# 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
> NHTSA complaint `847967` · 2011-03-21 · Toyota Motor Corporation
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** TOYOTA
- **Model:** HIGHLANDER
- **Year:** 2004
- **Manufacturer:** Toyota Motor Corporation
- **Component:** VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- **Miles at failure:** 41,845
- **Speed:** 15 mph
## Narrative
ON  FEBRUARY, 18, 2011 AT APPPROXIMATELY 1:30 P.M. I GOT INTO MY 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, WHICH WAS PARKED IN A PRIVATE PARKING LOT AT 1 MEETINGHOUSE RD. IN CHELMSFORD, MA. I TURNED THE KEY ON, STARTED THE CAR, AND PUT THE GEAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE. AS I TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WITH MY RIGHT FOOT, THE CAR ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY AT A SPEED THAT DID NOT CORRESPOND WITH THE PRESSURE I HAD PUT ON THE PEDAL. I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO BACK OUT IN A COUNTERCLOCKWISE DIRECTION, AND WITHIN NO MORE THAN 4 SECONDS, THE CAR CRASHED INTO A BUILDING APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET FROM WHERE THE CAR WAS INITIALLY PARKED. THE CAR WAS TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE TO MY EFFORTS TO BRAKE SUBSEQUENT TO THIS SUDDEN AND INEXPLICABLE  ACCELERATION. I'M LUCKY I WASN'T KILLED, BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.  *TR
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*