2011 Toyota RAV4: jerking or lurching

Filed Aug 16, 2023 · Brakes, Driver assistance · VA

For the past three months, in increasing frequency, whenever parking, firm pressure on brake pedal engages sudden burst of acceleration, with engine loudly revving at 1000 revs or higher (audibly beyond the cabin to passers by on the street), that lurches vehicle forward.Within close spaces of parking garage pillars or walls or while parallel parking this is a hazard and threatens sudden accident of 1 mph or less up to 5-10 mph and a 1-2 yard-long jerking lurch to try to recover from. This occurred, twice this week, and 4 times within past 3 months’ time, to where this is no longer a fluke or due to my immediate reactions. This is an increasing pattern that threatens myself and others. I am headed to local dealership, within the hour, to request diagnostics and to attempt to have technician repeat this issue.

Filed Jun 6, 2023 · Steering · TX

There has not been an incident yet. The problem is that the steering is slightly stiff and what I would call jerky. It kind of sticks as you turn and you have to exert a little more pressure on the steering wheel and it lets go and moves on to where you wanted. It is not intermittent and it is getting worse all the time. The car has 74,000 miles on it. Is there a danger of this locking up some day to where a person would loose control of the car, or is it just an aggravating nuisance ? The exact date this started is not known but it has probably been at least 18 months. It is the worst at slow speeds.

Filed Feb 15, 2019 · Acceleration, Body · 83,000 miles · NH · crash

Waiting at stop sign - car began accelerating, engine revving, racing (again, while at a complete stop). I braked and vehicle took full control seemingly pulling sideways first and then lurching out onto the roadway casing a devastating crash totaling my car and causing the other person's vehicle extensive damage. I could have been seriously injured or killed. It's the second time this happened. 1st time pulling into parking space - accelerated lurching forward no matter how much I braked striking curb and post - stalled out, thank goodness. A case has been opened with toyota but I am told they'll deny anything wrong even though I have 10 pages of complaints in hand of people who have experienced this same nightmare I did. It's time for toyota to take full responsibility and do something immediately. A class action lawsuit seems pretty obvious at this point concerning this dangerous safety issue since toyota is not taking responsibility by issuing/sending out recalls on this dangerous mechanical failure which next time may cause a death.

Filed Dec 26, 2014 · Brakes, Fuel system · 48,484 miles · WV

1. After having driven my toyota rav4 limited edition for about 3 miles, I was turning left into a parking space at the morgantown airport. I had my right foot on the brake pedal to slow down. When I was about 25% into the space, the car lurched forward and the engine began to race spontaneously. I increased pressure on the brake and shifted from drive to park. This caused an immediate decrease in the engine speed. My wife was with me and I told her to look to verify that my foot was on the brake, not the accelerator. I went directly to the toyota dealer. After 3.5 hours toyota concluded that the problem was "pedal misapplication" and no further action was required (case#-[xxx]). 2. At about 8:12 pm this evening, we were driving around looking at christmas lights. I was doing about 5 MPH in front of 937 riverview drive, morgantown. I depressed the brake pedal with my right foot to slow down for a better view. The engine began to accelerate spontaneously. I shifted from drive to neutral, which solved the problem. I had my wife verify that my foot was on the brake only. 3. This is the third occurrence of the same problem I first reported in odi number 10667543 (toyota case#-[xxx]). This vehicle has a dangerous defect which toyota has not been able to correct. This is a problem in the control system. It is not a "pedal misapplication". Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Mar 25, 2014 · Acceleration · 10,710 miles · CA · crash

I was traveling down city street behind several cars & we were approaching a traffic light at intersection, my foot off the gas pedal letting car slow naturally. I heard the motor start revving up quickly, suddenly accelerating by itself. I pushed on the brakes, but car continued to rev up & lurched forward hitting the car in front of me. I pushed harder on the brakes, even trying to pump them but my car hit the car in front of me again & then my car finally stopped & I turned off the motor. What a scary situation!! Thank god no one was injured only damage to both vehicles! We filed a police report & I had the rav towed to the toyota dealer where it remains parked. I will not drive it again because I am scared to death of what could of or what might happen. A claim was filed with toyota headquarters, claim # [xxx]. A third party, engineer, came out to dealer's to inspect, check black box, etc. Of course, with an 18 page report & extensive checking he could not recreate problem, found nothing on black box, etc. & claims he feels safe to drive it. I am waiting to hear from toyota headquarters for their official word, which I doubt will be any different than the inspector's. Besides I could not get a copy of the report because he was hired by toyota! Not sure where to turn now. This was not the first time, the unintended sudden acceleration had occurred. On 3 or 4 other occasions, my rav did the same thing & luckily did not cause an accident. One time I threw the car into park as to stop it. The gas pedal & the brake were working fine, no sticking or no me putting my foot on the wrong pedal! The floor mats were original to vehicle & firmly attached to hooks. I had reported it to concord toyota on one occasion when I had an oil change, but they could not simulate the problem, so they stated there was no problem!! Obviously, there is a problem!! Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Jan 25, 2014 · Engine, Transmission · 6,000 miles · CA

On 1/6/14 I was coming to an intersection and I was slowing down. I noticed that the engine was raving and was trying to pull me forward. Because I was pressing the brakes the car was able only to jerk forward. I had to switch to neutral to prevent car jerking forward. Then the engine returned to normal RPM. This actually happened the second time. The first time it happened in october 2013. On 1/9/14 I gave the car to a toyota dealer. They said that they will take this matter very seriously and the toyota engineers will come to read the computer data and review the vehicle. After one week it appears that nothing happened. I wrote to toyota. They opened case #1401231137. After that the dealer kept the car for another week but "could not duplicate the problem". They opened the case #140230518. Finally, today 1/25/14 they gave me the car back with a stupid advice "not step gas and brakes at the same time". They said they test drove the car, but the mileage in and out is the same (6,085). I bought the car new and it never was in any accident. Now I believe to every claim of unintended accelerations of toyota vehicles. I hope the federal agency will do something about this.

