MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2005 TOYOTA WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE FRONT ENGINE HOOD AREA. THERE WERE NO TROUBLE LIGHTS SHOWING FOR THE ENGINE AT THE TIME, NOR WAS THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SHOWING A HIGH TEMPERATURE. SHE PULLED OVER AND FOUND THE GRILL AREA AND FRONT ENGINE HOOD WERE MELTING AND SCORTCHED. SHE CALLED POLICE / FIRE TO RESPOND TO THE SCENE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE FRONT HOOD, SINCE IT APPEARED THAT THE RELEASE CABLE HAD MELTED FROM THE EXTREME HEAT. THEY BENT THE HOOD UP TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE FIRE, AND THEN EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. *TR
2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
DT: 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER V6- THE CONSUMER DROVE OFF THE LOT ON JUNE 3, 2005; THE CRUISE CONTROL BEHAVED ERRATICALLY AND IT OFTEN FELT AS IF IT WAS ACCELERATING A COUPLE OF MILES BEHIND THE DESIRED SPEED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO PASS THIS TURKEY WHICH YIELDED DIFFERENT RESULTS. THERE IS SOMETIMES AWKWARD DOWN SHIFTING AND RAPID ACCELERATION WHICH IS PRECEDED BY HESITATION. THE CONSUMER APPROACHED A VILLAGE INTERSECTION, DOWNHILL WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE CONSUMER TOOK HIS FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE AND BEGAN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ONTO DESIRED STREET. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO APPLY A BIT OF GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO APPLY A BIT MORE GAS AND AGAIN NOTHING HAPPENED. THE THIRD TIME THE CONSUMER ADDED A BIT MORE GAS AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TOO FAST CAUSING THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S HEADS TO TIP BACK. THIS WAS A NARROW MAIN STREET IN A MAIN VILLAGE. THERE WERE LOTS OF POSSIBLE TARGETS, CARS/ KIDS BIKES, AND OTHERS. THEN THERE WAS THE UNANTICIPATED DOWN SHIFTING FOR BRAKING EFFECT THAT TIPPED HEADS FORWARD, BUT THAT WAS ANOTHER STORY FOR ANOTHER DAY, AND NOT QUITE AS ANNOYING OR NEARLY OF THE SAME CONCERN. THE DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER FIRST ASSERTED THAT THERE WERE NO ADJUSTMENTS ACCESSIBLE FOR THE MECHANICS. INABILITY TO DO SOMETHING. AFTER APPLYING MORE GAS AND VEHICLE HESITATION CONSUMER SEARCHED FOR A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) AND FOUND NONE. BUT FOUND ONE FROM JUNE 3, 2005 THAT RELATED TO RECALIBRATING OF THE TRANSMISSION. ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION OF EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN OR EARLIER TSBS. *AK *MR
