2001 Toyota Sequoia

UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION ON A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA REGISTERED TO A MOTHER OF 4. INCIDENT OCCURRED ON I85 AT MILE-MARKER 104 IN BROAD DAYLIGHT WITH CLEAR, DRY CONDITIONS. WITH RECENT REVELATIONS ABOUT TOYOTA HIDDEN SAFETY AROUND UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION, THIS IS THE ONLY EXPLANATION THAT MAKES SENSE WITH REGARDS THIS FATAL ACCIDENT. *TR UPDATED 03/14/10 *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE OF THE VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROADWAY TO THE RIGHT ONTO THE RUMBLE STRIP. THE DRIVER OVER CORRECTED AND SWERVED TO THE LEFT, LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CROSSING ALL THREE LANES OF TRAVEL. THE VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD TO THE LEFT, STRIKING A PLASTIC CONSTRUCTION BARRELL. THE VEHICLE BEGAN OVERTURNING IN THE MEDIAN AND STRUCK THE MEDIAN GUARDRAIL CABLE. UPDATED 06/17/10. *JB UPDATE 9/19/2011*CW

I PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND LEFT IT RUNNING EXITED THE CAR OPEN THE BACK DOOR AND WALKED BEHIND THE CAR AND THEN THE CAR BEGAN ROLLING BACKWARDS UNTIL IT RAN INTO A WALL AFTER I HAD ALREADY REMOVED ITEMS FROM THE BACK DOOR AND WALKED BEHIND THE CAR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO AN ENBANKMENT. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MOUTH AND HEAD INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER, NOT DURING, A VERY MILD AUTO ACCIDENT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT CAUSE. THEY SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED MILD BURNS TO MY HANDS AND FOREARMS. FROM A COMPLETE STOP, I PULLED FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 2 CAR LENGTHS AND THE AUTOMOBILE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED WITHOUT WARMING OR BREAK LIGHTS. I HAD ALMOST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP BEFORE MY FRONT BUMPER TAPPED HER REAR BUMPER. MY BODY DID NOT EVEN MOVE WHEN THE TWO BUMPERS TAPPED EACH OTHER. NO DAMAGE WAS NOTICED ON EITHER BUMPER, NOT EVEN A SCRATCH. MY WINDSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED THAT DAY IN ORDER FOR ME TO DRIVE HOME. I WAITED 5 HOURS FOR THE REPAIR MAN TO COME. I FILLED THIS ON MY AUTO INSURANCE WINDSHIELD POLICY AND PAID MY $50 DEDUCTIBLE. ALFA INSURANCE PROMPTLY RAISED MY COLLISION DEDUCTIBLE FROM $250 TO $500 AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD NEVER REPLACE ANOTHER WINDSHIELD. IF THE AIR BAGS HAD NOT SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I AM SO ANGRY AT TOYOTA. NO INSURANCE CLAIM WAS FILLED BY THE OTHER DRIVER SINCE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE. NO TICKET WAS GIVEN BY THE OFFICER THAT CAME TO THE SCENE. THE OFFICER TOLD ME THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED AND THAT HE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THIS IS WHAT CAUSED ME TO INVESTIGATE AND FOUND THE AIR BAG RECALL ON THE SEQUOIA STARTING IN 2002, BUT DID NOT INCLUDE 2001. I FILLED A MALFUNCTION REPORT WITH TOYOTA AND THEY SENT OUT AN INVESTIGATOR. AFTER 45 DAYS I RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE SENSORS AND DENIED THE CLAIM. I HAVE NOT HAD THE USE OF MY SEAT BELTS, HORN OR AIR BAGS TO PROVIDE A SAFE RIDE SINCE JANUARY. I HAVE HAD TO DRIVE THROUGH ICE AND SNOW WITH NO PROTECTION FOR MY FOUR CHILDREN OR I. IT IS OBVIOUS TOYOTA DOES NOT CARE ABOUT SAFETY. *TR

AFTER DRIVING MY 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA SR5 4X4, 70 MPH FOR 45 MILES, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABRUPT RIGHT HAND TURN ON ITS OWN. THE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM LOCKED THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO TURN RIGHT. LATER THAT WEEK MY MECHANIC REPLACED THE YAW SENSOR. SINCE THEN, THE TRUCK HAS BEHAVED AS EXPECTED. I JUST HEARD A FRIEND ALSO HAD A 2001 4X4 TOYOTA TACOMA AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED, ALTHOUGH HIS VEHICLE ROLLED 5 TIMES AND THERE WERE SEVERAL INJURIES. HE HAD ABOUT 135000 MILE ON HIS VEHICLE. *TR

VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL TROUBLE LIGHTS IN COLD WEATHER. WHILE DRIVING IN SUB FREEZING WEATHER ON WET HEAVILY SALTED NEARLY CLEAR (POSSIBLE SLIGHT SLUSH FROM SNOW DUSTING) INTERSTATE ALONG A STRAIGHT SMOOTH SLIGHT UPGRADE STRETCH, THE VEHICLE WITHOUT DIVER ACTION (STEERING, BRAKING, OR ACCELERATION) EXPERIENCED A REAR END SWERVE TO THE RIGHT AND INABILITY TO CONTROL. RESULT WAS LEAVING THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY DOWN A 25-30 FOOT EMBANKMENT (NO GUARDRAIL) AND A VEHICLE ROLL (ONE TIME, ENDING UP WHEELS DOWN, STILL RUNNING). TRAVEL WAS AT OR BELOW THAT OF TRAFFIC. NO OTHER VEHICLES EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY ON THE SAME STRETCH OF ROAD. IT IS BELIEVED THAT A SUDDEN RANDOM ACTUATION OF THE STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM INITIATED THE EVENT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A GENERIC ISSUE WITH THE TOYOTA SYSTEM SPANNING SEVERAL MODELS AND YEARS. *TR

THIS WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT: AS I WAS DRIVING THEN SUDDENLY THE TRUCK STARTED TO BEEP AND MOVES BACK AND FORTH AND MADE A BRAKING SOUND. AND I WENT INTO THE SIDE AND HIT A SMALL POST AND THE SEAT BELT TIGHTEN. NOW MY BACK HAS BEEN HURTING ME SINCE. AND SOME LIGHTS WERE ON. THE VSC TRAC AND TRAC OFF LIGHTS WERE ON. THEN AFTER THAT ONE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING VERY CAREFUL BUT IT WILL STILL DO THE SAME THING. THE BEEP STARTS AND THE SWIRLING BACK AND FORTH. BUT I HAVE BEEN DRIVING SLOWER TOO SO I DON'T GET OUT OF CONTROL. THIS IS VERY SCARY. AFTER THE I TURN OFF THE TRUCK THE LIGHTS ARE NOT ON. BUT THE THING IS THAT IT JUST HAPPENS. I HAVE NO I IDEA WHEN OR WHAT TIME. I HOPE I CAN GET HELP ON FIXING THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS. AN INCREASE OF ACCELERATION OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE STEERED INTO ANOTHER LANE DUE TO A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND CRASHED INTO A WALL; ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED WITH INJURIES TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 4/26/10 *CN UPDATED 05/11/10.*JB

MY FAMILY OF 5 WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON HIGHWAY 95 IN BREVARD COUNTY FLORIDA OVER $10,000 OF FRONT END DAMAGE ON TOYOTA SEQUOIA WITH LESS THAN 10000 MILES ON IT. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED SEVERAL INJURIES SUSTAINED. *AK

CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 440 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELLING 60 MPH RAN A RED LIGHT AND TURNED INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, HITTING IT HEAD-ON. FRONT END WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED, PUSHING RADIATOR THROUGH THE ENGINE. AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. MANUFACTURER HAS APOLOGIZED, AND WILL SEND SOMEONE OUT TO INSPECT VEHICLE. AMOUNT OF DAMAGE WAS $23629. VEHICLE WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS TO BE TOTALLY REPAIRED. *AK TOYOTA ISSUED A LETTER TO CONSUMER STATING THAT THE SRS OPERATED AS DESIGNED. *SLC

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE BALL JOINTS HAVE FAILED ON BOTH SIDES, WITH THE WHEELS FALLING OFF WHILE DRIVING. AT SPEED, MY FAMILY WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED -TWICE! THE WHEELS HAVE FALLEN OFF TWICE. I HAVE KEPT THIS VEHICLE IN EXCELLENT REPAIR. I HAVE OWNED 4 TOYOTAS AND CURRENTLY OWN THREE. BALL JOINTS SHOULD NOT FALL APART UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. TOYOTA HAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BACK TO 2004. HOWEVER, THEY REFUSED TO STAND BY ME ON THIS, EVEN AFTER I PAID OVER $2200 FOR THE LAST REPAIR. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR ALL SEQUOIAS PRIOR TO 2004. I CAN PROBABLY GET A PHOTO OF THE WHEEL OFF OF THE CAR WHERE IT SKIDDED TO A STOP.

I BARELY TAPPED THR BACK OF AN OLD TOYOTA COROLLA AND AT A LOW SPEED WHERE NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO EITHER VEHICLE BESIDE MINE WHEN THE AIRBAGS UNNECESSARILY DEPLOYED AND SHATTERED MY WINDSHIELD. WHEN I TOOK IT TO MY BODY SHOP GUY HE SAID THERE WAS NO WAY THE AIRBAGS SHOULD'VE DEPLOYED HE HAD CHECKED MY SENSORS AND THEY HAD NOT BEEN TOUCHED. ABOUT A MONTH AGO I TOOK MY CAR TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR SOMEONE TO COME UP FROM I BELIEVE ATLANTA AND INSPECT MY CAR. I NEVER COULD GET A RESPONSE FROM HIM. TESTERDAY I CALLED MY LOCAL TOYOTA INQUIRING ABOUT MY AIRBAGS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID YOURS WERE RECALLED NEW ONES ARE HERE BRING YOUR CAR HERE IN THE MORNING AND IT'LL TAKE ABOUT THREE HOURS TO FIX. I WAS EXCITED TO FINALLY GET SOMEWHERE WITH THIS ISSUE... THIS MORNING I TAKE MY CAR UP THERE AND THEY TELL ME THAT IT WASNT RECALLED AND TO CALL THE GUY WHO CANE DOWN AND INSPECTED IT. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THE WAY THIS IS BEING HANDLED AND HOW NO ONE WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT AND FIX IT. *TR

LAST YEAR MY CAR WHILE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 50 MPH JUST COLLAPSED. MY BALL JOINTS FELL COMPLETELY OFF. MY THE GRACE OF GOD I WASN'T KILLED BECAUSE I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAVE SINCE HAD IT REPAIRED BUT NOT BY A TOYOTA DEALER. AT THE TIME AS NOW, ALL MY LIGHTS WERE LIT VSC TRAC, ABS ETC. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM THROUGHOUT HAVING THIS TOYOTA AND IT HAS BEEN VERY COSTLY. NOW AS WE SPEAK MY CAR IS AT A DEALER AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THEY WILL TELL ME IT'S THE FAULTY COMPUTER CHIP. I WILL ALSO HAVE THEM CHECK FOR RUST SINCE I'M HEARING OF ALL THESE CASES OF RUST. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN TIP TOP SHAPE DUE TO MY HUSBANDS KNOWLEDGE OF CARS. HOWEVER, SOME OF THESE REPORTS APPEAR TO BE INCIDENTS BEYOND OUR CONTROL. I'M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. I GUESS IF I HAD BEEN KILLED TOYOTA WOULD STILL BE DENYING THEIR PRODUCT IS FAULTY. I WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO STEP UP AND PAY FOR SOME OF THESE ISSUES I'VE HAD AND IF MY CAR NEEDS THIS EXPENSIVE COMPUTER CHIP..ABS IS ENGAGING MY BRAKES THEY PAY FOR IT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE MADE A REPORT AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM TOYOTA... *TR

WAS DRIVING DOWN MAJOR INTERSTATE WHEN THE VSC WARNING CAME ON WITH BUZZER. BRAKES FELT LIKE THEY WERE BEING GROUND DOWN, ENGINE DECELERATED, AND COULD FEEL BUMPING AND GRINDING ON BRAKE PEDAL. PULLED OVER AND CHECKED UNDER CAR, FOUND NOTHING. GOT BACK ON INTERSTATE AND SAME THING HAPPENED ONLY THIS TIME THE SYSTEM TURNED ITSELF OFF. CAN NOT TURN THE VSC OFF WITH THE BUTTON PROVIDED. RESEARCH ON INTERNET REVEALS NOT AN UNIQUE ISSUE WITH SEQUOIA. HAS ALSO HAPPENED WITH TUNDRA AND OTHER TOYOTAS WITH VSC SYSTEM. NO FIX AVAILABLE AS OF 09/30/2012 THAT CAN BE FOUND. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WITH FORCE. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF A VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OR PERSONAL INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

