# 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID — SERVICE BRAKES
> NHTSA complaint `1290296` · 2016-06-16 · Toyota Motor Corporation
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 2
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** Yes
- **Vehicle towed:** Yes
## Vehicle
- **Make:** TOYOTA
- **Model:** HIGHLANDER HYBRID
- **Year:** 2006
- **Manufacturer:** Toyota Motor Corporation
- **Component:** SERVICE BRAKES
- **Miles at failure:** 72,900
- **Speed:** 30 mph
## Narrative
MY SPEED WAS ABOUT 30 MPH; SPEED LIMIT WAS 40MPH. I WAS DRIVING NORTH-BOUND APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION. UP AHEAD, I SAW THAT TRAFFIC WAS STOPPING AND THE LIGHT WAS RED. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO SLOW TO A STOP, AND I STARTED TO EVEN THOUGH I WAS BACK ABOUT 15 CAR LENGTHS FROM THE CARS AHEAD. WHEN I STARTED PUSHING ON THE BRAKE, MY CAR IMMEDIATELY 'DIED' BUT THE CAR KEPT ROLLING FORWARD, EVEN THOUGH I CONFIRMED MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE.  I WAS VERY STARTLED THAT THE CAR KEPT ROLLING WITH BRAKE APPLIED.  BEFORE I COULD THINK ABOUT WHAT TO DO NEXT, THE CAR THEN RUMBLED AND SHOOK, AND THE ENGINE MADE A REVVING SOUND.  THEN THE CAR JUST SPED UP INCREMENTALLY FASTER AND FASTER EVEN AS I DESPERATELY CONTINUED TO SHOVE HARD ON THE BRAKE.   I YELLED "WHAT'S IT DOING?' I QUICKLY WONDERED IF I SHOULD PULL THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION BUT FELT THAT WAS THE WRONG THING TO DO.  AS THE CAR WENT FASTER, I WENT INTO ABSOLUTE PANIC.  I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR.  I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO MISS HITTING ANYONE. I WAS DESPERATE TO AVOID CARS, BUT I WAS COMPLETELY UNABLE TO STOP MY CAR EVEN AS I CONTINUED PUSHING HARD ON THE BRAKE.  THEN I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AT THE LIGHT.  I TRULY BELIEVE THIS WAS AN UNINTENDED BRAKE ACCELERATION.  I AM DEEPLY COMPELLED TO REPORT THIS SO THAT THE CAUSE AND RESOLUTION MAY BE FOUND BEFORE OTHERS ARE SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED.  I SUFFERED A FRACTURED BACK AND WAS IN THE HOSPITAL 4 DAYS; AND DRIVER I RAN INTO WAS HURT AS WELL REQUIRING HOSPITAL ATTENTION.    BOTH THE 3RD
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*