NHTSA complaint: 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY — FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN MY GARAGE. I HAD BACKED THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING WITH THE CAR IN PARK WHILE I REMOVED THE GARBAGE CONTAINER AND UPON RETURNING TO MY CAR ABOUT 1 MINUTE LATER, I PLACED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SHIFTED THE CAR INTO DRIVE. IMMEDIATELY, THE CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD AT A VERY HIGH SPEED AND DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY FOOT REMAINED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT DID NOT STOP AND CRASHED INTO THE CONCRETE WALL AT THE REAR OF MY GARAGE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED MINIMIZING MY INJURIES. THE CAR WAS TOTALED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY - THE FRONT END WAS BADLY SMASHED AND THE FRAME WAS BENT. THE TOTAL ESTIMATE TO REPAIR WAS IN EXCESS OF $9000. THE TOTAL TRAVEL OF THE CAR WAS 26 FEET. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST THE CAR ACCELERATED TO, HOWEVER IN THE 60,000 MILES THAT WE HAD DRIVEN THE CAR, I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS HIGH DEGREE OF ACCELERATION. PLEASE NOTE THAT WHEN I HAD FIRST RE-ENTERED THE CAR JUST PRIOR TO THE CRASH, THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A FAST ENGINE IDLE AT ALL. ALSO, I OBSERVED AFTER THE CRASH THAT MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANYTHING LODGED BENEATH THE BRAKE PEDAL. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation