My 2003 toyota corolla experienced a sudden acceleration problem twice. The local toyota dealer and toyota's field technical specialist refused to believe the car would have accelerated by itself unless I had pressed the accelerator. No way!!!! They said it was impossible for the car to have picked up self-acceleration. They were unable to pinpoint any problem. This is a very dangerous situation! I was lucky nobody was hurt or killed.
2003 Toyota Corolla acceleration complaints
Page 4 of 4: complaints 71 to 77 of 77, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I bought a new 2003 toyota corolla in may 2002. Within a few months, we noticed that on occasion the rpms would surge to over 4,000 while driving on upgrades, and coasting on downgrades. In november of 2003, we were driving up a slight grade getting on the freeway, when the rpms once again surged to over 4,000, and the car would not exceed 60 MPH. The engine began to make a fluttering noise and smelled hot. We pulled off the freway and let the engine cool down. It was fine after that. We took the car to chuck patterson toyota in chico, ca. They told us that they could not find anything wrong, and couldn't do anything for us. In december 2003, we continued to experience the rpms surge for no apparent reason while driving up grades and coasting on down grades. We took the car to northridge toyota, ca. They also inspected the car and told us that there was nothing wrong. In january 2004, I took the car to thousand oaks toyota, ca. I took a mechanic for a test drive. When we coasted down a grade, the engine once again surged with the rpms exceeding 4,000. The mechanic immediately told me that the engine was dropping out of overdrive. My feelings of excitement that the car would finally be fixed qucikly turned to disappointment when the service mamager insisted that there was nothing abnormal with the car. They also refused to do anything. I am currently working with the customer relations department. Everyone is very polite, but I am getting the run around.
The consumer was driving 20 MPH when the driver applied the brakes. The pedal had gone to the floor and the vehicle experienced extended stopping distance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but they have not been able to identify the problem. *ak the consumer turned the vehicle very slowly and heard a sharp noise and the vehicle begun to shake. The motor had gone wild. The brakes had gone out. The consumer tried to shut off the ignition and tried to place in neutral, then park, but nothing happened and the vehicle continued to run with no control. The vehicle ran into a tree. The driver sustained injuries. *scc
When the vehicle came to a complete stop, the accelerator pedal became stuck in the idle position. The dealer inspected the vehicle three times and was unable to duplicate or correct the problem. *ak *scc
Consumer states while at a complete without any indication vehicle accelerated causing consumer to loosing control of vehicle resulting into a vehicle crash. Please provide further information.
The cruise control was under the steering wheel, which was very hard to use and see while driving. *ak *cb
Consumer stated that when trying to accelerate the pedal will stick in the idle position causing a distraction to the consumer. Dealer notified. Ts
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