2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA Vehicle Speed Control Problems

I WAS IN MOTION AND DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT. AFTER THE COLLISION, THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE TAKATA AIRBAG WAS REPLACED BY THE AUTO MANUFACTURER (TOYOTA DEALERSHIP) PRIOR TO MY ABOVE MENTIONED ACCIDENT. THE AUTO ACCIDENT OCCURRED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, POSSIBLY BRAKE FAILURE OR UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION OF THE CAR ENGINE.

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE UNTIL MY FIRST CROSS COUNTRY RETIREMENT TRIP IN SEPTEMBER 2013. MY PLANNED TRIP WAS FROM TENNESSEE TO CALIFORNIA. WHEN I REACHED KINGMAN, ARIZONA (ABOUT 1200 MILES INTO THE TRIP), I WAS TRAVELING UPHILL ON INTERSTATE 40 WHEN SUDDENLY THE TRUCK ACCELERATED ITSELF TO A HIGH RPM AND SPEED. I APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THEY DID NOT RESPOND OR SLOW THE TRUCK DOWN. I TRIED TO MAINTAIN STEERING CONTROL, BUT IN A SPLIT-SECOND, I WAS THROWN OFF THE HIGHWAY AND INTO THE HILLSIDE, TREES, AND BUSHES. THE TRUCK COMPLETELY ROLLED OVER, FLIPPED UPHILL, AND COME TO A STOP FACING TRAFFIC. THE LANDED DRIVER SIDE DOWN, AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE TRUCK ONLY HAD 79,000 MILES ON IT. A MONTH LATER I LEARNED THAT THERE WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL DONE FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM, BUT...

MY 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA WAS INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT FEBRUARY OF 2008 DUE TO SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN WHICH MY VEHICLE SPIN OUT OF CONTROL AND WENT OVER A CONCRETE BARRIER, MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED HEAVY REAR END AND SIDE DAMAGE. THE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE COST ME $5,663.14, I HAVE THE ACCIDENT REPORT. HOW COULD I GET TOYOTA TO REIMBURSE FOR THE COST OF THE DAMAGE. PLEASE ADVISED.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING UP AN INCLINE APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY OFF OF THE ROAD, AND ROLLED OVER TWO TIMES. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO THE ANKLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 119,000. UPDATED 6/3/10 *CN UPDATED 06/25/10.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. IN 2006, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, HE ENGAGED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. HE CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF A VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE BODY SHOP MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT FOUND NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE ACCELERATION. HE TRADED THE VEHICLE IN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 32,000.

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA ON THE H3 FREEWAY, CHANGING FROM THE RIGHT LANE TO THE LEFT LANE, WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CRASHED INTO THE CENTER CONCRETE HIGHWAY DIVIDER, AND CONTINUED TO CRASH INTO THE DIVIDER UNTIL IT STOPPED RUNNING. SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE THE WHOLE TIME BUT THE TRUCK WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP UNTIL THE ENGINE DIED. WHEN OUR INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE TRUCK IT FOUND THAT THE REPEATED IMPACT INTO THE CONCRETE BARRIER HAD BENT THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK AND THEN DECLARED THE TRUCK A TOTAL LOSS. AFTER THEY INSPECTED THE TRUCK OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCK TO CAUSE IT TO SUDDENLY SPEED UP AND GO OUT OF CONTROL. *TR

AT LEAST SINCE 2003 TOYOTA HAS HAD MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES WITH STICKING ACCELERATORS. I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA THAT I HAVE TAKEN TO AUTO DEALER TO HAVE WORK DONE TO RESOLVE ISSUE. THEY HAVE ALSO HAD TROUBLE WITH THEIR 4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES WITH THEIR CLUNKING UNIVERSALS ON THE SECOND DRIVE SHAFT. TOYOTA FIGHTS OFF THE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS REPEATEDLY AND WILL NOT ADMIT TO THEIR MANY FAULTS. *TR

THE OVERDRIVE INDICATOR ON THE DASH DISPLAY AT TIMES WILL INDICATE THAT THE OD IS OFF WHEN IT IS IN FACT ON AND INDICATE IT IS ON WHEN IN FACT IT IS OFF. THE ENGINE MUST BE SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW. *TR

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THE ENGINE SURGED WHEN PULLING OUT FROM A STOP POSITION. AS SOON AS IR ACCELERATED IT SURGED FORWARD. THE ACCELERATION WAS MORE THAN EXPECTED BASED ON THE PRESSURE BEING APPLIED TO THE GAS PEDAL. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE FIVE TIMES, INCLUDING LUBRICATING THE ENTIRE ACCELERATION SYSTEM, AND COULD NOT DIAGNOSE OR DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK UPDATED 1/4/2006 - *NM

CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS ON. CONSUMER PLACED BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE , AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

MY 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA REVED UP WHILE I WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN AND IT HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME THAT WAS STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN; WHAT HAPPENED TO ME IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE STORY THAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE USA TODAY ON 3/10/04 ABOUT YOUR INVESTIGATION OF A SIMILAR MALFUNCTION ON CAMRY, SOLARA AND LEXUS 300 MODELS.*AK