What happened to the Toyota ‘sudden acceleration’ fiasco?

[thetransporter]

What happened to the Toyota ‘sudden acceleration’ fiasco?

What are your thoughts?

http://calwatchdog.com/2014/02/11/toyota-sudden-acceleration-ca-born-scam-costs-automaker-1b/

[rage2]

Nothing happened really. They changed floormats in some models, that's about it. All manufactures standardized clipping down drivers floormats.

[AE92_TreunoSC]

It's too bad BMW floor style pedals never emerged as standardized after all that.

I've been in two cars with jammed pedals and both were due to floor mats stacked and jamming.

If everyone just used Chinese newspapers we'd have none of these issues. Besides its free! :D

[reijo]

This is why we have the floor mats removed for autox competition.

As for the stuck throttle fiasco? Having lived in LA during the start of this etc. and knowing people who test cars ... They tested a bunch of Toyotas at Qualcomm Stadium (where we used to run SCCA autox's ... very large lot) in San Diego. There were zero problems found. Yep, zero. Nada. Nothing.

Also they and some car mag (R&T?) did some tests with various cars to see if the throttle could overwhelm the brakes. In all cases the brakes were more powerful than the engine.....including a Mustang GT (think it was the 500+hp KR or something) ... and they tried even going to 100 mph to do the test, floored the throttle, kept it there and applied the brakes. Brakes win every time.

The only way you can overpower the brakes is by dragging them for long distances to heat them up and thereby boil the brake fluid (so you get bubbles in the brake fluid which are compressible such that your brake pedal goes to the floor. People who track cars will know what I'm talking about here).

Oh, and remember that police officer whose Prius (in SoCal ... Orange County.... sort of SE LA) sped out of control and crashed? Well, as it turned out, he was facing foreclosure on his house and car at the time. Seemed an opportune time to commit a bit of fraud to get some money and avoid foreclosure .... something that didn't make too many papers as is the case in these types of situations. :)

And, hey, while we are at it, remember those mid-eighties Audis (4000/5000 models) that also experienced sudden acceleration? And Audi lost huge market share for many years because of that? Did you know that there was never any problem found with those cars? As it turned out those cars were bought predominantly by very old people ... who seemed to mistake the gas pedal for the brake. Sound familiar?

Solution? Toyota should build more sports cars that old people don't buy. ;) LOL

Interesting, eh? :)

[reijo]

Oh, and what if your car's throttle gets stuck?

1. Jam on the brakes ... hard and do not let up. It WILL stop. See commentary on the magazine test above. Heck, even try it out on your car/truck somewhere away from everyone/traffic.
2. Put it in neutral. With rev limiters, the motor will not blow up but simply bounce off the rev limiter.
3. Turn off the ignition (but not to lock position).
4. Pull the carpet away with your foot if it is lodged in your pedals (have done this a few times in the past .... carpet frayed/worn that caught the gas pedal, or simply bunched up under/on it).

R

[rage2]

The Audi ones were ridiculous. 60 Minutes even faked a news report showing it happening. Pretty much killed poor Audi in the Us overnight.

[J-hop]

Originally posted by reijo
Oh, and what if your car's throttle gets stuck?

1. Jam on the brakes ... hard and do not let up. It WILL stop. See commentary on the magazine test above. Heck, even try it out on your car/truck somewhere away from everyone/traffic.
2. Put it in neutral. With rev limiters, the motor will not blow up but simply bounce off the rev limiter.
3. Turn off the ignition (but not to lock position).
4. Pull the carpet away with your foot if it is lodged in your pedals (have done this a few times in the past .... carpet frayed/worn that caught the gas pedal, or simply bunched up under/on it).

R

Many newer cars will cut the throttle if it detects throttle input and the brake being applied at the same time for more than a second or two.

I tried this in my 02 VW and nearly face planted on the steering wheel.

[reijo]

Originally posted by J-hop


Many newer cars will cut the throttle if it detects throttle input and the brake being applied at the same time for more than a second or two.

I tried this in my 02 VW and nearly face planted on the steering wheel.

Yes, have heard of that. Must be throttle-by-wire/electronic in that case.

[J-hop]

Originally posted by reijo


Yes, have heard of that. Must be throttle-by-wire/electronic in that case.

Agreed, I could be wrong but I think since about the mid 2000s there have been almost no vehicles available with cable throttles

[rx7_turbo2]

Originally posted by J-hop


Many newer cars will cut the throttle if it detects throttle input and the brake being applied at the same time for more than a second or two.

I tried this in my 02 VW and nearly face planted on the steering wheel.

My 2005 Tacoma would cut power if you tried to ride both brake and accelerator.