ON FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2007 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:45PM, MY WIFE (BELINDA) WAS TRAVELING ON THE NORTHBOUND 57 FREEWAY TRANSITIONING TO THE WESTBOUND 210 FREEWAY. AT THIS POINT, SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. HYSTERICAL, SHE STILL MANAGED TO NAVIGATE THE VEHICLE OVER TO WHAT IS A QUASI SHOULDER ON THIS TRANSITION ONLY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, EXAMINE THE AFFECTED AREA (PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL), TO FIND THAT THE WHEEL ITSELF HAD COME APART FROM THE VEHICLE LOOKING LIKE A \"PANCAKE.\" IT WOULD ONLY BE A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE PASSERSBY STOPPED STATING TO HER (AFTER THEY HAD EXAMINED THE DAMAGE) THAT HER BALL-JOINT HAD BROKEN ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER PARTS OF THE SUSPENSION. SHE WAS LUCKY SHE WASN'T KILLED (OR, MY ENTIRE FAMILY FOR THAT MATTER ON A TRIP TO SAN FRANCISCO WE HAD TAKEN ONLY THREE WEEKS BEFORE THIS DATE). MY WIFE TELEPHONED ME ON MY CELL PHONE, AT WHICH POINT I CALLED THE AUTO CLUB FOR A TOW. SHORTLY AFTER, A CHP OFFICER HAD APPEARED ON THE SCENE AS WELL AS A TOW-TRUCK DRIVER. TRAFFIC WAS BACKED UP FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES. HOWEVER, BOTH THE CHP PERSON AND THE TOW-TRUCK DRIVER STATED MORE SPECIFICALLY THAT, THE LOWER BALL-JOINT HAD FAILED. MY WIFE WAS PETRIFIED. WHEN I GOT IN THERE, A SERVICE-WRITER (I HAVE HER CARD SOMEWHERE ELSE) HAD ALREADY UNDERTAKEN A SEARCH TO SEE IF MY VEHICLE FELL UNDER A RECALL. I FOUND IT CURIOUS THAT SHE\'D DO A SEARCH FOR THIS SPECIFIC RECALL IF SHE DID NOT ALREADY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE (AS IF SHE HAD SEEN THIS EXACT KIND OF DAMAGE BEFORE). IN OTHER WORDS, I AM REASONABLY CERTAIN THAT SHE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE TRUCK WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN. AS OF THIS MORNING, I SPOKE WITH THE SYMES SERVICE MANAGER (LOUIS) WHO IN TURN STATED THAT HE SPOKE WITH HIS \"AREA DIRECTOR\" \"TOMO.\" HE INSTRUCTED HIS SERVICE MANAGER, LOUIS, TO TELL ME THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT BE TAKING CARE OF THIS AS IT DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE VEHICLES RECALLED. *TR

2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHEN I SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE ENGINE ROARED TO A FULLY RACING ENGINE AND ACCELERATED FORWARD. HARD BRAKING COULD NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE AND IT HIT THE BACK OF A 2004 HONDA MINI-VAN THAT WAS PARKED, DOING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE BUT CAUSING NO INJURIES. *JB

