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2002 TOYOTA CAMRY — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

crash · 762840 · 2010-02-15

Vehicle

Make
TOYOTA
Model
CAMRY
Year
2002
Manufacturer
Toyota Motor Corporation
Component
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Miles at failure
48,000

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

AFTER PICKING UP HER MAIL AT HER CONDO MAILBOX AREA, MY MOTHER (93 YEARS OLD BUT IN GOOD HEALTH) STARTED UP HER CAR, HEARD A LOUD ROARING NOISE, THOUGHT IT WAS AN AIRPLANE FLYING LOW OVERHEAD (IT WAS HER CAR ENGINE), AND PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO EXIT HER PARKING SPACE. WITH THE THROTTLE JAMMED FOR SOME REASON, THE CAR TOOK OFF VERY FAST IN REVERSE IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER, CIRCLED AROUND SEVERAL TIMES OVER CURBS, GRASSY AREAS, SIDE SWIPED A SIGN POLE, AND CAME TO A STOP FINALLY AFTER BACKING (CRASHING) INTO ANTHER CONDO UNIT ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE SHE LIVES. OBVIOUSLY SHE WAS VERY SCARED AFTER THIS VERY FAST UNCONTROLLED BACKWARD RIDE, BUT HAPPY TO FIND THAT SHE HAD NOT BEEN INJURED, OR THAT SHE HAD NOT HIT ANOTHER CAR OR PERSON. THE CAR (2002 CAMRY) WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL WEEKS (BODY AND MECHANICAL SUSPENSION PARTS) AND CHECKED OVER. NO OBVIOUS REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE THROTTLE JAM WAS FOUND. SHE DID HAVE AN EXTRA FLOOR MAT ON TOP OF OEM MAT TO BETTER PROTECT FROM WEAR AND WET WEATHER. SHE SAID SHE DID LOOK LATER TO SEE IF THE FLOOR MAT HAD GOTTEN OUT OF PLACE TO HAVE CAUSED THE INCIDENT, BUT IT DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE MOVED OUT OF PLACE ENOUGH TO HAVE CAUSED THE INCIDENT. FORTUNATELY, THE THROTTLE JAM HAS NOT OCCURRED AGAIN. *TR

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10310598
Machine
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