2001 Toyota Sienna

I HAD JUST DROPPED MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER OFF AT SCHOOL AND AS I WAS LEAVING I HAD TO STOP BECAUSE SOME CHILDREN WITH THEIR PARENTS NEEDED TO CROSS IN FRONT OF ME I APPLIED MY BRAKES AS NORMAL AND I HAD NO ISSUES IN STOPPING BUT THEN IT FEELS LIKE A "GHOST" PUSHES THE GAS PEDAL DOWN BECAUSE I CAN FEEL IT MOVE AND SEE MY RPM GAUGE GO UP AND I HEAR MY ENGINE "VRRRROOOMMMM" I PUSHED MY BRAKES HARDER AND STILL NOTHING, THE END RESULTS ME HAVING TO PUT MY CAR INTO PARK TO KEEP IT FROM MOVING INTO THE CROSSWALK ONTO THE PEOPLE. WHEN I GET HOME IT DOES THE SAME THING AND I ALMOST CRASH INTO MY GARAGE BECAUSE THE CAR IS ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND AGAIN. IT WOULD ALWAYS HAPPEN AT RANDOM, AFTER I WOULD LET GO OF THE BRAKES ITS ALREADY MOVING FAST AS IF MY FOOT IS ON THE GAS, I SAY TO MY PASSENGER WHICH IS MY WIFE "LOOK THE VAN IS GOING ON IT'S OWN, I'M NOT EVEN PUSHING THE GAS" THE VAN WAS MOVING PRETTY FAST, BUT FAST ENOUGH FOR THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC FROM A STOP AND GO MOVEMENT. I NO LONGER DRIVE THE VAN BECAUSE I AM SCARED THAT I AM GOING TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON I EVEN HAD THE VAN CHECKED FOR CODES AND NOTHING CAME UP.

OUR 2001 TOYOTA SIENNA HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING GAS PEDAL PROBLEMS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. FROM A STOPPED POSITION, THE GAS PEDAL STICKS UNTIL EXCESSIVE PRESSURE IS APPLIED. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR FINALLY ENGAGES, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD. THIS PROBLEM MAKES THE VEHICLE FRIGHTENING TO DRIVE. THE FIRST TIME WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT (TOYOTA OF SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA) ABOUT THIS ISSUE WAS FEBRUARY 2008 (ODOMETER 101,112). THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD US THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT SERVICED THE THROTTLE BODY AND LUBRICATED THE EXPOSED THROTTLE CABLES. THE GAS PEDAL RESPONDED BETTER. IN NOVEMBER 2009 WE STARTED EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM AGAIN AND ON DECEMBER 10, 2009 WE TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT (ODOMETER 111,596). WE REQUESTED A SIMILAR SERVICE TO SEE IF IT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM BUT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CLAIMED TO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY HAD DONE ON THE PREVIOUS VISIT TO 'FIX' THE STICKY GAS PEDAL. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND WE TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME. WITHIN THE SAME DAY THE ACCELERATOR WAS STICKING. WE FELT UNSAFE DRIVING OUR TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE AND PARKED IT IN THE GARAGE FOR A MONTH UNTIL WE COULD TAKE IT BACK TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. ON JANUARY 11, 2010 WE BROUGHT IT BACK AND INSISTED THEY FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WE WERE ASSURED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL WITH OUR VEHICLE, PERHAPS JUST SOME CARBON BUILD UP ON THE THROTTLE BODY PLATE. WE DIDN'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOME AND LEFT IT AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE IT HAS REMAINED TO THIS DAY. ON JANUARY 21, 2010, TOYOTA ANNOUNCED A RECALL DUE TO A STICKING GAS PEDAL THAT, IN PART, DESCRIBES OUR ISSUE. OUR 2001 SIENNA IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. *TR

5 MONTHS AGO MY SON WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HE COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO STOP EVEN WHEN HE PUT ON THE BRAKE. WHEN I GOT THE CAR, I STARTED THE ENGINE AND IT LUNGED FORWARD, BUT I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE JUST RACED. I ULTIMATELY TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE TOOK IT SOMEWHERE ELSE WERE THEY REPAIRED THE PROBLEM AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS. MY CAR DID NOT HAVE ANY DRIVER SIDE FLOOR MATS IN IT. *TR

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS COMPLAINT. MY WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE NEARLY INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT YESTERDAY DUE TO SUDDEN UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION IN OUR MINIVAN. BEFORE YOU EVEN CONSIDER THAT IT MAY BE DRIVERS ERROR, AS EVIDENCED BY THE MYRIAD OF DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER ON THE INTERNET, THE PROBLEM WAS CONFIRMED BY THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER AND ME; THE VAN CURRENTLY IS STUCK IN FULL ACCELERATION UPON STARTING---I TESTED THIS NUMEROUS TIMES YESTERDAY AND TODAY. THERE IS NO OBSTRUCTION TO THE THROTTLE CABLE, PEDAL, NOR A FLOOR MAT ISSUE. I HAVE CLEARLY CHECKED THESE ITEMS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE BUT APPARENTLY THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED/ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA OR NHTSA. THANKS. *TR

LEFT OUR HOME ABOUT 1045A. PUT VAN INTO "DRIVE" AFTER PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY IN REVERSE. UNABLE TO STOP WITH THE BRAKES AT STOP SIGN, APPROX 0.1 MILES FROM START. CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN, THROUGH THE STOP SIGN, THROUGH A RIGHT HAND TURN, THROUGH A LEFT HAND TURN. ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS "STUCK" AND COULD NOT GET IT LOOSE. BRAKES HAD NO EFFECT, INCLUDING ATTEMPTS AT EMERGENCY BRAKE USE. WENT UP A HILL HOPING TO SLOW THE VAN, BUT VAN INCREASED ACCELERATION. TREE WAS HIT WITH CENTER OF FRONT BUMPER. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ENGINE CONTINUED TO "REV" AFTER IMPACT. EXITED VEHICLE. RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPLODED, SEVERELY DAMAGING RIGHT FRONT QUARTER PANEL AREA/COMPONENTS. *TR