2008 Toyota RAV4: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed May 22, 2023 · Acceleration, Engine · KY

Starting in June 2018, I have had seven episodes of unintended acceleration. (I have owned the car, purchased in private sale, since June of 2013.) There were common elements to each incident:1. gradually slowing; 2. foot on brake; 3. engine accelerates sharply, a moment before complete stop in first six, a moment after in seventh and last. In each incident able to maintain control as foot already was on brake; yet in three of the incidents, including the last two, the car bucked forward a few inches despite the pressure on the brake. Situation resolved when I turned off the ignition, a reflex developed after the first incident. This last incident was particularly upsetting as I was in a long line of slow moving cars on a relatively narrow road with pedestrians on each side of my car. Each incident has been reported to the local dealer with which I have been trading for many years. They did a thorough inspection when I reported the incidents to them in January of 2020 and again just today after the last incident that occurred on May 19, 2023. They could find nothing wrong and include on their report "TAS STATES SUSPECTED DRIVER ERROR, PEDAL MISS [sic] APPLICATION." I do NOT accept this conclusion. I note in the last incident I had come to complete stop momentarily before the engine accelerated and despite my heavy pressure on the brake bucked forward, with control established only when I shut the engine down. During the entire period of these incidents I also have been driving two other vehicles, a 2008 Camry and a 2023 Camry. I have had no such incidents while driving these two cars. I do NOT drive with two feet, always the first question asked when such an incident is reported. Finally, I believe my car dates from a period when Toyota was vehemently denying such a problem in their cars when they knew full well that such was the case, a deception for which they were found criminally liable. Such history does not instill confidence in corporate Toyota.

Filed Aug 4, 2018 · Acceleration · 94,000 miles · TX

I'm experiencing unintended acceleration without engaging the pedal from a stationary position.

Filed Oct 24, 2017 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · TX

Vehicle in motion on street sudden acceleration.was going slow step on brake put in park. Heard engine reup felt like wanting to go by itself. Happened once to my wife and once to me while driving on city street. Call toyota dealer service dept. Asked about recall. Was told yes for recall. Too vehicle in was giving printout of recalls.showing floor interference problem to accelerator. Was not offered a recheck on ongoing same accelerator problem.

Filed Mar 16, 2016 · Acceleration · 105,000 miles · MN

Sudden acceleration. Car was stopped in park and shifted to drive. Transmission made a large clunk sound as it went into drive and then accelerated to what sound like full throttle. My foot was on the brake and the car didn't move much but was bucking against the brake. I shifted into neutral and turned off the car. I then put it into park. I got out of the vehicle, looked under the dash and the accelerator pedal looked like it was in a normal position and the floor mats were several inches from the accelerator pedal. This took place at the bemidji high school parking lot. I then re-started the car and drove it home with no incident. There was no damage to the car and no injuries.

Filed Jul 30, 2015 · Acceleration · 121,200 miles · WV

The rav4 has exhibited sudden unintended acceleration three times: latest occurred on 7/17/2015 at 7:30 pm while stopped at an intersection; the 2nd on 7/06/15 while in park in my driveway just after stating the car; the 1st on about 6/30/15 around noon while stopped at a traffic light. Fortunately, I had my foot on the break or was in park so that the car did not move. After turning the car off and restarting the problem went away. The vehicle was tested at local dealer on 7/20 with diagnostic data sent to toyota central, but they could find no problem in the data - no error codes. The technical case number is [xxx]. After contacting toyota customer service (case # [xxx]) I was told they could do nothing further that the car "performed as designed" per sabina charfauros, case manager, 188‑331‑4331 ext. 73846 updated 9/28/15 *ln updated 3/23/2016

Filed Apr 15, 2014 · Acceleration · NY

2008 toyota rav 4. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle sudden acceleration. *smd the consumer stated 2 service recalls were performed. After the services were performed, the consumer stated a friend pickup up the vehicle, and experienced the following events: when the vehicle was started, the engine began to idle very rough with considerable vibration, as if the vehicle was running on 3 cylinders. The dealer claimed with a little driving the software update would work itself out and no longer be an issue. The service representative said the rough idle would sometime happens after the recall software update. Over the next 3 weeks, the consumer drove the vehicle daily and it continued to run rough. As she approached a red light, she took her foot off the accelerator and placed her foot on the brake pedal to stop. However, the vehicle instead accelerated, and she began quickly pumping the brake pedal. Eventually, the vehicle did come to a stop with the engine running at a lower rate, but still running rough.

