2003 Toyota Corolla vehicle speed control problems

“My mother got in the car and as soon as the car was put on drive, the car accelerated to its max potential, but when she attempted to hit the brakes they did not respond. So max acceleration, on its own, and brakes did not work. She ended up in the hospital for 9 days suffering a broken rib, front teeth missing, they had to sew her tongue back together, both cheeks shattered, broken clavicle and she has a hole right under the back of her skull. Miraculously, after she flipped to the side and took out two trees, the third tree flipped her back to right side up, and stopped the vehicle completely.”

“My car is accelerating when my foot is off of the pedal and when in park, it is revving like I am pressing down on the gas pedal. I put it in reverse to test it to make sure I was experiencing what I just thought had happened. As soon as I put the gear in reverse, and released my foot from the break, the car spead down my driveway. I breaked, put gear in drive, and when I released my foot from the break pedal, again it sped up almost crashing into my house. When I put the car in park, the engine became louder as if I was pressing down on the gas pedal. I checked the pedals below. The rug or nothing else was near the pedal, as can happen at times. This morning I tested it out again on my way to work. It was a repeat of yesterday. The car is speeding up without me putting my foot on the drive pedal, by me simply lifting my foot of of the break. And when I park, it gets loud as if I am pressing on the gas pedal. This is very dangerous and I am afraid to drive my car until I can get it to a mechanic.”

“I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE STREET WHEN I GOT HIT BY A CAR TRAVELING OPPOSITE DIRECTION, PERSON HIT NE ON A GREEN LIGHT BUT BESUDES THAT MY SYSPENSION BRAKES AND TIRES NOT SITTING RIGHT, I ALSO I HEAR CHAINS THE CAR DOESNT DRIVE STRAIGHT AND CAR SEEMS LOPSIDED WHEN DRIVEN AND BREAKS SQUEEL”

“I WAS PARKING AT ABOUT 3 MPH, TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOWLY EASE THE CAR TO A STOP AT THE PARKING SPOT. THE VEHICLE JOLTED FORWARD AND ACCELERATED. I HIT A POLE AND THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED TERRIBLE FRONTEND DAMAGE. I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA AND IT IS OVER 188,000 MILES.”

“WE WERE PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. MY WIFE GOT INTO THE CAR, PUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO TAKE THE CAR OUT OF PARK, AND PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE. THE CAR ACCELERATED RAPIDLY BACKWARD WITH THE ENGINE REVVING AND NO EFFECT FROM THE BRAKES, AND HIT A POLE. WITH THE ENGINE STILL RACING, MY WIFE THEN PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, STILL WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND IT SPED FORWARD RUNNING INTO THE BACK OF A PICKUP TRUCK. THE ENGINE WAS RACING AND THERE WAS NO EFFECT WITH PUSHING ON THE BRAKE. THE PICKUP TRUCK WAS PUSHED FORWARD ABOUT A FOOT HITTING A GUARD RAIL IN THE FRONT OF THE PARKING SPACE.”

“MY 2003 TOYOTA CORROLA (ODOMETER READING APPROX. 230,000 MILES) NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM TILL THIS YEAR AROUND MARCH WHEN MY WIFE NOTICED THAT THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELARATED AND SHE COULDN'T REDUCE THE SPEED BY BRAKING. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY SUDDNELY AS IT CAME. THIS THING HAPPENED TWICE AFTERWARDS THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO SEARS AUTO CENTER, NATICK, MA AND THEY CLEANED A DIRTY THROTTLE. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY TILL THREE DAYS AGO THE PROBLEM CAME BACK. I WAS DRIVING THIS TIME IN BROAD DAYLIGHT WITH MEDIUM TRAFFIC. SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED ACCELARATING AND I COULDN'T REDUCE ACCELARATION BY BRAKING. I CLEARED THE FLOOR MAT AREA IN CASE THERE WAS ANY BLOCKAGE. BUT THERE WAS NONE, AND THE CAR KEPT ON ACCELARATING. IT SCARED THE WITS OUT OF ME, AND I HAD TO STOP THE CAR BY MOVING THE GEAR TO 'PARK'. I INTEND TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO SEARS AUTO. BUT, IT MAY BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM OF 'SUDDEN ACCELARATION AND FAILURE TO BRAKE' WITH MANY TOYOTA AUTOMOBILES.”