2005 Toyota Tacoma

OFTEN TIMES WHEN I AM BRAKING TO A STOP IN MY 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA, I FEEL THE TRUCK LURCH FORWARD. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP THE TRUCK BY APPLYING MORE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE, BUT THE TRUCK STILL WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD. I GENERALLY LEAVE AMPLE DISTANCE BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME. THIS HAS PREVENTED TWO REAR END ACCIDENTS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT HAD TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 77000. UPDATED 12/17/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE FLOOR MAT WAS NOT THE ISSUE AS THE MATS ARE CLOTH AND NOT RUBBER AND THE PEDAL WAS UP NOT DOWN. UPDATED 12/21/09

MY 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA ACCELERATOR WENT FULL OPEN THROTTLE AND THE TRUCK RAN AWAY FULL OPEN THROTTLE WITH OUT ME PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL, I COULD NOT STOP THIS WITH CONDITION WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL BURNING MY BRAKES TO A SMELL OF BURNT BRAKE PAD. THIS HAPPEN IN THE DAY TIME AND THE FLOOR MAT WAS NO WHERE CLOSE OR NEAR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, I LOOKED DOWN TO CHECK THE FLOOR MAT POSITION. TO STOP THE RUN AWAY VEH AND OVER REVVING ENGINE CONDITION I HAD TO TURN THE IGN KEY TO THE OFF POSITION, AND I PUT THE TRANS IN NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO A STOP TO VOID ENGINE DAMAGE AND CRASHING. THIS CONDITION HAPPENED WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO A HWY WHERE THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT IS 65MPH. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE IN WAS BACK TO NORMAL AND THIS CONDITION HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN IN THE LAST 150 MILES THAT I HAVE DRIVEN THE TRUCK. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SAID THEY DON'T HAVE A REPAIR AND DON'T NO WANT CAUSED MY TRUCK TO GO WIDE OPEN THROTTLE BY ITSELF. *TR

I BOUGHT MY 2005 TACOMA ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM THREE TIMES NOW. THE LAST TIME BEING TONIGHT AFTER PICKING UP MY DAUGHTER AT WORK. THE TRUCK WAS ACCELERATING AND I WAS LITERALLY STANDING ON THE BRAKE AND THE ENGINE WAS RACING AND WOULD NOT STOP. I THROUGH IT INTO NEUTRAL AND IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO EXPLODE! I HAVE NO RUGS IN MY VEHICLE, IT DID NOT COME WITH ANY, AND I WAS GOING TO GET THE ALL WEATHER MATS, BUT HAVE NOT BOUGHT THEM YET. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ENGAGED. I DO CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE A FAIRLY EXPERIENCED DRIVER, I USE TO RACE A 70 CHEVELLE IN THE 1/4 MILE (THIS WAS MANY YEARS AGO.), IF I DID NOT HAVE SUCH EXPERIENCE I AM SURE I WOULD HAVE RAN THE CAR UP A TREE OR SOMETHING. I AM SCARED, I HAVE BEAT CANCER TWICE AND I'LL BE '!@#$% IF I AM GOING TO LET A FAULTY TACOMA TAKE ME OUT! *TR

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AND WAS CHANGING GEARS WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SUDDENLY DROPPED TO THE FLOOR AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY RACED UP TO REDLINE. I HAD THE CLUTCH IN AT THE TIME. I CHECKED TO MAKE SURE MY MAT WAS NOT INTERFERING WITH THE PEDAL. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS TRUCK. I PUMPED THE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE. I SWITCHED TO THIRD GEAR AND LET OUT THE CLUTCH. THIS BROUGHT THE RPM'S DOWN BUT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BEGIN RAPID ACCELERATION. I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH AND THE ENGINE WENT BACK TO RACING AT REDLINE. AFTER PUMPING THE PEDAL FOR SEVERAL MORE SECONDS THE ENGINE WENT BACK TO NORMAL IDLE. I PUT IT BACK IN GEAR AND CONTINUED WITH MY TRIP. I WORRY ABOUT HOW A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER MIGHT HANDLE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THIS BEHAVIOR MIGHT DO TO ENGINE LIFE IF IT KEEPS REPEATING. *TR

VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD SLIGHTLY WHEN STOPPED AT STOPLIGHT. HAPPENS NEARLY EVERY TIME I STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT HAVING IT IN PARK MODE. THE SEVERITY OF THE SURGE SEEMS TO BE PROPORTIONAL WITH THE VELOCITY OF THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO STOPPING (I.E. SURGE IS MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN STOPPING FROM A HIGHER VELOCITY THAN FROM A LOWER VELOCITY). THE SURGE EVENT OCCURS ROUGHLY 2-3 SECONDS AFTER VEHICLE COMES TO A FULL STOP, AND LASTS PERHAPS 0.5 SECONDS THEN GOES AWAY. WITH THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE DOESN'T GO VERY FAR, BUT IT'S A SAFETY CONCERN IN THE EVENT THE SURGE BECOMES UNCONTROLLABLE. CORRECTIVE ACTION HAS BEEN TO MAINTAIN A GREATER-THAN-USUAL DISTANCE FROM THE INTERSECTION OR FROM THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. *TR

HAVE SINCE HAD 4 SITUATIONS OF "SUDDEN ACCELERATION" A VERY HORRIFYING EXPERIENCE. DATE AND APPROX MILES: 1/28/07-16,000,4/11/07-19,000-9/18/07-26,000,12/20/08-42,600. 1ST INCIDENT-STOPPED AT STOP SIGN WITH FOOT FIRMLY ON BRAKE PEDAL. TRUCK FORCEFULLY LURCHES FORWARD WITH TIRES SCREECHING. CALLED DEALERSHIP TO NOTIFY THEM. WAS SUGGESTED THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE FLOOR MAT. I SAID POSSIBLY BUT DIDN'T REALLY THINK SO. 2ND INCIDENT-VERY SIMILAR TO 1ST. 3RD INCIDENT-WHILE SLOWLY PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH A CURB AHEAD I SLOWLY APPLIED BRAKES TO COME TO A STOP BEFORE HITTING CURB. AS BRAKES ARE APPLIED TO STOP, THE TRUCK MAKES A LOUD REVVING SOUND AND IS VERY FORCEFULLY LURCHING FORWARD WHILE THE TIRES ARE MAKING A VERY LOUD SCREECHING SOUND. 4TH INCIDENT-WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WITH MY FOOT ALREADY FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WAITING FOR THE TRAFFIC TO CHANGE THE TRUCK VERY SUDDENLY LUNGES FORWARD WHILE TIRES ARE MAKING A SCREECHING SOUND. I QUICKLY SWERVED INTO THE LEFT LANE JUST MISSING THE REAR END OF THE CAR AHEAD OF ME.THANKGOD THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC COMING IN THE LEFT LANE AS I SWERVED INTO IT OR IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MULTI CAR ACCIDENT NOT TO MENTION POSSIBLE INJURIES OR DEATH. 2ND,3RD&4TH TIME TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. SAME OLD STORY EACH TIME,NOTHING SHOWED UP,EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE WORKING OK, WE COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. 1/7/09 TALKED WITH TOYOTA FIELD SPECIALIST. WAS ASKED IF I COULD DUPLICATE IT, I SAID NO. WAS TOLD IF YOU CAN'T DUPLICATE IT I GUESS WE CAN'T FIX IT. IF WE COULD DUPLICATE IT WE WOULD FIX IT. I GUESS THERE IS A 2ND PROBLEM AS WELL IF THE ONBOARD COMPUTER DOES NOT SHOW THIS PROBLEM IS OCCURING. BELIEVE ME IT IS! THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION WHICH NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED SOON BEFORE AN ACCIDENT,INJURY OR DEATH OCCURS. THERE SEEMS TO BE NOTHING I CAN DO AS TOYOTA CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR MAYBE DOESN'T WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. WHAT AM I TO DO? JUST WAIT AROUND AND WAIT FOR THE 5TH TIME? *TR 10253233 UPDATED 1/29/08 *CN UPDATED 01/30/09.*JB

