Complaint 2213600

Complaint Summary

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Owner Narrative

2 incidents of Sudden Unintended Acceleration. No warning lights etc in either. Car damaged but available for inspection. Now encountering difficulties initating Toyota investigation. 1st incident (4/18/25; mileage 967) occurred after a hard left turn. After turn onto uphill street, I took my foot from accelerator to slow and maintain distance from a car backing down hill ahead. Instead, car self-accelerated and shot uphill, over speed bump with increasing speed. Did not respond to braking until it was close to hitting a parked car. Stopped with a slam; probably brake assistance engaged. No damage or injury, but I was shaken. Took car immediately to Toyota dealer to inspect. Was told RoB confirmed an event but not its nature or cause; identified nothing wrong. They hypothesized cruise control might have been triggered accidentally (no evidence, not plausible). Claimed they submitted report to Toyota national center. After 2nd incident, Toyota national said they had no record of 1st event. Their standard safety inspection protocols were not followed. Returned car to me without repair or follow up. 2nd incident ensued. 2nd self-acceleration event (2026) also occurred after hard left turn to make U turn at low speed, braking while completing turn. When I took my foot off brake, before I could press it on accelerator, car shot diagonally across street. Jumped curb and traveled at considerable speed 100' up landscaped slope. Destroyed 6 large shrubs and 3 trees 9' tall. Did not stop despite constant driver braking. Forward collision prevention system did not engage to prevent uprooting trees. Car stopped only after I turned steering wheel sharply to left to avoid hitting a full-size tree trunk. Then car responded to braking, acceleration ended, car stopped next to tree without impact. Terrifying life-threatening event but only damaged landscape and car. Police came, assessed incident, determined not a police matter, did not file police report.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.