DRIVING SOUTH BOUND ON RT. 301 IN BOWIE, MD. BEGAN TO SLOW AND MOVED RIGHT INTO THE EXIT LANE TOWARDS MOUNT OAK RD. WEST BOUND. HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA LEANED OVER TOWARD THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WHEEL. IT BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKING POWER WAS GREATLY REDUCED AND THE SEQUOIA WAS BASICALLY UNCONTROLLABLE. WAS ABLE TO STEER SLIGHT TOWARDS THE RIGHT TO AVOID BEING PULLED BACK INTO TRAFFIC. IMPACTED A SAFETY MEDIAN, DESIGNED TO PROTECT CARS ENTERING THE HIGHWAY FROM THOSE EXITING THE HIGHWAY, AND CROSSED COMPLETELY OVER IT THE WHEEL HUB HAD SEPARATED FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE TIRE, WHEEL RIM, HUB, STEERING RACK, STEERING TIE ROD, CONTROL ARMS, BRAKE LINES, DRIVE AXLE, ETC. HAD ALL BEEN DAMAGE SEVERELY. PICTURES OF THE SCENE SHOW A SINGLE SKID MARK FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL CLEARLY. THE SINGLE SKID MARK INDICATES THAT ONE WHEEL WAS NOT ROTATING AT ALL, WHILE THE OTHER THREE WERE ROTATING FREELY, OR UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. I FOUND NO MY 2001 RECALLS. I LATER FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 05V225000 INDICATING A RECALL DUE TO FAILED BALL JOINTS IN THE 2002-2004 SEQUOIA. THE SEQUOIA MODEL WAS FIRST AVAILABLE AS A MY2001 AND INITIAL INTRODUCTION WAS LATE IN 2000. MY2002 STARTED IN THE LATE SUMMER OF 2001. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SO QUICKLY AFTER THE MODEL INTRODUCTION TOYOTA WOULD MAKE MAJOR CHANGES IN THE SUSPENSION AND/OR BALL JOINTS. IT WAS BY LUCK ONLY THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED OR KILLED DUE TO THE SUSPENSION FAILURE, TOYOTA NEEDS TO REACT QUICKLY AND NOTIFY MY2001 OWNERS OF THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT. NOT ONLY DID THE SUSPENSION FAIL, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO MOVE BACK AND JAM INTO THE REAR WHEEL WELL AREA, BUT IT SEEMED TO CAUSE AN ALMOST TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY. I BELIEVE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES RESPONDED TO THE LOCKED FRONT WHEEL BY MODULATING THE POWER TO THE OTHER WHEELS RESULTING IN LESS BRAKING FORCE. *JB

LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATION ON 2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA ON INTERSTATE 10 AT 70 MPH. IT WAS ORIGINAL TIRE INSTALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER. CAR MILEAGE WAS 34,400. DUNLOP GRAND TREK AT21, P265/70/R16. DAMAGES TO CAR $1590.00. TIRE WAS THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT, AND THEREFORE NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE. DEMAND REIMBURSEMENT OF DEDUCTIBLE AND FREE REPLACEMENT OF FULL SET OF TIRES.*AK

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2004 I BROUGHT IN MY SEQUOIA FOR SERVICE. I HAD COMPLAINED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED (WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE) AND THE AIR CONDITIONING ENGAGES THE CAR ROLLS FORWARD. THE LAST TIME THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED, SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE, HAD RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE SERVICE TECH INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THAT TOYOTAS REGIONAL FACTORY TECHNICIAN NEEDED TO VERIFY THEIR OWN ASSESSMENT AND APPROVE THE WARRANTY WORK TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM HE ALSO STATED VERY SPECIFICALLY THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 2004 GLENN KASHIMA, SERVICE DIRECTOR FROM TUSTIN TOYOTA CALLED ME. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE FACTORY TECHNICIAN HAD BEEN OUT TO LOOK AT THE CAR. HE HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND DETERMINED THAT THE CAR WAS OPERATING WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. HE TOLD ME THAT I COULD PICK THE CAR UP. I MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE. FIRST THEY TELL ME THAT THE HAVE IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM, HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, AND IT WILL BE COVERED BY MY WARRANTY. THEN THEY TELL ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13TH, 2004 I WENT TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. I SPOKE WITH GLENN KASHIMA. HE AGAIN REITERATED THAT THE CAR WAS OPERATING WITHIN SPECS. THIS IN SPITE OF HIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE FACT THAT HIS OWN TECHNICIAN HAD DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM, ETC. HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD ASKED HIS TECHNICIAN IF HIS FOOT HAD BEEN PUSHING STRONGLY ON THE BRAKE WHEN HE HAD DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM, OR ONLY LIGHTLY ON THE BRAKE. GLENN TOLD ME THAT HE HAD BEEN ASKED THIS BY THE TOYOTA FACTORY GUY. HE DESCRIBED THAT HIS OWN TOYOTA TRUCK DOES THAT..THAT IF YOUR FOOT IS NOT PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKE THAT WILL HAPPEN. I ASKED, ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT IF THE CAR IS STOPPED, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE SUFFICIENTLY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE STOPPED, THAT THE VEHICLE WILL LURCH FORWARD WHEN THE A/C ENGAGES? HE NODDED HIS HEAD AND SAID,"YES."*AK