2025 Toyota RAV4 PLUG-IN Hybrid

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid. The contact stated that while attempting to shift from drive(D) to park(P) in a parking spot with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and struck a tree. The contact stated that the passenger simultaneously opened the passenger’s side door but still had the seat belt buckled. While attempting to exit the vehicle, the vehicle crashed into a tree, where it came to a stop. The passenger sustained head and shoulder injuries. Medical attention was required. A Police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and suggested that a technician would be sent to read the Event Data Recorder. The failure mileage was 75,000.

On XXX; I drove to [XXX] from [XXX], with a friend for a luncheon. I pulled into the restaurant parking lot to park my car. It was a sunny day and the parking lot was paved. I made a right turn into a parking space, I was applying the brakes and coasting into the space. I was about 1/3 of the way into the space when I felt the loss of brake tension. Then the car revs loudly; suddenly and unexpectedly the car accelerates forward as I was still pressing down on the brakes. I pushed the brakes as hard as I could until the car stopped, but not until it had jumped a small curb, onto the dirt and bushes in front of the parking space. I stopped the car before it hit a fence behind the bushes. The impact bent my license plate but no other damage to the car was noted even though the front end of the car was more than halfway in the bushes. There were skid marks noted on the parking lot pavement from my car . I had held the steering wheel so tight that I tweaked my right wrist which is now sore. Had there been a solid wall facing us we could have been killed. I called SF Toyota to explain what had happened and to ask if they knew anything about the unexpected engine acceleration and brake failure. Their response was vague and they really didn't know. They did not ask that I bring the vehicle in for inspection; nor did they state that I should not drive it. After lunch, with much hesitation, I drove my friend and I back to [XXX]. The car was not driven again until the next morning when I took it to the Service Dept. of SF Toyota. On XXX SF Toyota advised they are awaiting vehicle inspection from a corporate Toyota representative. Toyota Corp. has assigned the incident Case Nos. XXX and XXX. I have asked both Toyota Corp. and SF Toyota for a free loaner. They will not grant this pending their investigation. No warning lamps, messages, etc. appeared. I do not know when Toyota Corp. will send their rep. No ETA for repairs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)