Suspending Sales? Wow!

[Zathras]

In an earlier thread on Toyota's issue, Leonidas kindly posted info that he dug up on the California Hwy. Patrolmans disaster. It had a Start/Stop button, and we weren't sure if the Lexus would or would not perform a shift to neutral if the throttle was wide open.

Not sure about the Lexus, but the Prius will. Thing is, it is different than most cars and requires the driver to learn something a little different. You need to move the shifter to the left and hold it there for 2 or 3 seconds.

Could you imagine an airplane's avionics package that would not let a pilot dis-engage the automated program to fly the plane manually? Because the pilot "might" do something unwise? A baaaad idea.

I agree, very bad idea. However, I would be shocked if the Lexus actually didn't allow a power off in case of emergencies.
In the Prius (with the push button start) you simply hold the start button for a few seconds. But again, that is something different.
If someone is unfamiliar with it, I would recommend inserting the fob into the dash (basically a key).

 

[Nords]

What Might Cause a Gas Pedal to Become Stuck?: Scientific American

Toyota Speed-Up Suits Say Problem Deeper Than Pedal (Update1) - BusinessWeek

I'd still rather have a drive-by-wire accelerator than a frayed accelerator cable.

 

[Westernskies]

If putting a car in neutral solved all of the safety issues, then there would be no need for cars to be recalled or sales to be suspended.

Wow, where do I start. We are talking about an emergency situation (runaway throttle), not a long term fix. Toyota will engineeer a permanent solution, and soon.

Here'e a hypothetical situation- you are driving in the winter, wearing heavy boots, snow, etc. Very common scenario, happens every winter somewhere in the world. You step on the gas to pass a car, drag the half-frozen, snow-covered floor mat under the accelerator pedal. It sticks. You let off the accelerator and it just keeps racing. You try to unstick it with your foot, but it just jams the floormat further under the pedal, and you actuallly start going faster.... Oh, NO!!!

What do you do?

1. Throw the gearshift into neutral so you can safely brake to a stop and solve the problem.

2. Panic, do nothing except grip the wheel, stand on the wet brakes, crash at high speed, then sue the manufacturer of the boots, floormats, car, and the highway department for their role in the "unavoidable" crash?

No one was suggesting that Toyota would offer this a permanent solution, but anyone who drives a car should recognize that there really is a solution to "uncontrolled acceleration"

 

[Moemg]

My ten year old Toyota Solara had that floor mat problem . It used to bunch up under the pedals . I finally just tossed the floor mat . I love my old Toyota but the thought of an out of control car on the highway has me definitely crossing Toyota off my list .

 

[bright eyed]

my partner works for lexus, in service - he said they are replacing their pedals with new ones...so perhaps there was a readily avail fix for lexo but not for toyota? or their customers will be coming back for a second recall later!

 

[Westernskies]

Rec'd this letter this AM:

Dear (westernskies),


Yesterday Avis announced that it was removing all of the vehicles identified for recall by Toyota from its corporate fleet in the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. This step was taken to protect the safety of our customers, which is always our top priority.

It is important to note that the safety problems that have led to Toyota’s recall of certain vehicles are believed to arise out of usage over time. Accordingly, we believe that all of the Toyota vehicles in our fleet are safe, given the regular maintenance and the low mileage of our overall fleet.

We also want to reassure you that the affected Toyotas represent only a small percentage of our overall fleet, so we expect to be able to fulfill all projected demand and you can continue to make reservations with complete confidence for any rental occasion. Our fleet strategy emphasizes diversity so that we are able to respond to the full range of vehicle rental needs of our customers, as well as to reduce our risk from any issues arising out of any individual manufacturer.

We further want to emphasize that only certain Toyota makes and models, in addition to the Pontiac Vibe, are affected by the recall. Those Toyota vehicles that are not affected will continue to be offered for rental; however, if you are uncomfortable driving a Toyota vehicle, we will make every effort to offer you an alternative vehicle if one is available.

Our commitment to customer safety is also behind our decision to offer what we believe is the youngest and lowest-mileage fleet in the vehicle rental industry. Whether you place as high a premium on safety as we do, or whether you just like driving new cars, either way Avis continues to be your best car rental choice.

Thank you for continuing to choose Avis for your vehicle rental needs.

Sincerely,

Thomas M. Gartland
Executive Vice President

 

[W2R]

Local news interviewed my Toyota dealer last night. He said that concern over the Toyota accelerator pedal doesn't seem as strong here as in other parts of the country, and only 2-3 people have brought their cars in for the accelerator pedal fix so far. From the interview I got the impression that he already had a fix from Toyota but from what I have read after that, I guess not.

I am so glad that my new Toyota Venza is not on the list and I couldn't be happier that I was able to find a Toyota that I like so much. Nothing can diminish my glee at finding a new car that is just what I wanted. I like the fact that Toyota stopped selling the defective cars.

Like Moemg, I noticed that the floor mats in my Solara bunched up a lot. I was thinking about removing them but never got around to it. Instead, every time I got in the car I was unbunching them and flattening them out before starting the car. I did this even before the discovery of the mat problem just because it was disturbing to me. Unbunching them was a bit of a PITA occasionally since they didn't "want" to stay flat.

 

[Westernskies]

Latest update is that Toyota is reportedly shipping the first stocks of new gas pedals to their factories, not the dealerships. Getting the production lines running is apparently more important than taking care of their existing customers.

