2003 Toyota Highlander

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK. HE DOWN-SHIFTED , THEN SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL, AND THEN APPLIED THE BRAKES. HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. DURING THE FAILURE, THE FLOOR MAT WAS NOT UNDER THE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS OPEN, WHICH COULD AFFECT THE SPEED. HOWEVER THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR LOCATE ANY DIAGNOSTIC ERROR CODES.. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,467.

THROTTLE STUCK OPEN AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE ON MY 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON RT 4 IN CALVERT COUNTY, MD. IT WAS NECESSARY TO WEAVE IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC UNTIL I COULD SAFELY GET OFF ROAD. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO NEAREST GARAGE. MECHANIC BLAMED THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY AND CLEANED. DROVE VEHICLE HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. THROTTLE AGAIN STUCK OPEN NEXT TIME I STARTED VEHICLE AND BEGAN TO DRIVE AWAY FROM HOUSE. I HAD THE TOWED VEHICLE TO BAYSIDE TOYOTA, PRINCE FREDERICK, MD WITH THROTTLE STILL STUCK OPEN FOR THEM TO SEE WHAT WAS OCCURRING. SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WAS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WHICH WAS BAD. REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $1,668.74. SERVICE MANAGER, WHO SUGGESTED MY FLOOR MAT MAY HAVE PUSHED DOWN THROTTLE BEFORE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED, SAID I WAS LUCKY TO GET THE CAR TO THE GARAGE SINCE THE WORN THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY MADE DRIVING DANGEROUS. I SENT A LETTER TO TOYOTA MOTOR SALES USA, INC, TORRANCE, CA ON 07/10/2009, AND EXPLAINED THE INCIDENT, THE POSSIBLE DANGEROUS RESULTS, AND THE HIGH COST OF REPAIR. TOYOTA RESPONDED WITH AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT DATED 07/25/2009, AND SAID I COULD CALL THEIR OFFICE IF INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING INCIDENT. I CALLED AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVE SAID THEY HAD NO RECORD OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS, AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO MANY YEARS AND MILES FOR A WARRANTY CONSIDERATION OF A CREDIT ON THE NEW THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS CONVERSATION RESULTED IN A RECORD BEING MADE SINCE I RECEIVED A DUPLICATE OF THE 07/25/2009 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LETTER IN 09/2009. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS UNAWARE OF THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY BEING A PROBLEM IN TOYOTA VEHICLES PRIOR TO THE REPAIR, AND I DID NOT REQUEST THE OLD PART BE RETURNED TO ME. I DO HAVE MY COPY OF CORRESPONDENCE TO TOYOTA AND THEIR ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT. *TR UPDATED 06/14/10. *JB

BACKING OUT OF GARAGE IN A HIGHLANDER AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY RACED W/O FOOT ON GAS PEDAL, CAUSING CONSUMER TO REACT BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. CONSUMER'S FOOT SLIPPED OFF BRAKE PEDAL AND LANDED ON THE ACCELERATOR RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE HITTING THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE. A 2003 CAMRY WAS SUPPLIED AS A RENTAL VEHICLE WHEN THE HIGHLANDER WASTAKEN FOR REPAIR. WHILE USING THE CAMRY, THE CONSUMER WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKE FOR A STOP SIGN AND INADVERTENTLY APPLIED BOTH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CONSUMER RAISED HIS FOOT THEN REAPPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL (ONLY) AND WAS ABLE TO STOP BEFORE ENTERING THE INTERSECTION.