2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER CLUNK FELT AND HEARD WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND WHEN RELEASING THE BRAKES TO GO. AFTER RESEARCHING IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE DRIVESHAFT SLIP JOINT IN THE TOYOTA. THE LEXUS GX470 IS IDENTICAL YET LEXUS CUSTOMERS CAN HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED AND THERE IS A TSB ISSUED FOR THE LEXUS (L-SB-0116-08). *TR
2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS DRIVING EAST ON I-66 JUST A FEW MILES FROM I-495 IN FAIRLY HEAVY TRAFFIC AROUND 8:55AM ON MARCH 11, 2010. I WASTRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH IN THE RIGHT LANE WHEN MY 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER LIMITED SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD AS IF SOMEONE HAD STOMPED ON THE GAS PEDAL. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED BOTH FEET TO THE BRAKE AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKES BEGAN TO SHUDDER. THE SHUDDERING LASTED 2 TO 3 SECONDS AND THEN THE VEHICLE FINALLY REDUCED THROTTLE. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR TRAFFIC INCIDENT, BUT THE EXPERIENCE WAS QUITE UNNERVING. MY VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF ANY RECALL. I CALLED THE DEALER AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEXT DAY. I CONTINUED ON TO WORK DRIVNG WITH MY HAND ON THE SHIFTER AND I EVEN PRACTICED SHIFTING INTO NUETRAL. WHEN THE PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED, I DID NOT REMEMBER TO SHIFT INTO NUETRAL. EVERYTHING HAD HAPPENED SO FAST AND THE ACCELERATION WAS SO VIOLENT, MY ONLY INSTINCT WAS TO APPLY THE BRAKE DECISIVELY. I DROVE HOME VERY CAREFULLY THAT EVENING AND THEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT MORNING. MY ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT WAS FOR 1PM, BUT I THOUGHT IT WISER TO DRIVE THERE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT THE DEALERSHIP IS INSISTING THAT SUDDEN ACCELERATION IS NOT POSSIBLE ON MY VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME MY VEHICLE COULD NOT HAVE DONE WHAT I DESCRIBED. THIS IS VERY ALARMING TO ME BECAUSE IT HAPPENED, WHICH MEANS HE EITHER DOESN'T KNOW THE VEHICLE THAT WELL OR HE'S LYING. HE WAS NOT RUDE AND SEEMED VERY PROFESSIONAL, BUT HE WAS INSISITENT THAT MY VEHICLE COULD NOT SUDDENLT ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THE PUT THE VEHICEL THROUGH DIGNOSTIC TESTING AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS. HE ALSO ACTUALLY DROVE THE VEHICLE AND TESTED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE AND IT HAS 79K MILES ON IT. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANOTHER VEHICLE DO THIS. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF IT HAPPENED TO ME, IT COULD HAPPEN TO MY WIFE OR SOMEONE ELSE IN THIS VEHICLE OR PERHAPS ANOTHER. I FEEL I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO REPORT IT.
