2015 Toyota Highlander

THIS VEHICLE HAS A REALLY BAD ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL,IT FEELS LIKE IT WONDERS FROM TIME TO TIME.THEN THE MOTOR WILL STALL OUT ALMOST COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. TAKEN TO DEALER TO ONLY HAVE THEM NOT REPLICATE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS WHEN WE HAVE IT. I KNOW IT'S NOT ME BECAUSE MY SPOUSE HAS DISCUSSED IT WITH ME TOO. I SEE THERE'S RECALLS FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITHIN THE SAME PRODUCTION ON THIS VEHICLE BUT SOMEHOW IT DIDN'T GET ANY NOTIFICATIONS BUT CLEARLY IT DESCRIBES THE SAME PROBLEMS.

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A SITUATION WITH MY 2015 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER (VIN# 5TDJKRFHXFS1[XXX]) THAT HAS BECOME QUITE CONCERNING. WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL FROM A DEAD STOP POSITION, I HAVE EXPERIENCED AN INITIAL ACCELERATION AND THEN A HESITATION FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A RESUMPTION OF ACCELERATION. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES. AT FIRST I THOUGHT MY FOOT WAS SLIPPING OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AFTER EXAMINATION I REALIZED THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED (APRIL 16, 2018) I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PROCEED FROM A STOP LIGHT ACROSS 3 LANES OF HIGHWAY TO THE FOURTH LANE. AS I STEPPED ON THE GAS THE CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD AND THEN HESITATED. I PURPOSELY LEFT MY FOOT RIGHT WHERE IT WAS ON THE GAS PEDAL AND WITHIN ONE OR TWO SECONDS IT RESUMED AND AGAIN ACCELERATED FORWARD. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THERE IS NO SPUTTERING OR BACKFIRING, JUST A TOTAL VOID OF ANYTHING HAPPENING UNTIL IT AGAIN RESUMES FORWARD MOTION. I JUST HAD THE CAR SERVICED ON APRIL 25, 2018 AT MY TOYOTA DEALER AND MENTIONED THE PROBLEM. THEY DROVE THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. THEY ALSO RAN A DIAGNOSIS OF THE SYSTEM AND FOUND NO ABNORMALITIES. MY QUESTION IS, HAS THIS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHERS AS A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE OF VEHICLE OR IS THIS A ONE OFF AND OTHERS ARE NOT EXPERIENCING OR NOT AWARE OF THIS QUIRK IN THE SYSTEM.[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN, THE POWER CUT OUT AND A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH STATING THAT THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR WERE BEING DEPRESSED SIMULTANEOUSLY -- BUT THEY WERE NOT. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN A ROW. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWARD TO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHERE PURCHASED. THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG AND ATTRIBUTED THE PROBLEM TO "DRIVER ERROR." THE DEALER'S MECHANIC PRODUCED A REPORT INDICATING THAT SIMILAR MALFUNCTIONS HAD OCCURRED IN THE PRIOR TWO MONTHS WITH NO NOTICE TO THE DRIVER. TOYOTA COULD PROVIDE NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS. TOYOTA CLAIMS THAT NOTHING IS WRONG AND REFUSES TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE VEHICLE.