1999 Toyota 4runner Cruise Control Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ABNORMALLY, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A TRASH CAN AND THEN THE BUMPER OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE POLICE WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THEY WOULD CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER BEFORE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A CALL FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER.THE CONTACT STATED ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS HIS VEHICLE ACCELERATED INTO THE INTERSECTION.THE CONTACT STATED AS HE PUT HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INTO A BUILDING. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES.THE CONTACT DROVE HIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE.THE CONTACT TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO HIS OWN MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE FLOOR MATS OUT AND SEE IF HE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THEM TO CHECK IT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

IN SEPTEMBER 2009, I WAS STARTING MY 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER IN MY DRIVEWAY. I DRESSED THE CLUTCH AS USUAL AND TURNED THE KEY. THE ENGINE STARTED, I HEARD A "POP", AND IT BEGAN RUNNING AT FULL THROTTLE AND WAS RACING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES UNTIL I FINALLY TURNED IT OFF. THE RPM GAUGE WAS AT ITS MAXIMUM. I DID NOT HAVE A FLOOR MAT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS, AND WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO RACE THE ENGINE. I COULD NOT MAKE THE ENGINE STOP RACING. I TRIED TO PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THEN RELEASED IT. IT WAS STILL RACING, AND THE GAS PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED OR CAUGHT ON ANYTHING. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS STILL IN NEUTRAL WITH THE PARKING BRAKE ON. IT WAS VERY SCARY, AS I COULD NOT MAKE THE ENGINE STOP RACING. I HAD TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF TO STOP IT. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER, THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG AFTER INSPECTING WITH A "SCAN TOOL" AND THE WIRING LOOKED GOOD. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS BECAUSE A PACK RAT HAD BEEN IN THE ENGINE AT THE TIME. (THAT'S A PRETTY LAME EXCUSE.) THEY SAID THEY COULD "CLEAN THE THROTTLE" AND "FLUSH THE FUEL LINE" WHICH I HAD THEM DO (COST $300.) BECAUSE I WAS SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THEY DID SOMETHING. *TR

AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, I WAS DRIVING 70MPH ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY ATTEMPTING TO SWITCH LANES WHEN THE CAR LOST COMPLETE CONTROL. THE CAR SWERVED SEVERELY LEFT AND THERE WAS NO FUNCTIONING OF THE BRAKES OR STEERING. I WAS THEN HIT DRIVER SIDE BY A SEMI-TRACTOR TRAILOR WHO KNOCKED ME INTO A CONCRETE WALL. THE CAR WAS DEMOLISHED. THE MECHANICAL EXPERT REPORT SHOWED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS OPEN AND IT APPEARED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD CAUSED THE CAR TO ACCELLERATE ALTHOUGH THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT TURNED ON AT THE TIME. MY CONCERNS RELATE TO THE INABILITY TO STEER THE CAR OR INITIATE THE BRAKES IF IT WAS IN FACT A TIRE BLOW-OUT AND ALSO I AM CONCERNED AT TO WHY THE THROTTLE WAS OPEN WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ON. IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, I FELT AS THOUGH THE CAR WAS ACCELLERATING INDEPENDENTLY OF MY UTILIZING THE GAS PEDAL. IN CONCLUSION, I AM NOT CERTAIN AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE CAR TO GO OUT OF CONTROL, HOWEVER, IF IT WAS A TIRE BLOW-OUT, I THINK THAT IT WAS UNBELIEVABLY UNSAFE TO NOT BE( DOT NUMBER: )

CONSUMER SMELLS GAS INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK