATCH OR RELEASE DURING EVENT. IN MY SIMULATION I FELT IT CATCH AND RELEASE. I ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE TECHNICIAN REGARDING THIS ISSUE. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO TECHNICIAN.