Last night on my way home from school, I got rearended by a new Toyota Highlander, and the driver is claiming it was unintended acceleration problems. Here's what happened (it's weird):

Traffic was bad, and I was sitting in a left turn lane for maybe the third cycle of the light up ahead (it's only green long enough to let about 7-8 cars through). About 10 seconds or so after I came to a stop, I suddenly was getting hit by the Highlander that had been behind me the whole time I'd been in this traffic jam. He had been stopped behind me, and all the sudden his car was pushing me forward, bouncing into my bumper repeatedly. I had no idea what was going on (thought maybe there was a big chain reaction pileup from someone slamming into the line of stopped cars) and I was frantically was pushing my brake pedal to keep my car from hitting the car in front of me. After about 4 or 5 impacts, I heard a revving motor coming from somewhere behind me, and then it stopped.

I got out of my car trying to figure out what the heck had just happened, and the driver of the Highlander, who didn't speak very good English, immediately started saying how he had just been at the dealer to get the recall work done, and now this happened, and they clearly hadn't fixed it, and the car just took off.

I hadn't even had a chance to process any of it yet when a guy in an SUV creeping by in the lane next to us rolls down the window and asks me if I'd called it in yet. I was just about to do that when he says "don't worry, I'm with the FBI office just up the street, I'm on it..." As he was talking to me, he was already on the phone telling someone he needed a cop where we were for a rear-ending accident.

Anyway, the cop came eventually, insurance info and stuff was taken for paperwork (which turned into a whole different ordeal because the guy in the Highlander couldn't find his up-to-date insurance slip), and things worked out fine. He stuck to his story that his car just took off, and he actually had the dealer paperwork from earlier in the day--he had indeed been at the dealer to have the recall work done.

The Fit is fine for the most part. It didn't dent anything. There are just a few scuff marks in the paint on the bumper, so I don't know how worth it it is to get it fixed at this point. It sucks, but I guess if you're going to get rear-ended, a gentle nudging from a previously stopped car that pushes you forward a bit is better than just about anything else that could happen. I just wish I could figure out what exactly happened with the Toyota--it was stopped, and all the sudden it just drove into the back of me and kept pushing. Very strange.

 

hopefully you get a nice little check from his insurance company

 

I'm glad it wasn't any worse. If you have his insurance information, contact his company to make a claim for the damages. They might seem slight but the cost of repairs might shock you. Don't let them steer you to a specific repair shop. Take it to the shop of your choice. The insurance company can inspect it there and come to an agreed price with the shop. That's better than going to the insurance company office for their estimate and then having a hard time finding a shop to repair it at their figure. Also, you are entitled to a temporary substitute (rental) while your car is down.

Good luck.

 

^^^ what he said is exactly right. a few weeks ago i had a lady put her car into reverse instead of drive and hit the right front of my car. i took the car to my fav shop and had them deal with the insurance company. since the repairs took 3 days, they paid for a rental car also.

 

Lol that sucks. I'll be on the lookout for toyotas in the future.

 

no doubt.

at least you weren't hurt. so it coulda been worse.

 

There're a boat load of them to look out for through :P

 

some of the guys at work have recalled camrys and ever since the news they have been parking their car right in front of our boss's office... :D

 

A quick google search today brings up new that there are an increasing number of complaints filed for acceleration problems after having the recall service done. hmm...

Toyota Owners File 60 Complaints After Recall Fixes (Update3) - BusinessWeek

 

i can see Toyota owners using this stuck accelerator as a excuse for not paying attention in traffic. The way you described it sounds like it may have actually happened to the guy, with sucks because he was just at the dealer to get it fixed. Hopefully it all works out and sounds like there was not to much damadge to your car.

 

My first reaction when he mentioned the acceleration issue was yeah right. I've been skeptical about the hysteria surrounding this whole recall since day 1, and my first thought was that it was just a lame excuse. However, the pieces are actually all there that make it seem a bit more believable. It's weird, that's for sure.

 

Holy crap! That sucks for both parties! When I saw Toyota in the header my first thought was Was he going 120 MPH? LOL not funny but funny....

 

Sounds like an excuse to go get that mugen rear bumper.... Woot woot...


Or whatever is to your taste. =D

 

Someone better figure out what's really causing unintended acceleration. Unfortunately, there's been similar reports for all/most OEMs.

 

I completely agree...

 

The Fit is fine for the most part. It didn't dent anything. There are just a few scuff marks in the paint on the bumper, so I don't know how worth it it is to get it fixed at this point. It sucks, but I guess if you're going to get rear-ended, a gentle nudging from a previously stopped car that pushes you forward a bit is better than just about anything else that could happen. I just wish I could figure out what exactly happened with the Toyota--it was stopped, and all the sudden it just drove into the back of me and kept pushing. Very strange.

I was hit by a Toyota yesterday but the guy driving it admired fault I have chips in y rear bumper now but I'm good and the car is fine I was hit about 15 mph glade u r ok too