Filed Dec 31, 2013 · Acceleration · 55,000 miles · ME

While backing into a parking spot after applying the brake the vehicle jerked back several times no mater how hard I applied the brake I could not stop it. I was going about 5 miles or less per hr. The same thing happened later the same day in my driveway. Twice in one day also on another day my wife was heading down the driveway and applied the brakes and the vehicle would not stop no matter how hard she applied the brakes it finally stopped about 40 feet later in the middle of the road. She was very scared, thankfully no car was coming when this happened. We took it to toyota and of course they found nothing they told us we hit the wrong peddle (three different times) which we did not. And so did the thousands of other people that have complained and then hurried us on our way. How many times does this have to happen to people before toyota is forced to do something? From what I have read it seems to have started when car company's went from accelerator cables to computer sensors and electric motors. So all I can do is file a complaint and hope the everybody else that has encounters this problem will do the same so maybe if enough people do something will be done. We were going to trade it in but doing research we can't seem to find a newer vehicle that hasn't had this complaint. So I guess we are stuck with it and all my wife and I can do is say a little prayer each time I get behind the wheel.

Filed Nov 8, 2013 · Acceleration · 10,647 miles · NJ

When approaching a red light at an intersection and almost stopped, the engine started to race, sounding like a jet engine taking off. In spite of putting my full force on the brake, the car kept jerking forward into the intersection. Finally, at my wife's screamed instruction, I slammed the car into park. This finally stopped the engine. We were frightened to death. I do not believe my wife could have stopped the car without an accident. We were lucky that there was no car in front of us or someone would have been seriously hurt. I had the car towed to the dealer and explained to them what had happened and that we were afraid to drive the car. At their question, I told them that the floor mats were toyota's and came with the car. Three hours later, they called to tell me that the computer and a test drive found nothing wrong; pick up the car. I then called the toyota complaint office to make an official complaint. However, their process is to merely send the dealer's data to the regional office, who, of course, found nothing wrong. In the meantime, I continued to get several calls from various dealer personnel to pick up the car. No sympathy was ever expressed. Since neither my wife nor I could ever feel safe in the car, I sold it back to the dealer for a big loss. We don't want to feel responsible for endangering other people's lives. This problem with toyota cars is not resolved. It must be further investigated. In fact, this car had another incident previously where the motor roared at an intersection, however without lasting long enough to start moving the car.

Filed Jul 11, 2013 · Acceleration · PA · crash

2011 toyota rav 4. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle sudden acceleration and disabled throttle. *smd the consumer stated he began having problems with the vehicle in jan 2013, which resulted in two accidents. One of the accidents resulted in $2200.00 worth of damage, when the vehicle accelerated and lurched forward. The vehicle would disable the throttle over 5 MPH when the brake was applied. However, the sudden acceleration also occurred under 5 MPH.

Filed Apr 5, 2013 · Acceleration · 15,000 miles · PA

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota rav4. The contact stated that while stopped with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle lurched forward. The contact applied excessive pressure to the brake pedal and placed the vehicle in neutral in order to come to a stop. The failure recurred a second time. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 15,000.

Filed Dec 26, 2012 · Acceleration · 25,000 miles · OH

There were three individuals in vehicle, driver and three passengers - all adults. Driving in residential section of western cincinnati area (delhi area) with a speed limit of 35 MPH. Approaching a traffic light on a slight downhill grade. Traffic light was red so began applying the brake. As I continued to approach intersection the vehicle shuddered and I noticed engine RPM's were well in excess of normal (noted by sound and had not verified by tachometer). I had to fight the vehicle to come to complete stop as I heard the tires screech and felt the vehicle lurching as I pushed hard on brake pedal. After coming to a complete stop, put vehicle in neutral and RPM's went out of control. Shut off vehicle and waited a few seconds. Restarted vehicle and RPM's again went out of control. Shut off vehicle a second time, nudged the back side of accelerator pedal to see if stuck in position. I could not notice that it was stuck down. Restarted vehicle when traffic light turned green and RPM's and subsequent operation normal for remainder of day (included at least four restarts of vehicle and ~100 miles of driving). Have not driven vehicle again since the day of incident.

Filed Nov 16, 2012 · Acceleration, Brakes · 10,500 miles · NY

I was approaching a traffic light in low speed and lightening my pressure on the gas pedal when the car accelerated and lurched forward. I pressed my foot on the brake pedal and the car continued accelerating. I had to veer to the adjacent lane since I was getting too close to the car in front of me. Then, the car came to a halt.