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Toyota RAV4 2011: Unintended acceleration

A few weeks ago while gently rolling downhill into a parking spot with my foot on the brake in my 2011 V6 Toyota RAV4 the engine suddenly roared to full revs. Good reactions allowed me to ram the gear lever into Park and with both feet pressing like mad on the brake I turned the motor off. On restarting the car everything seemed normal and a subsequent trip to the local country Toyota dealer confirmed that all was ok. They thought the problem was with a floor mat riding up on the accelerator pedal, except that I have not got one in the car and the accelerator pedal is top hinged. On return to Melbourne I consulted my local dealer who, although very concerned, could find nothing wrong. Have any other Toyota drivers have had similar occurrences with these "fly-by-wire throttles" suddenly going to flat-out? I am now loathe to let my wife drive the car and am very apprehensive in traffic. I am firmly convinced that any mechanical or electrical problem only becomes a recallable problem after enough people have complained and then, and only then, will carmakers act.

Toyota recalled the RAV4 twice in the US for "unintended acceleration" problems, which sounds uncannily like your problem. The first recall was, the company claimed, because the carpet could move forward and over the accelerator, the second was because the accelerator pedal could "stick". There was also some suspicion that there was also a problem with the 'fly-by-wire' throttle, but nothing has been found on that front. I would urge you to report the problem to Toyota directly and ask that they inspect your car.

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