Letter from congressman rothman on behalf of constituent re possible accelerator problem with his 2007 Toyota Avalon (respond to hackensack NJ office). The consumer stated while stopped in traffic for a drawn drawbridge, with his foot on the brake and the gear in park, the vehicle began to buck and slowly moved towards a panel truck that was in front of him. The consumer continued to apply the brake, but to no avail and subsequently hit the panel truck. The dealer installed a reinforcement bar in compliance with the recall.

- Fort Lee, NJ, USA

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Avalon. The contact was driving approximately 45 mph when the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The contact engaged the brake pedal and the vehicle came to a complete stop. He turned off the engine and restarted the vehicle; after two separate attempts, the rpms increased excessively. He restarted the vehicle and it behaved normally after five to ten minutes. Prior to the failure, the contact had the vehicle repaired according to recalls 09V388000, vehicle speed control, accelerator pedal and 10V017000. The repair did not correct the failure. The contact will take the vehicle to the dealer since the complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

- East Providence, RI, USA

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Avalon. On Dec 3, 2009, the contact pulled into driveway. When he depressed the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked forward. She applied the brakes but the vehicle failed to stop. As a result, the vehicle hit the corner post of a fence followed by a tree and finally stopped. There were no warning lights before or after the failure. The vehicle was taken to a local authorized dealer and the diagnostic test produced no error codes. The service manager stated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. Later, the contact took the vehicle back to the dealership for the accelerator pedal, floor mat and oil hose recalls (recalls 09V388000 & 10V017000). The technician at the dealership also performed an override on the braking system. The current mileage was unknown. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000. Updated 6/19/10 the consumer has experienced sudden acceleration for a second time on April 23, 2010 after the recall had been performed. Updated 09/01/10

- Healdsburg, CA, USA

On March 19, 2008, my step-son was killed in tampa, Florida while driving his 2007 Toyota Avalon. He had just dropped my sister-in-law off at the airport and was traveling on the courtney campbell parkway when the car accelerated. He exited onto a service road, posted at 15 mph, at a high rate of speed, crashing through a guardrail and plunging into tampa bay. He did not get out of the vehicle. Witnesses say he did not appear to brake before hitting the guardrail. Nobody could determine at the time why the accident occurred; his toxicology report was clear. The car has long since been salvaged since Toyota's acceleration issues were not public knowledge at the time two years ago. I recently received a safety recall notice on the vehicle for accelerator pedal reinforcement bar installation. Updated 05/10/10 updated 06/17/10. Update 9/27/11

- Vincennes, IN, USA

2007 Avalon XL. Consumer states repeated unintended acceleration. In September 2009, the consumer experienced sudden acceleration. The consumer reported the incident to the dealer and they told him to check the floor mat. Shortly after, the vehicle accelerated out of control again. The consumer contacted the dealer, he was told repeatedly by the dealer it was a floor mat problem and nothing was wrong with the vehicle.

- Woodland Hills, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Avalon. While driving approximately 2 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. In order to stop the acceleration, the contact applied the brakes and shifted the vehicle into neutral gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the sudden acceleration was due to a chip in the computer. Prior to the recent failure, the contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer where NHTSA recall# 10V017000 vehicle speed control, accelerator pedal repair was performed. The vehicle was not repaired at the time when the complaint was filed. The approximate failure mileage was 35,000 and the approximate current mileage was 35,000.

- Denver, IA, USA

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Avalon. While driving 80 mph in the mountains, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. The brakes were applied but failed to engage. The vehicle failed to stop until the contact shifted into neutral gear and applied the emergency brake. The vehicle was restarted and began functioning normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the failure could not be reproduced. Prior to the recent failure, the vehicle was serviced by an authorized dealer for NHTSA recall # 10V017000, vehicle speed control, accelerator pedal. The failure mileage was 11,186 and the current mileage was 19,013.

- Concord, CA, USA

- the contact owns a 2007 Toyota Avalon. The contact was driving approximately 65 mph with the cruise control activated. The vehicle increased acceleration to 90 mph without warning which was beyond the cruise control set speed. The vehicle speed rate decreased when the brakes were engaged.the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer. There was a recall under NHTSA campaign id number 10V017000 (vehicle speed control: Accelerator pedal). The vehicle was repaired for the recall defect. The failure mileage was 700. The current mileage was 24,000.

- Crab Orchard, WV, USA

2007 Toyota Avalon. While driving, the consumers wife encountered a curve. She soon realized she could not get the vehicle to slow down. She went off the road and hit some trees. The vehicle was totaled and the consumers wife was injured. Updated 03/09/10

- Louisburg, NC, USA

S10 appropriate handling re Toyota recall notices, experienced sudden acceleration in her 2007 Toyota Avalon. Several months ago when the consumer attempted to start the vehicle, it made a loud noise. Lurched forward and bumped into another vehicle. After the incident, the consumer was informed to remove the floor mat. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer and the mat was re-attached.