Filed Sep 30, 2013 · Acceleration · 142,000 miles · OH

I was turning around in a parking lot (360 degree turn) when the vehicle suddenly accelerated...I hit the brake, the engine continued to race and I tried to put the engine in neutral. I was heading toward a parked vehicle (I would have t-boned it but I swerved), foot depressing the brake to the floor, nothing on the accelerator, engine continued to race and while I tried to put the vehicle in neutral I overshot, threw it into reverse (engine still racing), then park. Engine racing, I shut off the car. Nothing was on the accelerator and the original floor mat replaced by a different style. I had the original recall issue fixed so the accelerator is the new, shortened version. Apparently that fix did not correct the problem. So now what do I do? I can no longer trust this vehicle to operate safely. Nothing should override the brake!!

Filed Dec 18, 2012 · Acceleration · 40,000 miles · NJ · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota rav-4. The contact stated that while sitting idle with the brakes depressed, the vehicle suddenly accelerated as the engine rpms abnormally increased. The contact crashed into the rear of another vehicle, causing that vehicle to crash into a third vehicle. The contact was not injured. The police were contacted and a report was filed. The vehicle was later towed to the dealer for diagnosis. The technicians were unable to duplicate or diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and advised her that they would send an investigator to inspect the vehicle. The failure and current mileages were approximately 40,000. The consumer stated there were numerous occassions when the vehicle would lurch into gear. The consumer discovered this was called jack rabbit starts. The consumer no longer owns the vehicle. Updated 03/29/2013

Filed Sep 5, 2012 · Brakes, Steering · 17,000 miles · NY

Slipping brakes, requiring frequent checkups and replacement popping noise in the steering wheel ( which after two years of complaining, I was informed is a defective steering shaft ) sudden acceleration increasing noise from under the vehicle jumping when the vehicle is place in reverse.

Filed Aug 15, 2012 · Acceleration, Airbags · 60,000 miles · TX · crash

I was pulling into a parking space in a lot in front of a building. In a split second the car had jumped the curb up onto the sidewalk and crashed through the brick wall and window in front of me. I was applying the brake as hard as I could and tried and succeeded into shifting it into park. The airbags did not deploy and I was not injured and did not hurt anyone else - thank goodness. The only explanation other than unintended acceleration was that I hit the accelerator very hard and I do not believe I did that. I had not been distracted by anything and had no sense of my foot slipping from the brake or anything like that.

Filed May 17, 2012 · Acceleration · 33,000 miles · PA · crash · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota rav4. The contact stated that while stopped, she removed her foot from the brake pedal and the vehicle surged forward unexpectedly. The brakes were applied with extreme pressure, but the vehicle accelerated down a hill and crossed into a patch of large rocks. The contact suffered injuries when her head made contact with the rear view mirror. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer, where the failure would be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 33,000. Updated 06/12/12*lj updated 06/13/12

Filed Feb 21, 2012 · Acceleration · 25,300 miles · NC

I was crossing a parking lot and pulling out into a street. I stopped then pulled forward, so I could see if any cars were approaching. A car was approaching so I pressed the brakes, then the car surged forward. It felt like when the cruise control accelerates. Because a crash was imminent, I decided my best chance was to move my foot to the gas petal and speed up. I drove the car straight and then to the left. The other driver laid on his horn, slowed down and drove on. I purchased this car in early november 2011 from fred anderson toyota. It appears to never have been wrecked. It had around 23,300 miles on it at time of purchase. That night of 02/21, I checked consumer reports online and found that there had been a recall on 2008 toyota rav4. The next morning, I removed the floor mat from the driver's side floor. It did not appear to have been moved before. There are 2 holes at the back of the mat and one of the holes had a black rubber hook device holding it to the floor. The other hole (back right side) did not have a hook. When I entered the VIN on the toyota website, it showed a repair order for a car with 30,599 miles on 11/08/2012. My car still does not have that many miles. I don't think a repair has been done on my car. My notes show that I bought the car on 11/05/2011.