2003 Toyota Avalon Speed Control & Cruise Problems

CAR WAS IDLING IN PARK, PLACED SHIFT INTO REVERSE, CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD WITH MOTOR RACING INTO A BENCH, DESTROYING IT. JAMMED SHIFT BACK INTO PARK SHUT OFF MOTOR. RESTARTED CAR. PLACE SHIFT IN REV AND BACKED OFF BENCH. CAR WORKED PROPERLY. HAD CAR TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE DRIVE GEAR IN AN EFFORT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD ON ITS OWN A SECOND TIME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THREE OTHER VEHICLES. M&M TIRE COMPANY OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 0458794831. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

TESTING THE SPEED

TESTING API

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY ACCELERATED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OR NOT. THE CONTACT AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 03/26/15 *LJ UPDATED 9/20/2017*CN

SUBMISSION FROM CONSTITUENT RE 2003 TOYOTA AVALON 4 DR-SD RE STICKY GAS PEDAL PROBLEM. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ON JULY 25, 2014, AS HIS WIFE WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. DESPITE PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW UNTIL IT MADE CONTACT WITH A LAMP POST. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE, THE CONSUMERS CONCERN.*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A GARAGE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.....UPDATED 07-10-13 *BF.

I WAS DRIVING INTO A PARKING SPACE ON THE SIDE OF A CONDO AND NEEDED TO PULL UP APPROXIMATELY 2 YARDS. I GENTLY PRESSED THE GAS PEDDLE AND THE CAR SHOT FORWARD, WENT OVER THE CURB, TRAVERSED SEVERAL FEET OF GRASS AND SLAMMED INTO THE CONDO PATIO BRICK WALL. I WAS STUNNED. HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS NOT HURT BUT THE WALL WAS DAMAGED IN THE AMOUNT OF $2500 FOR REPAIRS. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND, AGAIN, THE CAR SHOT BACKWARDS, EXTREMELY FAST. MY BRAKES WORKED SO I JUST MISSED SLAMMING INTO THE CARS BEHIND ME IN THE PARKING LOT. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND SAT THERE. THEN STARTED IT AGAIN AND IT BEHAVED NORMALLY. NEEDLESS TO SAY, NOW I AM FRIGHTENED OF MY CAR AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. *TR

AS I WAS BACKING OUT FROM A SPACE IN A PARKING LOT, MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND I HAD A HARD TIME GETTING IT TO STOP WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE WHEELS WERE TURNED IN A SHARP LEFT POSITION. THE ENGINE SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS AT A HIGH REV. THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY CAR CRASHED INTO TWO CARS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT AISLE BEFORE COMING TO A HALT. THE WHOLE EVENT LASTED JUST A FEW SECONDS. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS INJURED. *TR

PARKED TOYOTA AVALON WAS STARTED, SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION OCCURRED. BRAKES INEFFECTIVE SO HIT PARKED CAR IN FRONT EXTREMELY HARD. TRIED TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL BUT IT SLIPPED INTO REVERSE AND HIT CAR PARKED BEHIND. FINALLY GOT INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF ENGINE. VERY, VERY SCARY. NO INJURIES, NO POLICE REPORT, NOTIFIED INSURANCE TO COVER DAMAGES TO CARS. WILL HAVE TOWED TO TOYOTA FOR INSPECTION. IF NOTHING FOUND, I WILL NOT DRIVE THIS CAR AGAIN. WITNESS SAID CAR "JUMPED UP AND ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLE". *JS

I HAVE AN ERRATIC ACCELERATION PROBLEM WITH MY 2003 TOYOTA AVALON CAR THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE WITH TOYOTA. THE CAR DOES NOT GO FORWARD WHEN I DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM STATIONERY POSITION. WHEN THE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED FURTHER, IT LURCHES FORWARD WITH A JOLT. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT IS NOTICEABLE MANY TIMES. I GOT MY CAR CHECKED BY THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT I GET THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY CLEANED. I GOT THIS WORK DONE. IT SEEMED TO HAVE IMPROVED FOR A WHILE BUT THE PROBLEM CAME BACK AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO SAME DEALERSHIP ON JAN 3, 2013 AND AGAIN ON APRIL 13, 2013 BUT THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM SINCE IT HAPPENS ERRATICALLY AND NOT ALL THE TIME. I INSISTED THAT THE PROBLEM DOES HAPPEN AND THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR ALMOST A DAY BUT COULD NOT REPLICATE IT. THIS HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ME ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING IN A STOP AND GO TYPE OF TRAFFIC. I HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER DATED APRIL 4, 2013 TO THE TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS IN CALIFORNIA BUT THEY TELL ME THAT THE VEHICLE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THIS PROBLEM IS SIMILAR TO THE ERRATIC ACCELERATION PROBLEMS REPORTED FOR OTHER TOYOTA CARS IN THE PRESS. I THINK TOYOTA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING IT AT THE EARLIEST SINCE IT IS BECOMING A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ME NOW.. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE BY LIGHTLY TAPPING ON THE BRAKES. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION IF THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED LESS THAN 1,000 MILES AGO BY THE DEALER PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,500. UPDATED 03/07/11*LJ UPDATED 05/02/11