PART 3 THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND MY NEXT STOP IS TO NOTIFY MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND MY LENDER. I AM WAITING FOR A CASE MANAGER TO CALL ME FROM TOYOTA, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE TOYOTA DOESN'T WANT TO BELIEVE THOSE OF US WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT WAS VERY REAL. PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE IT HAS TO DO WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL OR WHATEVER WOULD MAKE THE ACCELERATOR SUDDENLY PULL ITSELF TO THE FLOOR MAKING THE TRUCK TAKE OFF! I AM NO MECHANIC, BUT I HAVE BEEN A DRIVER FOR 35 YEARS AND THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED TO ME IN ANY OTHER VEHICLE. MY TRUCK HAS ABOUT 30K MILES ON IT. IT'S BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, (SOME RAN A RED LIGHT AND THE CAR THEY HIT CRASHED INTO MY PARKED TRUCK), BUT MOST OF THE WORK WAS BODY WORK AND IT WAS RECENTLY MOVED TO A MORE HUMID CLIMATE, RATHER THAN MOSTLY DRY SAN DIEGO. IT?S A 4X4, DOUBLE CAB AND OTHERWISE AND WELL RUNNING MACHINE. I LEASED IT FOR THE FIRST 3 YEARS AND JUST PURCHASED IT FROM THE LEASING AGENCY BECAUSE I HAD VERY LOW MILEAGE AND IT WAS IN GREAT SHAPE. NOW I AM CONCERNED THAT NO ONE IS GOING TO TAKE ME SERIOUSLY. MY PLAN BY WEEKS-END IF I DON?T HEAR BACK SOMETHING POSITIVE, IS TO GO TO THE LOCAL AND THEN PERHAPS NATIONAL PRESS. A STORY WAS DONE OUT OF NASHVILLE LAST OCTOBER ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM OTHER TACOMA OWNERS ARE HAVING. I HAVE CONTACTED THEM WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR STORY AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. MY GUT FEELING IS THAT I NEED TO STAY ONE STEP AHEAD OF TOYOTA AND THE NHTSA. LET THEM BE ON THE DEFENSIVE LIKE I AM DRIVING AROUND IN A DEATH TRAP! I UNDERSTAND THAT A RECALL IS EXPENSIVE. I VALUE MY LIFE HOWEVER FAR BEYOND WHAT TOYOTA COULD LOOSE AND I WILL NOT TAKE A SHRUG OF SOMEONE?S SHOULDERS FOR AN ANSWER. NOT BEFORE I DIE ANYWAY, EITHER BY NATURAL CAUSES OR IN THE TRUCK, PERHAPS WRAPPED AROUND A TREE. SO, HERE IS MY LONG STORY IN DETAIL AND I EXPECT SOMEONE WITH SOME GOOD SENSE WILL CALL ME AND MAKE ME A TRADE, THEIR NICE NEW TRUCK FOR MINE. *TR

PART 2: I STARTED UP THE ENGINE. IT ACTED NORMAL, NO ACCELERATION AND IT EASILY BACKED OUT OF THE SPACE. RELIEVED, I DROVE BACK TO MY BOYFRIEND'S HOUSE. I TURNED IT OVER AND OVER IN MY MIND WHAT HAD HAPPENED, TRYING NOT TO MISS A STEP. MY BOYFRIEND IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE MECHANICS OF A CAR, SO AS I EXPLAINED WHAT TOOK PLACE TO HIM AND HE SAID OVER AND OVER THAT IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. I WAS SURE I HAD NOT MISTAKENLY HIT THE ACCELERATOR AND THE FLOOR MAT WAS CLEARLY UNDER, NOT OVER THE PETAL. I CHALKED IT UP, ONCE AGAIN TO A MYSTERY BECAUSE NEITHER OF US COULD MAKE SENSE OF IT. SEVERAL DAYS AGO, WE DROVE TO DOWNTOWN NEW ORLEANS. I WAS DRIVING AND I HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL AVOIDING THE SPEED TRAP. WE DROVE ABOUT 15 MILES AND PARKED IN A LARGE OUTDOOR PARKING LOT. WE WERE GONE FOR SEVERAL HOURS. WHEN WE GOT BACK TO THE TRUCK, HE DROVE. ABOUT ONE MINUTE OR LESS INTO DRIVE AND WHILE STILL GOING THROUGH THE PAID LOT JUST COMING UP TO RAILROAD TRACKS, HE PUT HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE TRUCK ACCELERATED FORWARD, THE PETAL ONCE AGAIN PULLING ITSELF TO THE FLOOR AND THE TRUCK TAKING OFF LIKE A JET. HE HIT THE BRAKE AND I BELIEVE THREW THE TRUCK INTO PARK. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH AND THEN I FELT THAT I HAD BEEN VINDICATED! HE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, 'WOW' AND AGAIN I TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS NEARLY THE SAME SCENARIO THAT HAPPENED TO ME. HE SAID, YOU HAVE BETTER CALL TOYOTA. WE HAD ONE PASSENGER WHO LOOKED AS SHOCKED AS MY BOYFRIEND AND WE ALL PONDERED THE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF A TRAIN HAD BEEN GOING BY AT THAT VERY MINUTE. PART 3 TO FOLLOW. *TR