NHTSA complaint: 1999 TOYOTA AVALON — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
1999 TOYOTA AVALON. UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS AT A CAR WASH WHICH WAS NEARING THE END OF THE WAS ON THE CONVEYOR BELT WITH THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL GEAR AS REQUIRED. AT THE END OF THE WASH CYCLE, THE GREEN LIGHT CAME ON WHICH WAS HER SIGNAL TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND EASE OFF THE BELT ONTO THE LOT. AT THE GREEN LIGHT, THE CONSUMER PUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO CHANGE THE GEAR FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE. ONCE IN DRIVE GEAR, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND INSTANTLY ACCELERATED AT A TREMENDOUSLY HIGH SPEED. THE CONSUMER STOMPED ON THE BRAKES CONTINUOUSLY WITH NO RESULT. THE VEHICLE CROSSED THE EAST SIDEWALK AND THREE EMPTY SOUTHBOUND LANES. IT THEN COLLIDED INTO THE THREE NORTHBOUND-LANE CARS; CROSSED THE WEST SIDEWALK AND CRASHED THROUGH A SIX FOOT COMMERCIAL CHAIN LINK FENCE; HIT A PARKED PICK UP TRUCK AND CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE WALL WAS THE FINAL OBJECT THAT STOPPED THE VEHICLE WHICH HAD MAINTAINED EXCESSIVE SPEED. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT A STRONG SMELL OF GAS. *JB
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation