NHTSA Complaint #11572747 — 2019 TOYOTA PRIUS

On Saturday [XXX], while shifting to reverse in a back alley to back up slowly, the car engine suddenly and loudly revved and shot backwards at accelerating speed. I slammed on brakes which did not respond at all, thus forcing me to attempt to shift gears which also failed to stop the acceleration. Car only stopped because it went up a curb and hit the corner of a parked vehicle in a neighbors driveway. If I had been on busier street and not a back alley this could have resulted in numerous vehicle collisions and unimagined fatalities. Car is being towed on [XXX] to Advanced Collision Repair on 4511 Central Ave, Columbia Heights, for diagnostic assessment. There were no warning lamps, messages or other indicators prior to this terrifying lack of vehicle control . This was first episode since purchasing car approx one year ago. Incident was captured on neighbor’s home camera. Other neighbor heard the revving and ran out due to spontaneously loud revving of an engine. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)