2012 Toyota RAV4 Speed Control & Cruise Problems

Over the last several years, I have experienced a minimum of four, possibly one or two more, incidents of this vehicle accelerating at a high rate while I have had my foot on the brake. In all of these cases, I was braking to come to a stop - braking quickly and hard in a couple cases. While braking and slowing, my engine revved/accelerated at a very high rate. In all of these incidents, I changed gears to neutral, and the acceleration stopped. These incidents were random and very far apart from one another in terms of time. In all cases, my foot was firmly (and only) on the brake pedal, and my floor mat was in the proper position and secure. There was nothing in contact with the acceleration pedal. On Monday, March 10, 2025, I got into my car in our garage to go to work. The car started normally. When I put my car into reverse, the engine started revving/accelerating at a very high rate and it was lurching, like it was trying to move. Luckily, my foot was firmly on the brake, and the brake held. I quickly put the car back into park, and the engine began revving/accelerating at an even higher rate. I then turned the car off. Again, I checked my floor mat, and it was in place and secured, my foot was only on the brake pedal, and there was nothing touching the acceleration pedal. This was a frightening experience, and at that point I decided that I would never drive this car again. If I did not have my brake firmly engaged, my car would have shot out of my garage when I put it in reverse. Upon researching the problem, my husband and I read about the unintended acceleration that many people have experienced with Toyotas, causing numerous deaths and injuries, and about the class action law suit with Toyota. Although the investigation seemed to chalk the incidents up to "user error" - foot being on the wrong pedal, floor mats affecting the acceleration pedal, etc. - I know with 100% confidence that none of these were the case. I will be notifying Toyota, as well.

WHEN PULLING MY 2012 TOYOTA RAV4 INTO A PARKING SPACE AT VERY LOW RATE OF SPEED, I TAPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY STARTED ROARING AND ACCELERATING OUT OF CONTROL. THE CAR JUMPED THE CURB THAT WAS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE PARKING SPOT, CROSSED THE ROAD, JUMPED ANOTHER CURB, AND LANDED IN A MUDDY RAVINE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED AND THE TECH COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO TOYOTA. THEY SENT AN INVESTIGATOR. THEY CLAIM THE EDR DETECTED NO DEFECTS IN THE VEHICLE AND BLAMED IT ON EITHER ME MISTAKING THE ACCELERATOR FOR THE BRAKES OR MY CUSTOM FITTED, LOCK-IN WEATHERTECH FLOOR MAT WHICH HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE DAY ONE OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE SINCE 2012. I HAD NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE BEFORE THIS AND I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED MY CAR BUT AM NOW TERRIFIED THAT IT WILL ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN AGAIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BALL TOYOTA OF CHARLESTON (1905 PATRICK ST PLAZA, CHARLESTON, WV 25387, (304) 513-3777) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TOYOTA CORPORATION SENT AN ENGINEER TO RETRIEVE DATA FROM THE VEHICLE DATA RECORDER, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,450. *LN *TP THE CONSUMER STATED INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED IN SEPT 2019 AND NO DEFECT WAS FOUND IN VEHICLE. AND LAST INCIDENT WAS ON DECEMBER 16TH AND BRAKES/TIRES WERE REPLACE A MONTH PRIOR. *PM

MY RAV4 ACCELERATES EXCESSIVELY OUT OF THE BLUE, IN A DANGEROUS MANNER FAR EXCEEDING ANY NEED TO MAINTAIN THE SET SPEED. SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES IS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. IN A DAY AND A HALF OF HIGHWAY DRIVING IT HAPPENED THREE SEPARATE AND RANDOM OCCURRENCES YESTERDAY, SEP 4TH AND TODAY SEP 5TH, 2019. FOR EXAMPLE I WAS DRIVING ON I-44 EASTBOUND AT CRUISE CONTROL OF 70 MPH. AND AS I WAS GOING ALONG IT HAD ACCELERATED TO 75 BEFORE I RECOGNIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENED AND SLAMMED AGGRESSIVELY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL OR IT WOULD HAVE SURPASSED 85 MPH EASILY. IT PUT ME IN DANGER OF HAVING AN SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH A SEMITRAILER IN JULY. I SOUGHT ANSWERS FROM A MECHANIC TODAY. HE SAID IT SOUNDED SIMILAR TO WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER TOYOTA MODELS. BECAUSE OF THIS SIMILARITY, I AM REPORTING MY EXPERIENCES TO THE NHTSA NOW. YOURS TRULY, [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I WAS COMING TO A STOPLIGHT AND PRESS THE BRAKES THE CAR CAME TO STOP THEN THE ENGINE REVVED UP VERY FAST. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKES BUT THE ENGINE WAS REVVING VERY FAST THAT I HAD TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING FORWARD. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK THEN THE ENGINE STOP REVVING.

