Problems with 2003 Toyota Camry VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

This morning i filed a safety complaint about my 2003 toyota camry xle due to the sudden acceleration without warning problem. at that time i gave incorrect failure mileage as 50,000 miles. when i checked my records of mileage at gas fill ups i found the following: 24 july 2008: mileage at time of incident was between 58026 and 58444. 28 aug 2008: mileage was between 59090 and 59463. 17 oct 2008: mileage was between 60257 and 60540. mileage at time of accident was approximately 60399. 14 oct 2009: mileage was between 64205 and 64532. that is as close as i can pin down the failure mileage . i used the 10/17/2008 date for approx. incident date because that was the one time that our car hit the vehicle in front of us. the other three times we did not have an accident. i trust you can put this information with the report i filed this morning. note: my e-mail address may change within the next week or so as i am planning on hooking up to high speed internet access. thank you for your attention to this matter. *tr charles & algene ashworth

I backed out of my driveway, and while stepping on the brake, preparing to shift to drive, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and the car backed at high speed into my neighbor's driveway, and would only stop after crashing into a brick wall. the car was towed to a body repair company, and was repaired at great cost. toyota inspected it and found no defect. since then the car has started accelerating several times, when my foot was not on the gas pedal, but i was able to slow it down. *tr

My wife was pulling into our daughters daycare to drop her off as she does every morning and while pulling into the parking spot and when applying the brake the vehicle surged forward at a high throttle speed jumped the curb and went crashing into the building. even pumping the brakes didn't stop the car. the only way to get the vehicle to stop going forward was to jam the gear selector into reverse and then the vehicle went backwards at a high rate of speed (brakes still didn't work) and then had to jam the gear selector to park to stop the vehicle. update as of today. our vehicle is currently at a toyota dealership and service center and the service manager said there is no problem with the brakes, and we are scared of the through of driving this vehicle again. it seems to be a electronic issue and connected to the speed control. i have found a message board on the internet where 97 other similar incidents have been reported. and toyota does a recall on the floor mats? hmm i smell a cover-up and a possible class action lawsuit. *tr

Wife turned into our driveway which slopes down (10 - 20 degrees) as she has been doing for the last 20+ years with her foot on the brake. the pavement was dry. the brakes failed to stopped the car. she veered left to avoid going over a 20 foot embankment at the end of our driveway and crashed into a stone wall. based on the angle of impact the car rolled over onto its roof. air bags did not inflate. my wife remained suspended by the seat belt upside down until emergency forces arrived. she sustained multiple bruises and chest pains attributed to the seat belt. if she had gone over the embankment only god knows what the extent of her injuries would have been. new tires had been installed on the car (front wheels) during june 2008 at which time the front brakes were also checked for wear by an auto mechanic. the car was "totaled" as a result of the accident. subsequently i checked the brake fluid in the car (after the accident); the brake cylinder was full. further, the toyota camry is equipped with brake wear indicators. no indication (sound) of excess wear was given prior to the accident. my wife is adamant she had her foot on the brake pedal. i surmise two things could have happened: 1. the brakes failed completely and gravity acceleration down the driveway contributed to the car's speed and subsequent impact; or 2. the car surged due to a failure of the electronic throttle control (etc) in which application of the brakes was inadequate to stopped the car. based on prior nhtsa complaints/actions (ref nhtsa action numbers pe04021; dp05002; and dp06003) and the similarity of circumstances, i believe the etc failed. i recommend the nhtsa and toyota take action to remedy this unsafe situation. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. while backing into a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and caused the contact to crash into another vehicle. he attempted to apply the brakes, but the vehicle would not stop. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed from the scene to a local repair shop and is only being repaired for body damage. the failure has occurred approximately ten times. the speed was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 20,000. updated 07/16/08.*lj

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. when the contact started the vehicle. suddenly, an unintended acceleration occurred without application to the brake and accelerator pedals. the engine rpm's began to increase. the contact could not stop the vehicle with applying pressure to the brake pedal. the identical failure occurred on a separate occasion while at a complete stop. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the vehicle has not been repaired. the contact had concerns of the safety risk involved. failure mileage was unknown. the current mileage was 81,000.

