2021 Toyota Venza Engine Problems

On May 30, 2023 at approx. 11:30am I was leaving the car wash located at 2330 Olympic Hwy. N. Shelton Washington. The automatic bar pushed me through the car wash to the end where it left you. There was a slight grade downwards to the highway (Olympic Hwy. N.) I touched the gas peddle slightly and the car surged forward across the SB lane where a car traveling SB had to slam on its brakes to avoid a collision. My car continued across to the NB lane where it struck a vehicle in the drivers side rear quarter panel. I had slammed on the brakes but not quick enough to avoid the collision. The brake was slow to respond when I applied them. I'm thinking what may have happened as this is a gas electric hybrid that the gas engine kicked in instead of the battery when I gently applied the gas peddle which caused it to surge forward.

On numerous equations, when I press on the gas pedal the car does not react from either the hybrid battery or from the engine. I will depress the pedal and the car pauses for a few seconds before it moves forward. This has happened multiple times at different mileages but until this report, I did not think much of it since it was not in a near collision situation. On two occasions as I am pulling into traffic I will put my foot on the gas and since I get no reaction, the cars coming towards me have been very close to hitting me. One would have been a T bone incident where I would have been hit and another would have been a rear ended situation. Both times, the cars coming towards me had to brake rapidly. I have taken the issue to the dealer to examine. There have been no warning lamps and it does not happen consistently.