ON 8-14-2011 MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR RAV4. WE HAD JUST LEFT A RESIDENTIAL HOUSE AND HAD BEEN DRIVING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH (MAXIMUM). AS WE APPROACHED THE RED STOPLIGHT AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD EXIT, HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO GRADUALLY COME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN MOVING AT LESS THAN 5 MILES PER HOUR. WHEN HE PUSHED HIS FOOT MORE FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE STARTING RACING WILDLY. HE THEN PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. WHEN HE RESTARTED THE CAR EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. A VISUAL INSPECTION VERIFIED THAT THE FLOOR MAT WAS NOWHERE NEAR THE GAS PEDAL AND THE GAS PEDAL MOVED PERFECTLY (NOT STUCK). CONSIDERING THE CIRCUMSTANCES, I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT EITHER THE FLOOR MAT OR A STUCK GAS PEDAL CAUSED THIS ACCELERATION. FORTUNATELY (AT LEAST THIS TIME), THE WARNINGS FROM TOYOTA AND DISCUSSIONS ON THE INTERNET HAD MENTALLY PREPARED US TO SAFELY RESPOND IN THE EVENT THAT THIS TYPE OF SITUATION OCCURRED, BUT IF AN UNINFORMED DRIVER HAD BEEN DRIVING THE CAR, IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE SLAMMED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM. *TR
2011
SERVICE BRAKES
THERE IS IN ADEQUATE SPACING BETWEEN THE ACCELRATOR AND THE BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE. I DRIVE 80 MILES A DAY, AND I HAVE TO ANGLE SO THAT I DON'T HIT THE TOP OF THE BREAK WHEN LIFTING IT OFF THE ACCELERATOR. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. ALSO, THE BRAKES DON'T WORK THAT WELL, THEY'RE NOT STABLE. *TR