Moving at 1 to 2 mph, with my foot on the brake, i was slowing down into a head-in slightly downhill parking space. then, without any warning the car launched forward, accelerating on its own at full speed over an embankment, through the air over a sidewalk crashing into the side of a parked vehicle which, from the extreme impact, rammed into an adjacent parked car. my foot was still on the brake, never on the accelerator. there were no injuries. a police report was taken. the incident was reported to the toyota dealer but they took no responsibility and they claimed there was nothing wrong with the car. the car was repaired. because of my concern for personal safety the car was not driven again until it was traded in for a new honda. the mileage was 44,080. *tr

My wife was pulling into a parking lot the car accelerated on its own out of control. my wife was able to get stopped without hitting anything but she is so shook up she won't drive it anymore. nothing has been done about fixing the problem it just happened today. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. the contact stated that the vehicle accelerated at an unknown speed without warning when the gear was shifted into drive. as a result, the vehicle traveled approximately 200 yards and then crashed into a wall. the contact stated that the accelerator pedal stuck and she was unable to depress the brake pedal. the air bag failed to deploy. nhtsa campaign id number 04v346000 (air bags: side/window) was referenced. a police report was filed. the insurance inspector felt that the electrical system caused the failure. as of october 25, 2007, the manufacturer had not inspected the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 41,000. see 10209036 also. *dsy. updated 01/11/08. *lj

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. the contact switched gears from neutral to drive and the vehicle accelerated to maximum speed. the accelerator pedal was stuck and the vehicle would not stop. she drove into some bushes and trees that were in front of a two foot wall. the undercarriage, transmission housing, tie rod, and bumper were all damaged. the repairs would cost $5,800. the fire and police departments along with an ambulance arrived at the scene. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed and the contact refused to go to a hospital, even though her blood pressure was 200. the dealer stated that nothing could be done. the speed was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 43,960. see odi 10206896 also. *dsy

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. while pulling into a parking space between 3-5 mph, the engine began to rev. the vehicle surged forward when the contact applied more pressure to the brake pedal. the vehicle crashed into a concrete wall and the air bags failed to deploy. her knees were badly bruised. the hood and front bumper were damaged, but the majority of the damage was on the passenger side of the vehicle. the side panels were moved and misaligned, which impacts the opening and closing of the doors. the purchase date was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 58,500.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry le. while driving up a hill at approximately 25 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated while the contact had the brake pedal depressed. the vehicle crashed into another vehicle in front of it. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed to two different dealership but both dealers were unable to diagnose the failure. the vehicle was then taken to a local mechanic for repair. the current mileage was approximately 120,000. the failure mileage was approximately 50,000. updated 11/03/10. *lj

Delayed response of engine and forward motion of the car when applying acceleration. for lack of better words, it seems to create a revving or surge in the engine...like something is out of synch. other issues relate to persistent problems with the hydraulic brake and grinding in the steering column that have been dismissed by the dealership that works on my car. as of today, i cannot safely drive my car because i am not confident i will be able to stop the car. i am scheduled to bring the car in this week, but will need to expedite it given the rapid change in brake response in the last few days. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. the contact stated that the vehicle accelerated automatically to 45 mph as she was pulling into a parking space. there were no warning indicators. the vehicle struck a cement block. the air bags failed to deploy. the vehicle sustained front end damage and was towed away. the body damage must be repaired before the dealer can attempt to diagnose the cause of failure. the current and failure mileages were 24,000.

