2017 Toyota RAV4: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed Jan 11, 2026 · Acceleration · WA · crash · 1 injury

I am the driver's husband and the driver was the only one in the car. I assist her to file this report The accident happened around 6 pm on 12.28.2025 My wife was involved in a single car accident in a parking lot. She made a left turn at the intersection of 192nd ave and 3rd st, and then entered into the parking lot from the north entrance. The car hit the curb as she entered the parking lot. Then the car (RAV4) started accelerating by itself, and was out of control. She cannot stop the car. To avoid going straight and hit the shops at the other end of the parking lot, she turned the wheel to one side. She hit a light post and then hit something else. The vehicle flipped over and landed on its roof. The vehicle was totaled. She was trapped inside the car unable to free herself until the ambulance, tow truck and the police arrived. By God's grace, she did not hit any other car or person and she only suffered minor injury. She was taken to the emergency room at Peace Health, examined and released after 3 hours. If you look at the RAV4, you cannot believe that she only suffered minor injury. Praise the Lord. She is still mentally shaken up by this traumatic event. Looking at the pictures of the damage to the vehicle, the car must have been traveling at a very high speed and there is no way that the driver stepped on the gas pedal intentionally. The insurance Company is Liberty Mutual Claim# [XXX] -XX The vehicle is considered total loss by the insurance company. EDR was inspected but data in the EDR was not collected. I suspect this incident was not caused by the driver, The data in the EDR will tell the true story. I asked Liberty Mutual to retrieve the data from the EDR to prove that the gas pedal was not depressed by the driver. If the car accelerated without the driver stepping on the gas pedal, then the vehicle has safety issues. I am waiting for Liberty Mutual to retrieve the data. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Nov 6, 2025 · Driver assistance · VA

My 2017 Toyota RAV4 XLE is experiencing unsafe behavior with the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). When driving around modest or slight turns, the ACC frequently loses tracking of the vehicle ahead and suddenly accelerates, then harshly brakes once it reacquires the vehicle. This creates a jerking motion and significantly reduces my confidence in the system. On one occasion while traveling approximately 45 miles per hour on a slight curve, the ACC began rapidly accelerating toward the vehicle in front of me as if no vehicle was there, forcing me to perform an emergency manual takeover and disengage the ACC to avoid a potential rear end collision. This issue is repeatable and appears to be related to how the ACC detects vehicles ahead while cornering. I am requesting that this behavior be investigated as a potential safety defect.

Filed Jul 10, 2023 · Acceleration · NJ · crash · 1 injury

I was slowing at a stop sign and the car suddenly accelerated. My foot was not on the gas pedal but it continued to accelerate causing and accident at an intersection.

Filed May 22, 2020 · Body · 15,000 miles · CT

When approaching a stop sign I applied the brakes and the car lunged forward forcing me to hit the car in front of me. Since I've owned this car, this has happened many times fortunately causing an accident only twice, 9/4/2018 and 11/2 2019. In both cases this occurred on a city street. I believe the cause of this is because the gas pedal and the brake pedal are too close together . If I don't apply the brakes on the left side of the brake pedal, I will hit the gas pedal causing the car to lurch forward. I have a normal size foot - size 10 shoe. This is an unsafe car I do not allow my wife or grown children to drive it. The car is leased and expires sept 1st of this year. I can't wait to get rid of it

Filed May 21, 2020 · Brakes, Engine · AZ

Water pump leak I believe started around 21,000 miles.along with the replacement of front brake pads I complained of right front side of car with squealing noise possible drive belt or dirty rotor. At one point both front rotors slightly warm to touch after 45 min city drive home, another time right rotor hot and left slightly warm. They replaced front brake pads not checking calipers or hose and just put on brake pads and said right tire worn and replaced both and said it will solve the problem. After a few days toyota rep and told him the said intermittent squealing somewhat grind noise was back. Not taken seriously I reported to corporate and went to another dealer to do diagnostic checking calipers and found nothing. Around 50,000 miles I found powder next to drive belt. They discovered it was a leaking water pump and replaced my pump and drive belt. 41/2 months later the car had same squealing now rubber sound added, steering stiffer and hissing sound came from front of engine at light. Took in and couldn't find anything wrong in entire day 8 hrs. I drove away and by third light squealing for 25 mins and neighbors heard me coming,one couple reported loud at front right tire. I reported that immediately to [xxx] at precision that my car was worse and turning steering wheel right and left is now happening as neighbor reported but no return call. This car sound typically happens at braking at light and hitting gas at light on city streets drive at 40-50 miles per hr.but usually at lights can hear. Called [xxx] after left shop car right and left turns squeak when turning steering wheel only one day did I hear two different sounds whirring noise and hissing sound 3 days apart at light stopped 3 weeks my car, jumped forward at a stop I've had it aligned new tires & still intermittent noise now worse dec 2019 changed water pump and drive belt /sprayed engine down. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Jul 14, 2017 · Airbags, Body · 3,700 miles · FL · crash

While pulling into to a parking space,my car suddenly accelerated and jumped the curb causing the car to hit a tree,causing all air bags to go off. I was asked if I hit the gas instead of the brake. This happened so fast that I suppose anything is possible but I really don't think that is what happened. Is there a way that they can tell what happeneed?