2007 Toyota RAV4 Speed Control & Cruise Problems

I HAVE OWNED A 2007 TOYOTA RAV 4 FOR 10 YEARS. I WAS LEAVING A DELAWARE, OHIO, HOSPITAL PARKING LOT, BACKING OUT SLOWLY, MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE ROARED AND I SHOT BACKWARD, SMASHING INTO THE CAR PARKED BEHIND WHERE MY CAR HAD BEEN. THE CAR I HIT WAS SOMEWHAT DAMAGED IN THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE FENDER. THE IMPACT SHOVED IT OUT OF ITS SPACE AND ALMOST INTO A SMALL TRUCK TO THE RIGHT. MY CAR'S REAR WINDSHIELD SHATTERED AND THE RIGHT BACK BUMPER AND SIDE WERE CRUMPLED. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME. THE FIRST TIME, I AGAIN WAS BACKING FROM A TIGHT SPOT, THIS TIME TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, WHEN THE ENGINE ROARED AND THE CAR LURCHED BACKWARD. THAT TIME, I HIT NOTHING. IT HAPPENED ANOTHER TIME WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS BACKING, AGAIN FROM A TIGHT SPOT WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL. BACK AT THE HOSPITAL LOT. I INFORMED THE FRONT DESK EMPLOYEE, WHO INFORMED THE OHIOHEALTH HOSPITAL POLICE. TWO OFFICERS REPORTED, TOOK MY INFORMATION AND BEGAN SEARCHING FOR THE OTHER CAR'S OWNER. I ALSO CALLED THE CITY POLICE; AN OFFICER CAME BUT LEFT AFTER CONFERRING WITH OHIOHEALTH'S POLICE. I THEN TOOK THE CAR DIRECTLY TO MY LOCAL INSURANCE AGENT, WHO CONNECTED ME WITH A CLAIMS ADJUSTER. AT FIRST I THEORIZED THAT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE MUST HAVE PIVOTED SLIGHTLY AS I TURNED IN MY SEAT TO ENSURE I COULD BACK SAFELY. MY FOOT MUST HAVE PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. PRESSED WITH CONSIDERABLE POWER, GIVEN THE CAR'S BACKWARD LEAP. NOV. 8 I TESTED THIS THEORY ON MY DRIVEWAY, AND SAW IMMEDIATELY IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. I WOULD HAVE HAD TO LIFT MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE DELIBERATELY TO PRESS THE GAS FIRMLY. THIS CAR'S REGULAR MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE AT THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. MY CAR WAS NOT AMONG THOSE RECALLED FOR SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEMS, BUT I BELIEVE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THE CAR IS REGISTERED IN MY HUSBAND'S NAME, (XXXXX). PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

I WAS TURNING MY 2007 TOYOTA RAV4 SOUTH ONTO INTERSTATE 182 TO HEAD EAST, THE CAR SUDDEN OUT OF MY CONTROL AND WENT OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER AT 5:49 PM AT 5/8/17. TWO PASSENGERS WERE HURT.

CAR HAD BEEN USING EXCESSIVE OIL.WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE, CRUISE CONTROL FAILED ,WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON , STARTED FLASHING AND THEN CAR QUICKLY LOST ALL POWER. BARELY GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE OF INTERSTATE. VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION EXISTS WITH THESE VEHICLES. I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY.