Summer 2007, driving from bedford, tx to southwest fort worth, 2003 toyota camry suddenly accelerated from near stop condition to much higher speed for two or more blocks. not sure how fast it was going. don't recall details. this never happened again. still owns car. *tr

2003 toyota camry, sudden unintended acceleration while parking vehicle suddenly accelerated, jumped a parking block, and crashed into a tree. *tr

Re: notification case #245324 dated on 03/17/2010 the incident happened on a bechtel-tower visitor parking in houston, tx. i passed the entrance gate, made two 90 degrees turns and positioned car between parking lines. suddenly, i heard a horrified sound coming out from the engine: motor was roaring like a wild lion. i pressed the brake but it did not prevent the accident. like a rocket the vehicle ran over the curb and landscaping colliding into a large three. the seat belt saved my life, however the whole front body of the vehicle was smashed and the estimated damage was near $8,000. the bechtel security guard officer was contacted immediately. the incident has been documented and recorded in bechtel security file. later this year when toyota "unintended acceleration" problem was revealed i contacted the toyota motor sales department. they inspected the vehicle and determined that all tests performed safely. for your convenience, the following attachments have been mailed to your office on march 24, 2010: a copy of my letter submitted to toyota motor sales, u.s.a., torrance, ca. this letter pertains all events and details related to the incident. report of sterling mccall toyota testing performed on february 10, 2010. i greatly appreciate your time and consideration. updated 04/20/10

In april 2007 i had an accident with my 2003 toyota camry. i was backing out of a parking spot and put the car in drive, it accelerated greatly. i put on the brakes and it would not stop. i hit another car and a fence before i could throw it into park and stop it. had i gone thru the fence, i would have gone into a deep ravine and i would not be here to tell the story. i told the insurance company that day that there was something wrong with the car; it would not stop. i told them they should contact toyota about it. they told me not to worry, they would cover the damages - around $6000. i told the garage that repaired the car that it would not stop. he said i had to have had my foot on the accelerator and not the brake. no i did not have my foot on the accelerator and it told him so. i told carson city toyota service manager that something was wrong with the car and later when recalls started, again told him. he said i could not prove it. had anyone been listening to me 3 years ago, lives might have been saved. i am still angry about it and am looking to replace the car as soon as i can. *tr

I am the owner of a 2003 4 cylinder camry. i bought the car used in august, 2006. in that year and the year after, i had 2 or 3 acceleration problems when i put my foot on the brake. i thought it was my fault due to the new plastic floor mats i had installed or was due to the fact that when i put my foot on the brake pedal, my foot extended over the end of the pedal and when i pressed down, i hit the accelerator as well. i have had no incidents since. *tr

Cruise control did not disengage upon pressing brake pedal. hydraulic brakes would not stop vehicle. method used to stop vehicle included putting vehicle in neutral and applying emergency/parking brake. narrowly avoided collision with other vehicles which had stopped by squeezing between them and the concrete medium. my vehicle was scraped on drivers side but no other vehicle was damaged (thank god!). could not duplicate. *jb

I purchased a used toyota camry, 2003 model, from a san antonio, texas car dealer in january, 2007. at the time the car had about 103,000 miles. i was driving on the highway at about 65 miles per hour when suddenly the car's engine revved up, there was a easily perceptible jolt and the vehicle accelerated by itself. about 2-3 seconds later i stepped on the brake pedal, very hard. the car acceleration rate went slightly down, engine rpms still high, and i could barely keep control of the car, so i became concerned (almost feared) of losing control of the vehicle. after about 30-40 seconds, rpms went back to more normal levels, although the vehicle engine was still accelerated. at that moment i was driving at about 65 miles per hour and if i had let go on the brake the car would have accelerated on its own. afterwards, and for bout 15 minutes (15-16 miles) i took my foot off the brake and gas pedals and the car cruised on its own at about 65 mph. i finally got home, parked the car and next time i used it experienced no problems. i don't recall if i had similar incidents later on. *tr

2003 toyota camry accelerated out of control and rear ended second vehicle and then a building before stopping. operator attempted to stop the vehicle by fully depressing brakes, pumping brakes and shifting to neutral to no avail. vehicle was brought to dealer for problem in 06/06 and again in 02/07. in 06/06 dealer stated there was a computer problem and an adjustment was made. in 02/07 dealer stated they could not find any problem. operator state he had four failures before servicing in 2006 and only one failure before bringing it in in 2007. there was direct frontal impact that caused extensive damage, neither air bag deployed. *nm see also 10196913 *sy

