1995 Toyota Tercel

MY 1995 TOYOTA TERCEL EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN ACCELERATION EPISODE NEARLY 2 YEARS AGO. I WAS ENTERING A MAIN ROAD WHEN I NOTICED THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. I REPEATEDLY PRESSED THE BRAKE, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND ME AT THE TIME, AND WHEN I TOTALLY REALIZED THAT THE SPEED WAS INCREASING FROM ABOUT 30 MPH TO ABOUT 45 OR 50 MPH, AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, I PUT IN PARK, (IT HAS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) IT MADE A STRONG NOISE, AND THE CAR SUDDENLY HALTED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AT LEAST TWO CAR SHOPS AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WAS EXACTLY AS IS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALLS. AND ALMOST TWO YEARS LATER I STILL FEEL INSECURE DRIVING ANY CAR, AND REMEMBERING WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY AND I HOPE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE, I'M SURE THE PROBLEM IS BIGGER THAN IT IS PORTRAYED NOW, AND IT MAY EXTEND TO MANY MORE VEHICLES AND MODELS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. THANKS. *TR

I WAS STOPPED ON THE FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC THAT HAD STOPPED, AND I WAS SEVERAL FEET AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE GAS PEDAL ENGAGED AND MY CAR LUNGED FORWARD. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I COULD BUT IT DID NOT STOP IT, SO I PULLED UP THE HAND BRAKE BUT NOT BEFORE I HAD HIT THE REAR BUMPER OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS TICKETED FOR FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE WHICH WAS NOT THE CASE. I EXPLAINED TO THE OFFICER WHAT HAPPENED WHEN MY GAS PEDAL UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSED TO CAR TO ACCELERATE BUT ALL HE SAID IS THAT I BETTER GET IT FIXED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY FIXED IT, BUT MY CAR INSURANCE WENT UP, AS WELL AS THE DEDUCTIBLE I HAD TO PAY TO GET MY CAR FIXED AND REPAIR THE OTHER GENTLEMAN'S CAR. AT THE TIME I DIDN'T CONSIDER THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT BUT NOW I KNOW IT MIGHT WELL COULD HAVE BEEN. MY MOM HAD GIVEN ME THE CAR TO DRIVE AFTER SHE COULD NOT DRIVE IT ANY MORE, AND SHE DIED NOT TOO LONG THEREAFTER. I NOW HAVE OVER 210,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND IT HAS BEEN A PRETTY GOOD CAR, EXCEPT FOR THAT ONE INCIDENT. THANKS.