APRIL, 2015 TOOK RAV4 IN FOR RECALLS. AFTER RECEIVING THE VEHICLE BACK PERIODICALLY IT WOULD FAIL TO ACCELERATE. I THOUGHT THE COMPUTER WOULD MAYBE ADJUST ITSELF. IT DIDN'T. IT PERIODICALLY STALLS OR FAILS TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN RUN OVER SEVERAL TIMES. CALLED TOYOTA OF DENTON TODAY. THEY DENIED THAT ANYTHING THEY DID WOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT, EVEN THOUGH WE DROVE THE VEHICLE 60K MILES AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. I HAVE TWO TOYOTAS AND DENIAL OF A PROBLEM IS FIRST ON THE LIST IT SEEMS. THIS DRIVE BY WIRE SHOULD BE OUTLAWED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS SHORTENED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM ON 11/10/2014 WHEN APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT. THE RAV4 TOOK LONGER THAN NORMAL TO COME TO A STOP WITH GREATER FORCE REQUIRED TO STOP. ONCE FULLY STOPPED, THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING WITH LOW RPM'S (~500) AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON ALONG WITH VSC AND TRAC LIGHTS. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME, BUT EXPERIENCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AT EVERY STOP LIGHT / STOP SIGN. CONTACTED TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN TUCSON IMMEDIATELY AND SCHEDULED EMERGENCY SERVICE FOR THE NEXT MORNING. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM WITH TWO ERROR CODES (P0171 AND P0174 - LEAN AIR/FUEL MIX). WAS TOLD THEY SUSPECTED A BAD TANK OF GAS. TOYOTA ADDRESSED ONE OPEN RECALL (SERVICE CAMPAIGN BST - REFLASH BRAKE CONTROL COMPUTER) ON MY VEHICLE BUT DID NOT INVESTIGATE THE ERROR CODES, ONLY CLEARED THEM. THE FOLLOWING DAY WHILE DRIVING HOME, THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED. ALMOST NO BRAKE PRESSURE AND BARELY ABLE TO STOP. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC, AND TRAC LIGHTS ALL ILLUMINATED AGAIN. LOW IDLE SPEED AS WELL. CONTACTED A DIFFERENT LOCAL MECHANIC FOR A SECOND OPINION. WAS INFORMED THE BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO DAMAGE IN THE DIAPHRAGM CAUSING LOSS OF VACUUM PRESSURE (WHICH HELPED EXPLAIN THE TWO ERROR CODES RELATED TO LEAN AIR/FUEL MIX). TOTAL REPAIR BILL OVER $1000. JUST LUCKY NOBODY WAS INJURED DUE TO FAILING BRAKE SYSTEM ON TOYOTA'S PART. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED WHEN IT SUDDENLY AND ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED FORWARD, CRASHING INTO THE REAR OF A SECOND VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD ALSO OCCURRED ON A PREVIOUS OCCASION. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