2003 toyota camry faulty acceleration customer states vehicle accelerated out of control and caused her to hit another car and a house**sb *jb see also 10183782 *sy

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. the contact put the vehicle in reverse and it accelerated on its own without warning. the contact stated that his foot remained on the brake pedal and the vehicle continued to accelerate, it lunged forward over a curb and hit a tree. the rear axles were damaged. the vehicle was towed. there were no injuries. a police report was taken, and the contact had photos of the vehicle. the vehicle has not been diagnosed at this time.*ak the vehicle lunged in reverse, onto a manin street, jumped the curb and hit a tree. updated 03/19/07. *jb

Sudden acceleration of 2003 camry with 27,000 miles on it. i was parked, had foot on brake, turned car on . put car in drive while foot still on brake and car surged forward. this was so frightening as a mom and child were walking in front of my car. i smashed my foot on the brake, put car in park and turned motor off to make it stop. *jb see also 10184772. *dsy

My 2003 toyota camry le v6 inexplicably accelerated while i was driving into my garage on dec 28 2006. the car struck the back of the garage wall and caused the wall to fail and partially fall into my houses den. at the time i assumed i had hit the accelerator instead of applying the brake. when i think back the car really accelerated hard and when it first hit the wall it stopped then lurched forward again. in light of all of the issues surrounding toyotas and unintentional acceleration i suspect the car actually accelerated on its own and i did not touch the accelerator accidentally. the car was repaired and is still owned by our family. i am reluctant to drive it given all of the issues surrounding toyota acceleration problems. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota camry. the accelerator pedal would become stuck due to the entrapment of the floor mat. she usually has to manually remove the floor-mat to prevent a catastrophic failure. the failure occurred every-time she operated the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician stated that since her vehicle was not included in recall number 09v388000 (vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal), she was ineligible for a free remedy. she called the manufacturer, but could not reach a representative. no repairs were made, but she was in the process of removing the floor- mat. the failure mileage was approximately 110,000. the current mileage was approximately 162,000.

First, let me say that i am and remain a satisfied toyota customer. however, i have experienced the "stuck accelerator" type of incident in my 2003 camry on numerous occasions. at first, i considered it to be some sort of rare event. it did seem to me that the floor mat and the accelerator pedal were somehow "jammed" when that happened. currently, with the news about others having the same experience, with newer models of camry, i want to alert nhtsa that the problem may exist in model years as far back as 2003. *tr norman f carnahan, pe, phd

Dt*: the contact stated on three separate occasions the vehicle accelerated without warning when placed into gear. the vehicle was driven to the dealer both times however the problem could not be duplicated. updated 01/30/07. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated that the brake pedal and the accelerator were too close together, and the brake pedal moves down too far. the position of the brake pedal and accelerator caused a collision while backing out of a parking spot. the accelerator was accidentally depressed causing the vehicle to increase in speed and collide with another parked vehicle which subsequently pushed that vehicle into a third. there were no injuries. a police report was filed, and there were no mechanics consulted.

Takata inflators: every time i fix my vehicle individuals cause hate crimes damaging my vehicle as i go to sleep or when i am not viewing my vehicle they must know exactly when i go to sleep because i cant catch them even though i think i know who it is i can not prove it so this is why i am complaining i remember checking my tires in the night noticing nothing wrong with them then checked in the mourning and noticed nails nailed in the tires then i noticed dried turtle wax all over the body of the car messing up the paint wheel alignment out of line right door power window malfunction trunk open power switch broken power sun roof sliding window broken vehicle was stationary this happened on different date in combination to the damage between 06/16/06 to 04/21/17.

I have a 2003 toyota camry 4cyl, le model. on two separate occasions while the cruise/speed control was on, the car has accelerated quickly. both times, i was able to turn the speed control off and it went back to normal. since the warranty had run out and it has not happened since, i did not take it in to be looked at. this happened once in 2006 and once in 2007. i do not remember the exact dates (the month/day below is just a guess), but i did want to get this included in any possible problems other were having.*tr

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 7 mph in heavy stop and go traffic with the brakes applied, the vehicle accelerated into the rear of another vehicle. the contact was wearing a seat belt and no injuries were sustained. minor damage was sustained to the vehicle. the police were on the scene and a report was taken. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer. updated 7/13/2006 - this acceleration problem occurred 6-7 time prior to this accident. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving slowly at 1 mph wit foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated suddenly causing an accident. the vehicle crashed into three other vehicle's causing property damage. the seat belts were in use at the time. the air bags did not deploy. there were no problems prior to this accident. the vehicle was towed to local dealership where they were unable to duplicate the problem. the vehicle has been inspected by toyota. the police were alerted to the scene and a report was filed. updated 6/19/2006 - *nm

2003 toyota camry. consumer states unintended acceleration *tgw the consumer stated when she entered a parking lot, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. she veered to the right away from a brick building and drove over a curb, a sidewalk, a drop down to grass and along shrubs at the base of the building. the consumer was able to bring the vehicle under control. all together, the vehicle traveled about 100 feet or more in a circle in a short period of time. the consumer stated the first time the incident happened was in may 2006 when the vehicle suddenly accelerated as she was backing out of a parking space. the vehicle had been idling for a few minutes with the air conditioner on before she placed the gear in reverse. there was no property damage and the police were not called in either incident. *jb

I was driving into the automatic car wash, slowed to go up slight ramp to top. gave the car a little gas and it started reving, did not stop when brake pedal pushed, jumped the track and hit the side of the car wash. the car was able to be moved to outside carwash, still reving but was able to stop and turn off the engine. the front bumper and driver's side front fender were replaced, and suspension damage repaired. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 25 mph depressing the brake pedal the vehicle accelerated. this occurred four times. the first 3 times the vehicle was stopped with excessive pressure to the brake pedal. the last time the vehicle struck a pole. there was a police report taken at the scene of the accident. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop for body repairs caused by the crash. when the vehicle was inspected the first three times diagnostic testing did not identify any codes. also, while carrying 125 pounds of bird seed in the trunk, the vehicle began to veer to the left on a slushy road. when the bird seed was moved to the front passenger seat the vehicle operated normally. the manufacturer was alerted. updated 7/11/2006 - the consumer reported these incidents to the dealer but they told the consumer that nothing was wrong. *nm

Fax fwd ltr (oh) they previously owned a 2003 toyota camry that had experienced sudden acceleration problems since 2006, concerned that toyota recall is not broad enough, reply painesville, oh. *tgw on four different occasions the vehicle suddenly accelerated while the consumer was driving. in april 2006, the accelerator pedal became stuck and the consumer was forced to hit a concrete pillar to avoid hitting occupied vehicles. *jb

I was parked in a strip mall where i had just picked up some dry cleaning. i entered my car, a 2003 toyota camry xle, and started the engine. i then put the car in reverse gear, and removed my foot from the brake. the car suddenly accelerated in reverse,,and went totally out of control, hitting another car parked across from mine and continued in a somewhat circular path until i was able to apply the brake and come to a stop. i have called nhtsa today and was told that there have been 83 previous complaints for this vehicle under "vehicle speed control," and 15 complaints under "vehicle speed control, accelerator pedal." i have also called toyota motor sales (1 800 331-4331) and was told that they would make an appointment with a nearby toyota dealer to have my car inspected for any defects. i have also gone to a auto body shop where the damages to my car have been estimated at $3,879.13. in addition, the police arrived at the scene and i was cited for "careless driving," and paid a fine of $107.70. i am also been required to attend a 4 hour traffic school where the fee is $35.95. i wish to have this matter investigated.

My car is a 2003 toyota camry le with 4 cylinder engine, automatic transmission, cruise control and abs. the accident occurred on january 21, 2006 in new york city in broad daylight and in clear weather. the accident occurred as i entered gas station to pump gas. i lost control with sudden acceleration. i hit another car parked to pump gas.. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle surges forward while the accelerator pedal is barely being touched. this is an intermittent problem and occurs when the vehicle is accelerating from a stopped position. the dealership is unable to duplicate the problem. *ak the consumer stated when on a level highway, with the cruise control engaged,it will activate and deactivate on its own. updated 02/07/06. *jb

Dt: the contact was putting the vehicle into park and the vehicle suddenly accelerated. it went from 2 mph, to being out of control. the vehicle surged and crashed into a wooden retaining wall. the contact was not injured in the crash. there was property damage to the wall. the vehicle was not totaled. she contacted the manufacturer, and they said they would investigate the incident. there has not been any representative from the manufacturer in touch with the contact. a police report was taken. *ak

Tl*the contact owns 2003 toyota camry. the contact was backing out of her driveway. there was not an application to the accelerator pedal or brake pedal, suddenly there was an unintended acceleration. the driver applied pressure to the brake pedal and was able to slow down. the identical failures occurred on four separate occasions. the vehicle has not been repaired for the malfunction. the failure mileage was 60,000. the current mileage was 130,000.

In 2005, i was driving east on u.s. hwy 74 between i-26 and shelby, nc in my 2003 camry. the cruise control was set for 65 mph, the speed limit. a few minutes later, the car began increasing speed to 75 mph. i stepped on the brake and turned off the cruise control to slow down the vehicle. this was the only time this happened. i reported this to a service representative at my toyota dealership when i returned to chattanooga. he said to let him know if it ever happened again. this year, i sent my dealership and toyota e-mails reminding them of the problem encountered in 2005. neither responded. then, i went to the dealership and talked with a service representative. the gentleman said that toyota had been having this particular problem with its cruise control for many years (he mentioned a specific piece that was causing the malfunction), but it was not regarded as a safety issue since tapping on the brake disconnected the cruise control. *tr

Dt: the contact stated when placing foot on the brake pedal the vehicle accelerated. it became airborne and did not stop until it crashed into an embankment. both the driver and passenger have fractured vertebrae's. a police report was taken at the scene, and the vehicle was totaled. *ak updated 12/27/05. *jb

Car surges to maximum revolutions on tachometer when moving gear shift from park to reverse. has happened 2 times in the last 3 months. at the time of both incidents, car was idling with air conditioner on. application of brake controlled situation but i am worried about severe accident if this occurs. there are 2 other drivers in the family, of which one is a teenager and a fourth will start driving in 6 months. this is the same as the current defect investigation nhtsa action number dp05002. my complaint is against the manufacturer, not the dealer. the dealer did a diagnosis after the first incident and detected no problem. there needs to be a diagnosis for this issue and a national recall on this problem. *jb

Dt: vehicle stalled in the middle of the road on august 12, 2005. took the vehicle to the dealer and they could not find anything wrong and sent the consumer home with the invoice. there was no for warning. about 6 weeks before when pushing on the accelerator pedal it seemed like it took a few seconds for the vehicle to accelerate. *ak

As i put car on drive,it just accelarated out of control..brakes did not work,emergency brake neither,thanks to curb i did not run thru a fence that separates supermarket's parking lot and housing's playground full of kids and parents enjoying mother's day.

Dt: consumer states that the vehicle takes off by itself. this can happen while at a traffic light with foot on brake. at one time consumer was putting the car on planks to change oil and the vehicle accelerated, and hit consumer's spouse, who sustained injuries.*ak

I pulled into a business parking lot and came to a complete stop, shifted into reverse, took my foot off the brake, slightly touched the accelerator, removed my foot from the accelerator and the car suddenly accelerated rapidly on its own. i firmly applied the brake to stop but the car continued to accelerate. the action of the brakes left a long patch of rubber, but did not slow the car. after striking an suv, moving it out of the way and into another car, the car continued to accelerate until it was stopped by a metal light pole. the car has yet to be examined by a toyota dealership.*ak