- Rydal, PA, USA

When parking my 2007 Toyota Avalon in a parking garage, I entered the parking space and I took my foot off the accelerator pedal so the car would coast into the space. However, when I took my foot off the accelerator pedal, the car, instead of slowing down. Suddenly accelerated into the barrier cables at the end of the parking space, causing $2392.86 worth of damage to the front end of the car. Updated 03/30/10.

- Pasadena, CA, USA

Arrived at an intersection's light and applied the brakes and car accelerated and crashed into the car which was in front. The air bags failed to deploy as well. The consumer stated when his wife arrived at an intersection, she applied the brakes, but the vehicle accelerated and crashed into the vehicle that was crossing from West to East. While his wife was going from North to South. Updated 03/29/10.

- Brentwood, NY, USA

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Avalon. He states that when driving at 70 mph, which was the speed limit, a semi truck pulled in front of the vehicle. When he applied the brake the vehicle still accelerated on its own while having his foot on the brake. He then put the vehicle on neutral and the vehicle finally stopped. He then took it to a Toyota dealer where they diagnosed the vehicle. When he picked up the vehicle they stated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle and that he should take it to his nearest dealer once he got home. The failure mileage was 55000 and current mileage was 55992. Updated 2/22/10 the consumer stated the gas pedal became stuck. The vehicle finally stopped without incident. Updated 06/11/10.

- Sykesville, MD, USA

Saturday, August 22, 11:30 am, I drove about 4 miles, got onto a freeway (northbound I-5) in san diego, at which time my car continued to accelerate, without my foot on the accelerator pedal. I looked down at my feet, saw that the floor mat was correctly in place. The car behaved as though "cruise control" were on, so I toggled cruise control on, then off. I also depressed the button for turning the car off (it has a "smart key" ignition), but the car did not stop. Engine speed continued to increase. My brakes could slow the car a bit (from 70 mph down to 65 mph, but the car quickly accelerated back up to 70 mph and higher. I down-shifted (into one of the "mountain-driving" gears, then down-shifted again as I contemplated how to navigate around traffic and off the freeway. The engine tachometer indicated that the speed was increasing. I transitioned off the I-5 and onto the eastbound I-8 freeway, and slowed enough, with all my weight on the brake pedal, to the nearest offramp. I could not bring the car to a complete stop, but finally shifted into park before hitting anything. I now shut off the car. I tried to restart the car, in park, and the engine speed meter indicated 4500 RPM in a few seconds. I shut the car off and phoned aaa to tow me to the nearest dealer. The dealer could not find a cause for this uncontrolled acceleration. The manufacturer was also called. They said to pick up the car. I took the car to the dealer that normally services this vehicle, and they had the car for several days. They did some minor repair on the throttle, but said they could not determine nor fix the case of this. They also repaired the brakes, which were badly burned. I was apprehensive to drive the vehicle, and finally told the dealer to get me a replacement, which I am now driving. The car which had uncontrolled acceleration is at the dealers lot as of yesterday. Updated 11/18/09

- Palm Springs, CA, USA

On Aug. 6th while driving on a two lane road in South Carolina in my 2007 Avalon, the accelerator became stuck. My car reached speeds of up to 80 mph. I could only reduce the speed to 60 mph by riding the brakes. I finally stopped the car by finding a safe pull-off and shifted into neutral and then park. My brakes were completely ruined and required replacement. My car was towed to a Toyota dealer in greenville, SC. The service department determined that the faulty acceleration was due to a rubber all-weather mat. The mat had been placed over the standard floor mat. I feel that Avalon owners nationwide need to be notified of this dangerous problem. I noted in my local newspaper last week that you are investigating the same problem in the Lexus ES 350 which has the same design as the Avalon. Updated 03/04/10 updated 05/06/10.

- Lexington, KY, USA

We had a driving instructor conducting a class using the 2007 Avalon. The instructor was driving and accelerated to pass a vehicle at approximately 35 mph and the accelerators stuck and the car reached 8000+ rpms the instructor had to engage the brake and put the car in neutral and the car would not turn off, using the push button start. It finally turned off after numerous tries on the push button. Once the motor turned off the accelerator then came up slowly by its self. We called the dealership, and were told it must have been the floor mats. There were three people in this car and they all saw the same thing. The floor mats had nothing to do with this problem. We had the dealer go over the car and again were told there was nothing wrong. We however do not believe their findings.

- Urbandale, IA, USA