The Lemon IndexA car that speeds up on its own needs to be checked before it is driven again.
Stop and get help. If it happens, shift to neutral and brake firmly. Don’t drive it again until it is checked, and check for recalls.
A floor mat or object trapping the accelerator pedal. Then: a sticking accelerator pedal or throttle; an electronic throttle or sensor fault.
Owners describe this in 19,477 complaints to the U.S. government, most often on the Toyota Camry.
Cars owners report it on most
Complaints describing this symptom, by model, all years. Raw counts, not a failure rate: popular models get more complaints.
Model years that report it most
| Model year | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 Ford Freestyle | 265 | 20% |
| 2005 Ford Freestyle | 261 | 18% |
| 2010 Toyota Prius | 224 | 8% |
| 2005 Ford Taurus | 194 | 25% |
| 2007 Ford Freestyle | 186 | 21% |
| 2007 Toyota Camry | 169 | 5% |
| 2002 Toyota Camry | 164 | 16% |
| 2003 Toyota Camry | 156 | 19% |
| 2005 Toyota Camry | 148 | 18% |
| 2004 Toyota Camry | 126 | 16% |
| 2009 Toyota Camry | 121 | 9% |
| 2010 Toyota Camry | 75 | 12% |
Each row is that model year's record in NHTSA complaints, not the history of any one car. Share = complaints describing this symptom out of every complaint we hold for that model year (shown when the year has 50+ complaints).
Where it makes up the biggest share
2005 Ford Taurus · 25% 2006 Ford Taurus · 21% 2007 Ford Freestyle · 21% 2006 Ford Freestyle · 20% 2003 Toyota Camry · 19% 2002 Lexus ES · 19% 2005 Toyota Camry · 18% 2005 Ford Freestyle · 18%
Model years with 150+ complaints in our data and 10+ describing this symptom, ranked by share. A high share means owners of that year who complained often mentioned it.
The details
Common causes of car accelerates by itself
- A floor mat or object trapping the accelerator pedal
- A sticking accelerator pedal or throttle
- An electronic throttle or sensor fault
- A high idle from a vacuum leak
- Pressing the accelerator instead of the brake (federal reviews of these reports have often found this)
General causes, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause with tests before replacing parts.
Is it safe to drive if your car accelerates by itself?
Stop and get help. If it happens, shift to neutral and brake firmly. Don’t drive it again until it is checked, and check for recalls.
Get help right away if you notice it at all.
Of the 19,477 complaints describing it, 37% mention a crash, 9% say the car was towed, 0.7% mention a fire and 13% report an injury.
What the complaints show
The parts owners filed these complaints under: vehicle speed control (71%), power train (15%), engine (8%), service brakes (8%). A complaint can list more than one.
Median odometer reading when owners reported it: 40,500 miles.
Most reports by make: Toyota (4,219), Ford (3,829), Honda (1,195), Jeep (917), Chevrolet (879).
What owners say it cost to fix
Repair bills owners named in complaints that describe this symptom (cooling, engine, exhaust & emissions, fuel system repairs): the middle half ran $798 to $6,500, typical $1,700, from 34 bills.
Each figure is one repair bill as an owner wrote it in a complaint, not a quote for your car. Prices vary with the part, the shop and the year.
Engine codes that come up with it
Trouble codes owners named in these complaints more often than in other symptom complaints. Look up any code →
Related symptoms
Car jerks when accelerating RPM goes up and down Car hesitates when accelerating Car shakes when accelerating Car loses power while driving Car stalls while driving
Quick answers
What causes car accelerates by itself?
A car that speeds up on its own needs to be checked before it is driven again. Common causes: a floor mat or object trapping the accelerator pedal; a sticking accelerator pedal or throttle; an electronic throttle or sensor fault; a high idle from a vacuum leak; pressing the accelerator instead of the brake (federal reviews of these reports have often found this).
Is it safe to drive if your car accelerates by itself?
Stop and get help. If it happens, shift to neutral and brake firmly. Don’t drive it again until it is checked, and check for recalls.
Which cars have this problem most?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners describe it most on the Toyota Camry, Ford Freestyle and Toyota Prius. These are raw counts, so popular models rank higher; complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
How much does it cost to fix?
In 34 repair bills owners named in complaints describing it, the middle half ran $798 to $6,500. The right repair depends on the cause.
Counts: NHTSA owner complaints whose text describes this symptom (we matched owners' own wording, then read samples to check the matches). A complaint is an owner's report, not a diagnosis or proof of a defect. Causes and advice are general information in our own words, not repair advice for your car. Every symptom · Engine code lookup