NHTSA complaint: 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY THAT EXPERIENCED THE SAME UNEXPLAINABLE ACCELERATION BEING AIRED ON TELEVISION NEWSCASTS ONLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. AS I WAS DRIVING IN FRONT OF A POPULAR SHOPPING AREA MY CAR ACCELERATED AT AN ALARMING SPEED. IT FELT LIKE A JET. I QUICKLY ATTEMPTED TO PRESS ON MY FOOT BRAKE AND EVEN TRIED THE HAND BRAKE. THE CAR CEASED TO STOP. THE CAR CROSSED A MAJOR INTERSECTION AND DANGEROUSLY ENTERED A BUSY PARKING LOT AT A POPULAR MALL. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO DODGE PEDESTRIANS, MOVING AND PARKED CARS UNTIL I TURNED SUDDENLY AND CRASHED INTO THE MEDIAN THAT DIVIDED THE PARKING ROWS IN THE PARKING LOT. ON-LOOKERS CAME TO CHECK ON ME AND SPOKE OF HOW THE BACK TIRES WERE SMOKING BECAUSE MY CAR WAS GOING SO FAST. SHAKEN UP, MY PASSENGER AND I CALLED FAMILY MEMBERS WHO RUSHED TO THE SCENE AND PROCEEDED TO CALL A TOW COMPANY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS CLEARLY NOT CAPABLE OF BEING DRIVEN. THE FRONT WHEEL AXLE WAS BENT, AND THERE WAS MUCH DAMAGE TO THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL AREA DUE TO THE ANGLE OF THE CRASH. THANKFULLY, NEITHER MY PASSENGER NOR I WERE INJURED, BUT VERY SHAKEN UP. ONCE THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A NEARBY SERVICE CENTER, THEY WERE ABLE TO SURMISE THAT THE CAR WAS A BIT MANGLED AND REQUIRED PARTS NOT READILY AVAILABLE IN HILO, HAWAII. THE ESTIMATE TO REPAIR THE CAR EXCEEDED $3,000. I CONTACTED MY CAR INSURANCE CARRIER TO REPORT THE INCIDENT. NEARLY ONE MONTH LATER, THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. MY DAUGHTER TOOK THE CAR TO A TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER AND ASKED
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation