2005 Toyota RAV4

On 10/1/2022 in Berwick, PA while pulling into the Dollar Tree parking lot, smoke appeared in the passenger cabin and the vehicle accelerated on it's own. The brakes were applied and the vehicle continue to accelerate. The vehicle went down through a yard, across a road through another parking lot and crashed into a high curb before stalling out. The airbags deployed. My mother was transported to the hospital and is still in ICU with broken ribs, cuts and bruises. She was able to steer the vehicle away from a parked car, a person on a bicycle and missed a rose bush, no one else was injured in the incident. A police report has been completed, the vehicle is still in the custody of the towing company and has not been released to the insurance company.

2005 TOYOTA RAV 4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FIRST UNINTENDED ACCELERATION DEALERSHIP EXAMINATION REPORTED NO DEFECTS, SECOND UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAUSED ACCIDENT WITH SEVERAL VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *SMD THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED, WHEN THE CONSUMERS WIFE WAS DRIVING. AFTER SHE SHIFTED TO DRIVE, AFTER BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD WITH INCREDIBLE SPEED AND SPUN OUT OF CONTROL, WENT INTO CIRCLES AND COLLIDED WITH A NEARBY UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED, WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD WITH THE ENGINE RACING. HE TRIED TO STOP, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONSUMER COLLIDED WITH THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. HIS VEHICLE BOUNCED OFF AND TO THE LEFT, AND THEN HIT SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLE. *JB UPDATED 01/25/17/17.*JB

RAV4 WAS TOTAL STOPPED ON A STOP SIGN. ON TAKING THE FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PADDLE TO MOVE AHEAD ON GREEN SIGNAL, EVEN BEFORE THE FOOT TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR PADDLE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE DRIVER HAS BEEN DRIVING THIS RAV4 FOR FEW YEARS AND HAS A VERY CLEAN DRIVING RECORD AND WAS AT REGULAR UNIVERSITY STOP. THE DAMAGE WAS SO BAD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED BY INSURANCE. THE DAMAGE LOOKS LIKE A HIGH SPEED IMPACT. A OLD 2005 RAV4 WITH 122000 MILES ON IT CANNOT MOVE THAT FAST EVEN IF TRIED. THE DAMAGE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. THE POLICE OFFICER WAS INFORMED THAT THE INCIDENT WAS CONFUSING AND LATER THINKING BACK, IT LOOKED IMPOSSIBLE TO BE BECAUSE OF HUMAN ERROR EVEN IF TRIED. THE HOUSEHOLD HAS CLEAN RECORD (NO TICKETS, NO ACCIDENTS FROM US) ON 3 VEHICLES FOR PAST 15 YEARS. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON A REGULAR DAILY UNIVERSITY STOP WHERE THE VEHICLES ARE DRIVEN SLOWLY ANYWAYS. THE DAMAGE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF THAT THE VEHICLE HAD UNCONTROLLABLE SITUATION. INCIDENT HAPPENED MOVING FROM A DEAD TOTAL STOPPED VEHICLE (0 MPH). BUT THE DAMAGE LOOKS LIKE THE VEHICLE CRASHED IN WITH A HIGH SPEED. BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE OTHER DRIVER WERE CONFUSED, AS NOTED TO THE ATTENDING POLICE OFFICER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SPIRAL CORE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 244,000.

I WAS PARKING, 10 MINUTES EARLY, ENTERING THE SPOT AT ABOUT 1 MPH, MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. MY CAR LURCHED OVER A LARGE CURB AND LAUNCHED ITSELF INTO A BUILDING. AS IT WAS LURCHING INTO THE BUILDING, I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND PULLED ON THE PARKING BRAKE WITH MY RIGHT HAND AND ARM. THESE ACTIONS STOPPED THE CAR AS IT CRASHED INTO THE GLASS AND METAL FRONT WINDOWS. I HAD BEEN DRIVING WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENTS, NOT EVEN A TICKET, FOR 38 YEARS. AFTER THE ACCIDENT I HAD TOYOTA INSPECT THE CAR. THEIR FINDING WAS THAT THE "ACCELERATOR PEDAL OPERATED SMOOTHLY AND RETURNED TO ITS IDLE POSITION WITHOUT ANY STICKING OR HESITATION," AND THAT THE INSPECTOR "WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE YOUR CONCERN." I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS DETERMINES ANYTHING WITH REGARD TO THIS ACCIDENT. I DO KNOW THAT MY EXPERIENCE AS A DRIVER AND MY ABILITY TO STOP THE CAR KEPT THIS ACCIDENT FROM BEING FAR WORSE. AS A RESULT OF MY ACTIONS TO STOP THE CAR, MY RIGHT ARM SUFFERED SEVERE NERVE DAMAGE. I STILL BELIEVE TO THIS DAY THAT THIS WAS AN INCIDENT OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE A SECOND TIME. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 136,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE RPMS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A METAL POST AND BUILDING. A PASSENGER WAS SLIGHTLY BRUISED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72.330 UPDATED 01/26/11*LJ UPDATED 03/28/11

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL ACCELERATION FROM A STOP WHILE DRIVING MY RAV4 IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THIS HAS BEEN TRUE SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH ABOUT 40,000 MILES ON IT. I REMOVED THE FLOOR MAT WITH NO CHANGE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TWO TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS (ONE HAD THE CAR FOR EVALUATION FOR A DAY AND CHARGED ME A DIAGNOSIS FEE AND FOR A RENTAL CAR) THAT THIS IS NORMAL. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND CLEARLY A SAFETY HAZARD. I HOLD A COMMERCIAL DRIVERS LICENSE AND HAVE HAD MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DRIVING A WIDE VARIETY OF VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE CAR HITS SOMETHING. TOYOTA MUST ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS REMEDIED THERE IS THE REAL RISK OF SOMETHING OR SOMEONE BEING DAMAGED OR HURT (OR WORSE). UPDATE: ON MARCH 3, 2010 I DELIVERED THE CAR TO DICK DYER IN COLUMBIA, SC AT TOYOTA'S REQUEST. THE REGIONAL TECHNICIAN INSPECTED THE CAR THAT DAY. I HAVE SINCE BEEN CONTACTED BY THE GENERAL MANAGER AND INFORMED THAT TOYOTA IS FLYING A TEAM OF ENGINEERS FROM CALIFORNIA TO EVALUATE THE CAR NEXT MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2010. *TR UPDATED IVOQ 05/28/10.*JB THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE ELECTRONIC SOFTWARE, INTERFACE DESIGN WAS FLAWED. THE THROTTLE PEDAL AND THE ENGINE DID NOT ACCURATELY TRACK EACH OTHER. THERE WAS A DELAY, WHICH RESULTED IN AN ABRUPT AND EXCESSIVE ENGINE RESPONSE. UPDATED 09/26/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PULLING INTO THE PARKING SPOT AT APPROX 1-2 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, JUMPED THE CURB AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. SHE HAD NOT NOTICED ANY PROBLEMS WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION BEFORE THAT FAILURE. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 99,200. UPDATED 5/6/10 *CN UPDATED 06/24/10.*JB