THE ACCELERATOR STUCK WHILE BRAKING CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE FORWARD. *JS

I HAVE JUST EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE AND IT DIDN'T WANT TO STOP. I ENDED UP BUMPING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AS I CONTINUED TO BRAKE. THE ENGINE WAS STILL SURGING AND WOULDN'T GO INTO REVERSE. I CALLED MOUNTAIN STATES TOYOTA HERE IN DENVER AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEMS TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. THE SERVICE MANAGER, OF COURSE, IS TELLING ME THAT IF THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE IT AND IT IS NOT SHOWING ERROR CODES(WHICH IT ISN'T) THERE ISN'T ANYTHING THEY CAN DO. I TOLD HIM I WANTED THE ACCELERATION SYSTEM THOROUGHLY INSPECTED...WHICH HE WANTS TO CHARGE ME FOR UNLESS THEY DO FIND AN ISSUE. BY WHAT I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET, IT IS USELESS TO TAKE IT IN AS TOYOTA IS IGNORING THE ISSUE, THINKING THEY FIXED IT WITH THE FLOOR MATS. I HAD THE FLOOR MATS REPLACED ON THAT RECALL WELL BEFORE THIS ISSUE CAME UP. I HAVE ALSO HAD MANY EXPERIENCES WITH THE ENGINE SURGING AND HESITATING WITH THE TACH SHOWING THE SURGE. IT IS INTERMITTENT AND CANNOT BE REPRODUCED, BUT IT IS GETTING WORSE OVER TIME. I NOW BELIEVE THAT THIS IS RELATED TO THE ACCELERATION ISSUE I DESCRIBED ABOVE. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT NOW AS IT COULD HAPPEN ON A BUSY STREET AND REALLY HURT SOMEONE AND ME. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING HOME, THE CHECK ENGINE, THE TRAC AND VSC LIGHTS ALL CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. I ALSO HEARD A HISSING NOISE WHEN I PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKES. I WENT TO A MECHANIC TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE, BUT IT WAS LATE IN THE DAY AND EVERYONE WAS CLOSING. HE TOLD ME IT SOUNDED LIKE A VACUUM LEAK IN THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND TO BRING IT BACK FIRST THING MONDAY (HE SEEMED TO THINK IT'D BE OKAY TO DRIVE OVER THE WEEKEND). ON THE DRIVE HOME THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND THERE WERE A FEW TIMES WHERE I WAS AFRAID I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AT ALL. IT WAS QUITE SCARY! I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS I COULD AND THEN IT FINALLY GRABBED, THE CAR JERKED, AND THE SEAT BELTS TIGHTENED UP AROUND ME. I WORKED TODAY (SATURDAY) AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO AND FROM WORK, ONLY NOW I AM USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO SLOW THE CAR AND I PUT IT IN PARK AT STOP LIGHTS. MY NEXT TRIP WILL BE STRAIGHT TO A MECHANIC! IT SEEMS IT IS NOT COMMON FOR BRAKE BOOSTERS TO FAIL AND I AM LEARNING THAT OTHER TOYOTA RAV4 OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, SEVERAL ENDING IN ACCIDENTS. THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA, AS IT IS A HUGE SAFELY ISSUE, AND POSSIBLY BE CAUSE FOR A RECALL. *TR

THE CAR SPUTTERS AS THOUGH IT WILL STALL OR BREAK DOWN. THIS OCCURS DURING ACCELERATION. IT IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING UP A HILL, BUT IT OCCURS RANDOMLY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 5/9/13 *CN UPDATED 05/24/2013 *JS

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR 2007 TOYOTA RAV 4 OUT OF A TOLLBOOTH AREA AND ACCELERATING NORMALLY, WHEN THE CAR STARTED RAPIDLY ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. HE STEPPED HARD ON THE BRAKES BUT COULD NOT GET THE CAR BELOW 40 MPH. HE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND GRADUALLY THE CAR SLOWED AND HE MOVED TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. HE REMOVED THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION, AND THE VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED. THE ENTIRE INCIDENT FROM START TO FINISH HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT 3 MILES OF HIGHWAY. HE GAVE A FULL ACCOUNT OF THIS TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. THEY DID NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT WAS NOT DUE TO FLOOR MATS. THE CAR'S BRAKES--BOTH PADS AND ROTORS--WERE DESTROYED DURING THE INCIDENT. WE WERE NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING IT AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP BROUGHT BACK THE CAR BACK FROM US AT KELLY BLUE BOOK VALUE. *TR