THERE ARE TWO INCIDENTS WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 TOYOTA AVALON & THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED & I WAS UNABLE TO GET IT TO STOP. I HAVE DETAILED THE INCIDENTS BELOW: 12/3/2009- I, [XXX] , WAS DRIVING MY AVALON ON PORTAGE RD WHEN I HIT ANOTHER CAR IN THE RE & WAS PUSHED INTO ANOTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC & OVER AN EMBANKMENT & HIT ANOTHER CAR WHICH WAS PUSHED INTO 2 OTHER CARS. I WAS CITED FOR THE INCIDENT. I HAD TRIED TO PUT ON THE BRAKE BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THEREFORE & THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD WHICH CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. 2/23/10- ON THIS DATE I WAS LEAVING TO TAKE MY HUSBAND TO THE DOCTORS. I WAS AGAIN DRIVING MY 2004 TOYOTA AVALON, WE HAD BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE & WERE AT END OF THE DRIVEWAY, I WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE SNOW BANK ON RIGHT HAND SIDE SO I HAD TO PULL UP, AT THAT TIME I PUT THE CAR BACK INTO DRIVE TO PULL UP SOME & THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF & I COULD NOT STOP IT. MY HUSBAND WAS YELLING FOR ME TO HIT THE BRAKE BUT I COULDN'T GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP & WE RAN INTO OUR GARAGE DOOR & THE VEHICLE ENDED UP IN THE HOUSE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO DRIVE IN REVERSE OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED FROM NEUTRAL GEAR THEN TO DRIVE AND ALTHOUGH HIS FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INTO A BRICK WALL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT AND THE PASSENGER WERE BOTH INJURED AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND REQUESTED THAT THE VEHICLE BE INSPECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 53,809.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA AVALON. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH IN REVERSE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH BY DRIVING THE VEHICLE INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT HER REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,715. UPDATED 3/10/10 *CN UPDATED 06/11/10.*JB

PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY OF MY SINGLE FAMILY, CAR, 2003 AVALON, LURCHED FORWARD, JUMPED CURB AT END OF DRIVEWAY, AND HIT NEIGHBOR'S FENCE. I CANNOT EXPLAIN WHY THIS OCCURRED. FROM HABIT, I PULL INTO DRIVEWAY AT A SLOW SPEED, APPLY BRAKES AND PUT CAR INTO PARK. HOWEVER, FOR WHATEVER THE CAUSE OR REASON, CAR DID NOT COME TO A STOP. *TR

2003 TOYOTA AVALON XLE. APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS BEFORE PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA GAS PEDAL PROBLEM WAS MADE KNOWN, MY GAS PEDAL STUCK CAUSING AUTO TO ACCELERATE AND DIFFICULT TO STOP ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENT. *TR

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) WAS BRAKING TO PARK 2003 TOYOTA AVALON 4 DR SEDAN (VIN [XXX] ). IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND WENT THROUGH A FENCE AND LANDED IN CANAL #E4 IN LANTANA, FLORIDA ON DECEMBER 19, 2009. CAR HAD 63,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. NOTHING LIKE THIS EVER HAPPENED BEFORE. PARK LOT IS LOCATED AT 2810 HYPOLUXO RD. LANTANA FLORIDA. CAR WAS "TOTALED" BY GEICO INSURANCE CO. *TR

CAR ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN. THERE ARE NO FLOOR MATS IN DRIVER SIDE OF CAR. HAPPENED A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES SINCE 2005. MILEAGE ON FIRST OCCURRENCE ABOUT 30,000 ON LAST OCCURRENCE 70,000. *TR

AT 70MPH CAR WILL ACCELERATE APROX. 5MPH, THEN DROP BACK TO 70MPH UPON EXITING THE FREEWAY, THE CAR WOULD NOT DECELERATE LOWER THAN 40MPH. I APPLIED BRAKES, PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL, AND TURNED ENGINE OFF. UPON RESTARTING, OPERATION RETURNED TO NORMAL. THIS SAME DEFECT HAS OCCURRED TWICE. *TR