I WAS COMING TO A STOPLIGHT AND I PUT MY FOOT IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CAR SLOWED DOWN, CAME TO A STOP BUT THEN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ENGINE REVED UP TO 3000 RPM. THE BRAKES WERE BARELY ABLE TO KEEP THE CAR STOPPED SO I HAD TO PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. I WAS IN DRIVE THE WHOLE TIME. ONCE THE LIGHT CHANGED, I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ONTO TO GAS PEDAL AND THE RPM'S DROPPED BACK TO 1000. IT HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE THEN. TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND SAID THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO THEY COULDN'T FIX ANYTHING.

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHEN EXITING THE HIGHWAY AND MAKING A TURN. RPM WENT UP TO 7,000 UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED FULLY SEVERAL TIMES WHILE THE CAR WAS SUSPENDED AND TURNED OFF AND STARTED BACK ON WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED TO ENSURE PROPER SAFETY MEASURES IN CASE THE VEHICLE JOLTS FORWARD. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES OCCURRED DURING THE INCIDENT AS THE VEHICLE WAS PUT TO A STOP SAFELY BEFORE OTHER PARTIES WOULD BE INVOLVED. LOCAL DEALERSHIP DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE IT IN FOR PROPER INSPECTION WITHOUT A DIAGNOSTIC PAYMENT.

I WAS IN A PARKING AREA LOOKING FOR A PARKING SPOT. I HAD JUST DRIVEN UP A SLIGHT INCLINE AND CRESTED THE TOP WHEN I SPOTTED AN OPEN SPACE ON THE LEFT. I BRAKED SLIGHTLY TO TURN INTO THE SPOT, LIFTED MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE BUT KEPT IT COVERED AND MADE THE LEFT TURN INTENDING TO COAST INTO THE SPOT. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN THE VEHICLE INEXPLICABLY ACCELERATED AT WHICH POINT I SLAMMED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE ENDING UP CROSS WAYS IN THE PARKING SPOT AND JUST SHORT OF A PARKING SIGN IN FRONT ON THE CURB. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO IDLE SPEED. THE THROTTLE PEDAL, WHICH IS TOP MOUNTED, WAS EXAMINED AND FOUND TO BE CLEAR AND FREE. NO IDEA WHAT MIGHT BE THE CAUSE, MOST LIKELY ELECTRONICALLY RELATED. FRIGHTENING SITUATION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CENTRAL MAINE TOYOTA (15 AIRPORT RD, WATERVILLE, ME 04901, PHONE NUMBER: (207) 872-5444) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO DRIVER ERROR. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,500. *TT *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE AT A COMPLETED STOP, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

WHILE STOPPED IN A LEFT TURN LANE AT A MAJOR CITY INTERSECTION BEHIND A LINE OF ABOUT 6 STOPPED CARS, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RACE AT HIGH SPEED. THE CAR MOVED FORWARD AND HIT THE REAR OF THE CAR IN FRONT BEFORE I COULD DEPRESS THE BRAKE HARD. I DID THAT, PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AT THE IGNITION KEY BEFORE CHECKING ON THE CONDITION OF THE FOLKS IN THE CAR IN FRONT. THERE WAS NO WAY THAT I COULD HAVE MISTAKEN WHICH PEDAL WAS WHICH, AS I WAS ALREADY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO KEEP FROM MOVING.

I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AT APPX: 35-40MPH. ON US INTERSTATE #66. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR, AND THE ROAD WAS RELATIVELY LEVEL. AS THE OTHER CARS SLOWED, I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR BUT THE CAR SURGED FORWARD. UPDATED 01/11/17*LJ I --LITERALLY--HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE AS THE ENGINE SURGED. I MANAGED TO PUSH THE SHIFTER INTO PARK. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE BUT, WHEN I PUMPED THE ACCELERATOR SEVERAL TIMES, THE ENGINE SPEED DROPPED BACK TO IDLE. I DID NOT HIT ANY OTHER VEHICLE OR OBJECT. I HAVE HAD TWO (2) SIMILAR INCIDENTS IN THE LAST 5-6 MONTHS-- BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I REPORTED IT--TO BOTH NHTSA AND TOYOTA. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, EXPECTING A QUICK FIX BUT INSTEAD, THE DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL BECAME DEFENSIVE, CLAIMED THAT THE WELL KNOWN HISTORY OF TOYOTA ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WAS A FRAUD. NEVERTHELESS, THEY HAD A PREPRINTED" UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION" REPORT FORM WHICH THEY FILLED OUT WITH MY "VERBATIM" ACCOUNTS. UPDATED 06/13/18*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE CONSUMER WROTE IN ON BEHALF OF HER MOTHER. THE CONSUMERS MOTHER EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON THE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. EACH TIME, WHEN HER MOTHER APPLIED THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED AND THEN ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND ON EACH OCCURRENCES, HER MOTHER WAS ABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF TO STOP THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 10/06/16.*JB