ON JAN 9, 2013 WHILE BRAKING IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP FOR A STOP SIGN, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK CAUSING THE CAR TO ACCELERATE THROUGH THE STOP SIGN. AS I CONTINUED TO BREAK WHILE TURNING LEFT, THE CAR FINALLY CAME UNDER CONTROL. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO CARS APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION IN EITHER DIRECTION NOR WERE THERE ANY POLICE PRESENT. THE FLOOR MAT WAS PROPERLY HOOKED IN PLACE. THE PEDAL HAD BEEN ADJUSTED ON JULY 7, 2011 BY ANDERSON TOYOTA OF RALEIGH, NC IN ACCORDANCE WITH TOYOTA'S RECALL AT THAT TIME.. THE NEXT DAY, JAN 10, 2013 I LEFT THE CAR WITH ANDERSON FOR REPAIR. (CASE # TAI30110070) ON JAN 17, 2013 I WAS INFORMED THAT KEVIN PILOTTE A TOYOTA TECHNICAL REP CLEARED THE CAR FOR RETURN TO ME. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE CAR TO MY KNOWLEDGE. I WAS INFORMED BY ANDERSON'S SERVICE MGR THAT THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY COULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED BUT THAT THIS WAS NOT AUTHORIZED BY THE REP. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY AT SOME POINT BY TOYOTA. PRIOR TO THE 2011 RECALL, I EXPERIENCED ONE SIMILAR INCIDENCE WITH THE PEDAL BUT DID NOT REPORT IT BECAUSE I RECEIVED THE RECALL PROCEDURE WHICH I THOUGHT TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEM. SINCE I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM TWICE SINCE 2007, OBVIOUSLY IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM BUT AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS ONE THAT CAN CAUSE INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. I WILL APPRECIATE WHATEVER NHTSA CAN DO TO INFLUENCE TOYOTA TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATE REPAIR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I WAS WAITING AT A STOP WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE. SUDDENLY, WITH NO INPUT FROM ME, THE ENGINE ACCELERATED. ADDING MORE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE I WAS UNABLE TO KEEP IT FROM MOVING FORWARD. WITH FULL PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE SLOWLY MOVED INTO THE REAR PANEL OF A CAR IN FRONT OF ME, DOING FENDER DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN THE 5 YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE, THAT IT HAS SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I'VE HAD IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER TWICE, AND BOTH TIMES THEY INFERRED THAT IT WAS MY ERROR. I KNOW THAT EACH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, I WAS NOT MOVING, AND HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN THE CAR'S ENGINE BEGAN TO REV UP WITH NO ACTION TAKEN MY ME. SOMETHING IS DANGEROUSLY WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKES DID NOT FAIL AND THERE WERE EXTENSIVE DAMAGES TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE POLICE WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO SENT A REPRESENTATIVE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINEER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING AS DESIGN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY ACCELERATOR OPENED TO FULL THROTTLE. I HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE STRONGLY FOR BETWEEN 10 AND 15 SECONDS UNTIL THE ACCELERATOR CLICKED OFF. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON, BUT IT WAS NOT SET. THE PEDAL WAS WELL CLEAR OF THE FLOOR MAT, AND LOOKING DOWN DURING THE INCIDENT I COULD SEE THAT IT WAS CLEAR OF ANY OBJECTS. IT WAS A TERRIFYING EVENT. UPON NOTIFYING A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, THEY TESTED THE VEHICLE AND CLAIMED THEY DID NOT DISCOVER WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. *TR

AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, ENGINE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT PUSHING ON THE GAS PEDAL. THIS WAS AFTER THE RECALL FOR THE FLOOR MATS. THE ACCELERATION HAD ENOUGH "G" FORCE TO PIN THE OCCUPANTS BACK IN THEIR SEATS. DRIVER WAS FORTUNATE THAT NO TRAFFIC WAS AHEAD. RAPID ACCELERATION APPEARED TO STOP AFTER PUSHING ON THE GAS PEDAL. TOYOTA APPEARS TO ATTRIBUTE ALL THESE INCIDENTS TO THE FLOOR MATS. AN ACCELERATION THAT PINS YOU BACK IN THE SEAT --FLOOR MAT DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH DENSITY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE 2 YEARS WE HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE. MOST OCCURRENCES HAVE BEEN MORE SUBTLE THAN THE ONE DESCRIBED HERE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:11V113000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL). SINCE THE RECALL REPAIR, THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO REACH THE PEDAL BECAUSE THE PEDAL WAS MODIFIED TOO SHORT, RESULTING IN THE CONTACT'S FOOT SLIPPING FROM THE PEDAL. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED AND ADVISED TO THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD ORDER A NEW PEDAL, BUT THE PEDAL WOULD BE THE SAME SIZE AS THE PEDAL THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY RECALLED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,127 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,277.