# 1992 TOYOTA 4RUNNER — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
> **FATAL** · NHTSA complaint `535326` · 2005-05-16 · Toyota Motor Corporation
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 1
- **Injured:** 2
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** TOYOTA
- **Model:** 4RUNNER
- **Year:** 1992
- **Manufacturer:** Toyota Motor Corporation
- **Component:** VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
- **Miles at failure:** 6,000
- **Speed:** 40 mph
## Narrative
MY HUSBAND, STANLEY W. SIRNIK BOUGHT A 1992 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER.  HE ONLY HAD IT  FOR TWO WEEKS WHEN HE DECIDED TO TRAVEL TO WEST VIRGINIA.  STANLEY, MY BROTHER  -IN-LAW AND MY YOUNG SON WAS COMING BACK FROM SHOPPING THE NEXT DAY.    STANLEY PUT THE TRUCK INTO CRUISE CONTROL AT 40 MPH.  HE WAS TRAVELING ALONG AT  40 MPH WHEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE TRUCK STARTED TO ACCELERATE UP TO A VERY HIGH SPEED.  HE TRIED TO TAKE IT OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL BUT HE COULD NOT.  HE APPLIED THE  BRAKES, BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK.  TO KEEP FROM GOING OVER A CLIFF, HE RAN  UP AN EMBANKMENT AND THE TRUCK FLIPPED OVER.  STANLEY WAS KILLED INSTANTLY.  HIS  BROTHER WAS BADLY INJURED AND MY SON WAS IN THE BACK SEAT IN SHOCK.      I RETAINED TWO LAW FIRMS.  THE ENGINEERS SAID THE CRUISE CONTROL CAUSED THE   ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN.  RIGHT BEFORE IT WAS TIME TO GO TO  COURT IN JANUARY OF 1996, MY BIG LAWYERS ASKED THE COURT TO WITHDRAW FROM THE  CASE.  THE COURT GRANTED THEIR WISH.  I NEVER KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH MY CASE AND WHY MY LAWYERS WANTED TO WITHDRAW AFTER KEEPING AND WORKING ON THE CASE FOR FOUR YEARS.  THE LAWSUITE WAS FILED IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.  IT WAS   ALL SET TO GO TO COURT WITH A JURY TRIAL.  THIS ACCIDENT HAPPENED MARCH 2. 1992.    THE LAW FIRMS WERE MCCARTHY, BACON, COSTELLO, WASHINGTON BUSINESS PARK  SUITE 300, 4640 FORBES BOULEVARD, LANHAM, MD 20706  AND SCOTT W. ROONEY, ESQUIRE, CHARFOOS & CHRISTENSEN, P.C. DETROIT,  MICHIGAN 48202.  SEE ALSO ODI 1030488 *DSY
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*