2018 Toyota Prius

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while in bumper-to-bumper traffic, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The brake pedal was applied but failed to respond. The driver crashed into the front passenger side of the Lexus. The vehicle continuously moved forward. The contact was eventually able to pull over safely. The pre-collision malfunction warning light illuminated. The brake malfunction light was flashing. The air bags did not deploy. There was no reported fire or injury. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who could not determine the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was then towed to an autobody center where it remained. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 39,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND CRASHED INTO A SECOND PARKED VEHICLE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER DCH TOYOTA (1504 US HWY 1 NORTH BRUNSWICK NJ) BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.

I STARTED MY CAR, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND BEGAN TO MAKE A U TURN OUT OF A PARKING LOT WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. I HAD THREE TURNS I HAD TO MAKE IN QUICK SUCCESSION (U TURN, LEFT ON PUBLIC DRIVEWAY, RIGHT ON MAIN ROAD) TO GET ON TO THE MAIN ROAD, AND I DID THIS AT BREAK NECK SPEED. BY THE SECOND TURN I WAS GIVING ALL MY STRENGTH TO TRYING TO GET THE BRAKE TO WORK, UNSUCCESSFULLY (LOCKED), AND WAS FULLY FOCUSSED ON TURNING THE CAR SAFELY TO SAVE MY LIFE AT SUCH HIGH SPEED. MY TIRES SQUEALED ON THE THIRD TURN AND MY CELL PHONE FLEW THROUGH THE AIR. I COULD NOT MAKE A TIGHT RIGHT TURN SO MADE MY TURN IN TO THE LEFT LANE (PROUD OF MY DRIVING SUCCESS GIVEN THE SPEED). ONCE I NAVIGATED THE TURNS THE CAR SLOWED DOWN AND BRAKES WORKED AS NORMAL. THIS ALL HAPPENED IN AROUND 20 SECONDS I'D GUESS, AND LESS THAN 1/4 MILE I THINK. JUST FORTUNATE THERE WERE NO CARS COMING IN EITHER DIRECTION. I AM ALIVE TO TELL THIS STORY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALER AND AM AWAITING TO HEAR WHAT THE HAVE TO SAY. I AM PETRIFIED AT THE THOUGHT OF GETTING BACK IN TO THAT CAR.