WITH THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE REVED IMMEDIATELY TO AROUND 6000 RPM WHEN STARTED. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE WITHOUT SHIFTING OUT OF PARK, GOT OUT OF THE CAR, AND VISUALLY CHECKED THE FLOORMAT. IT WAS NOT TOUCHING THE THROTTLE PEDAL AND THE THROTTLE PEDAL DID NOT APPEAR TO BE DEPRESSED. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1 MINUTE I STARTED THE ENGINE A SECOND TIME AND THE SAME THING OCCURRED. I THEN WAITED APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES, PUMPED THE THROTTLE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES, THEN STARTED THE VEHICLE A THIRD TIME. THIS TIME THE VEHICLE STARTED NORMALLY (ENGINE IDLING). I THEN DROVE HOME WITHOUT FURTHER REVING ISSUES AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY REOCCURENCE SINCE THE INCIDENT DATE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE THE NEXT DAY AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A FLOORMAT ISSUE, AND MY DRIVERSIDE FLOORMAT WAS REMOVED BY THE DEALERSHIP. I DISAGREE WITH THIS ASSESSMENT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT BEFORE I HAD THE REVING ISSUE UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, MY LAST INTERACTION WITH THE VEHICLE WAS TO HAVE MY FOOT COMPLETELY OFF THE GAS PEDAL AS I WAS STEERING THE CAR INTO A PARKING SPACE, WHEN I WAS USING ONLY THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MODERATE MY SPEED, WITH NO THROTTLE PEDAL PRESSURE BEING APPLIED BY ME, AND WITH THE ENGINE IDLING, AS IS NORMAL. DO NOT SEE HOW THIS COULD BE A RESIDUAL STUCK THROTTLE PEDAL ISSUE WHEN I RETURNED TO MY AUTOMOBLE AND STARTED THE ENGINE TO DRIVE AWAY. THE ONLY OTHER FACTOR WHICH MAY (OR MAY NOT) BE RELEVENT WAS THAT WHEN I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AFTER PARKING, I DID NOT FIRST TURN THE RADIO OFF, WHICH I USUALLY DO. I BELIEVE I WAS TUNED TO A SATELLITE STATION AT THAT TIME (XM). *TR
2007
STEERING
POPPING AND CLUNKING SOUND AND FEEL IN STEERING WHEEL NOTICEABLE MORE AT LOW SPEEDS. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND ONE THAT TOYOTA IS FULLY AWARE OF TO THE POINT OF ISSUING SERVICE BULLETIN IN 2008 ADDRESSING THE CONCERN. THE SOLUTION IS A RE-DESIGN OF THE COLUMN COMPONENTS. THIS INFORMATION WAS NOT PASSED ON TO VEHICLE OWNERS AS APPARENTLY TOYOTA REALIZED MANY FAILURES WOULD OCCUR OR BE NOTICED BEYOND THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS DESERVES A RECALL. A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW IN A SAFETY COMPONENT SHOULD NOT COST THE CONSUMER $700 TO $1000 TO REPAIR. NOR SHOULD IT TAKE A NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS OR LOSS OF ONE LIFE BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN. *TR