12/21/15 - MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. I JUST FINISHED REFUELING AND STARTED THE CAR. I HAD MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND SWITCHED FROM PARK TO DRIVE. MY LEFT FOOT STAYED ON THE FLOOR, TO THE LEFT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. WITHOUT REMOVING MY RIGHT FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. I PRESSED EXTREMELY HARD ON THE BRAKE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD, AND COULD HEAR AND FEEL THE ENGINE AND BRAKE FIGHTING EACH OTHER. THIS LASTED APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS AND THE ENGINE RETURNED TO IDLE. THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS ARE NOT THAT CLOSE, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO PRESS BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY SHUTTING IT OFF. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,800.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED RANDOMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4 EV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL REMEDY. FIVE DAYS AFTER THE RECALL REMEDY WAS PERFORMED, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD TO A HIGH SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE CRASHED OVER A MEDIAN, A CONCRETE BARRIER, AND INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR WHIPLASH, BUT NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAITED OVER THREE WEEKS FOR THE MANUFACTURER'S ENGINEER TO PROVIDE AN ANALYSIS ON HOW THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NEW RAV4 PURCHASED 2/2013;BOUGHT EXTENDED PLATNUM WARRANTY. 5 SEPARATE INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION 2/14/2015-5/25/2015-HAD PASSENGER IN CAR EACH TIME.1ST- TRAVELING S I-79 WARRENDALE PA 60 MPH SPEED DROPS TO 50 MPH CAR IN FRONT HIT BRAKES TO SLOW I APPLIED MY BRAKES TO SLOW RAV4 STARTED TO ACCELERATE ENGINE STARTED TO REV LOUDLY PASSENGER SAID SHIFT TO NEUTRAL THEN I HIT BRAKE AGAIN TO SLOW. 2ND-LOCAL TRAFFIC 30 MPH APPLIED BRAKE TO SLOW INSTEAD CAR ACCELERATED PUT INTO NEUTRAL TO SLOW ENGINE REVVING. 3RD-DRIVING FROM OAKLAND-NORTH HILLS PA IN TRAFFIC 30 MPH HIT BRAKE TO SLOW FOR TRAFFIC LIGHT INSTEAD RAV ACCELERATED ENGINE REVVING LOUDLY PUT IN NEUTRAL TO STOP. 4TH-TRAVELING 20 MPH AT LOCAL PARK 3/7/15 APPROACHING STOP SIGN CAR IN FRONT APPLIED BRAKES, HIT MY BRAKES & CAR ACCELERATED PUT CAR INTO NEUTRAL ENGINE REVVING LOUDLY THEN APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP-DROVE DIRECTLY TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ADVISOR CHECKED FLOOR MATS STATED WERE PROPERLY PLACED. I MADE APPT AT DEALERSHIP ON 3/10. TOYOTA'S CONCLUSION-NOTHING WRONG STATED "POSSIBLE PEDAL MISAPPLICATION", SUGGESTED I BUY FLAT TOYOTA FLOOR MATS HAD WEATHERTECHS, I PURCHASED NEW DRIVER'S MAT & TOYOTA INSTALLED. 5TH-5/25/15 LEAVING GROCERY STORE 10 MPH WENT TO STOP BEFORE EXITING LOT RAV WOULD NOT STOP ENGINE LOUD THREW INTO NEUTRAL FINALLY STOPPED. 5/25/15 EMAILED CEO OF TOYOTA N AMERICA RECEIVED CALL BACK & MADE APPT FOR 5/29/15 TO HAVE RAV LOOKED OVER AGAIN AT DEALERSHIP FOR SUDDEN ACCELERATION ISSUES. RECEIVED CALL BACK ON 5/29/15 FROM NICKI @ TOYOTA EXECUTIVE OFFICE-STATED THAT TOYOTA STANDS BY THEIR MARCH 2015 ASSESSMENT THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY RAV & IF I HAVE IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP BY AAA, I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL COSTS TO HAVE MY VEHICLE SERVICED AT DEALERSHIP, WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTIES. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 40+ YEAR & POSSIBLE PEDAL MISAPPLICATION 5 X'S IS A BUNCH OF BULL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND CRASH INTO A TRAFFIC LIGHT POLE. DURING THE CRASH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND WOBBLED FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A FRACTURED RIB AND UPPER TORSO CONTUSIONS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,500.