This is turning into a huge public relations nightmare for Toyota- and I bet the back-of-the-phone book-attorneys are already perusing the Robb Report trying to decide where to spend their share of the class-action settlement $...

 

[FIREd]

Local news interviewed my Toyota dealer last night. He said that concern over the Toyota accelerator pedal doesn't seem as strong here as in other parts of the country, and only 2-3 people have brought their cars in for the accelerator pedal fix so far. From the interview I got the impression that he already had a fix from Toyota but from what I have read after that, I guess not.

I am so glad that my new Toyota Venza is not on the list and I couldn't be happier that I was able to find a Toyota that I like so much. Nothing can diminish my glee at finding a new car that is just what I wanted. I like the fact that Toyota stopped selling the defective cars.

I am glad you are enjoying your new car so much W2R! Here is the picture of my new Camry:

I know people think they are boring but I am all giddy with excitement!

 

[W2R]

I am glad you are enjoying your new car so much W2R! Here is the picture of my new Camry:

I know people think they are boring but I am all giddy with excitement!

It's GORGEOUS, not one bit boring!! I love it. The Camry is a terrific car, and I am so happy for you. Did you get the V-6, or the 4 cylinder?

Just this minute I got back from taking my new Venza out in torrential rain. At first it was awful to see those drops of water falling on its lovely shiny finish. I drove across town to mail a letter at a post office about 5 miles away, just to have an excuse to drive it. The lights and windshield wiper and windshield defrost functions were easy and work well, and it handled nicely in the rain. It doesn't seem to leak inside (and believe me, the rain was hard enough for this to be the "acid test" for leakage). I did avoid a spot that often floods. No sense in testing fate.

 

[FIREd]

It's GORGEOUS, not one bit boring!! I love it. The Camry is a terrific car, and I am so happy for you. Did you get the V-6, or the 4 cylinder?

Thank you very much. I got the 4 cylinder engine. I found it surprising peppy and it is much more gas efficient than the V-6.

Just this minute I got back from taking my new Venza out in torrential rain. At first it was awful to see those drops of water falling on its lovely shiny finish.

Quick, dry her up with a shammy!

 

[W2R]

Thank you very much. I got the 4 cylinder engine. I found it surprising peppy and it is much more gas efficient than the V-6.

My Solara was a 4-cylinder and the gas mileage was phenomenal! By my computations I routinely got 33-35 mpg even though the rated mileage is much lower. I got higher mileage than that when I tried. Also, I never wanted or needed any more power than the 4 cylinder provided.

Quick, dry her up with a shammy!

Won't do any good, because I don't have a garage. It is sitting in my driveway presently getting its first carwash courtesy of Mother Nature. Guess it had to happen sometime. At this moment, the rains are torrential again so I am glad my driveway is several feet higher than the street.

 

[mf15]

A key is not really even a key today, at least in my 07 Acura Tl. When you turn the key to start it sends a signal to the engine computer and the car then starts. All you have to do is jog the key and the computer takes over,this is not like the old days when you could jog the engine by turning the key. There is just too much computer control and electronic nannies on cars today, with all the complexity something is bound to go wrong with these systems. Also not sure about all the fly by wire on airplanes, as we saw with the faulty data sent to the flight computers from the pitot tubes an Airbus crashed, this was last year.
As far as pushbutton start, this is a waste, and on the Toyotas and perhaps others you have to hold the button in for 3 seconds to shut off the engine at speed, sounds dangerous to me. I will have to try this on the Acura at speed just to see if I can shut it off, I have tested going to neutral at speed and it works. My dad had pushbutton start on a 1952 dodge truck, we also had pushbutton transmission on my 57 Plymouth Fury.
Old Mike

 

[Moemg]

I am glad you are enjoying your new car so much W2R! Here is the picture of my new Camry:

I know people think they are boring but I am all giddy with excitement!

Very nice car ! Congratulations ! I love my Solara which is basically a sporty camry . It has been the best car I ever owned .

 

[FIREd]

Very nice car ! Congratulations ! I love my Solara which is basically a sporty camry . It has been the best car I ever owned .

Thanks Moemg. This is my first Toyota ever. I hope I didn't jinx the brand!

 

[Cruisinthru]

W2R,

Didn't Toyota add the Venza to the recall list yesterday? I thought it was on the list of additions. You might check.

I am still driving my 2005 Avalon. We have not had a bit of trouble from it in almost five years. I know that Toyota will have a fix for the problem soon. I have faith in them to fix it correctly, too.

The new Camry looks beautiful! I might have to go for one of those in a couple of years. Hubby and I have the Avalon and a 2007 Yaris, so we are a Toyota family.



r

 

[W2R]

W2R,

Didn't Toyota add the Venza to the recall list yesterday? I thought it was on the list of additions. You might check.

From this Yahoo article updated an hour ago,

Toyota sends new gas pedals to plants, not dealers - Yahoo! News-

The recall in the U.S. covers 2.3 million vehicles and involves the 2009-10 RAV4 crossover, the 2009-10 Corolla, the 2009-10 Matrix hatchback, the 2005-10 Avalon, the 2007-10 Camry, the 2010 Highlander crossover, the 2007-10 Tundra pickup and the 2008-10 Sequoia SUV. The recall has been expanded to models in Europe and China.

So, I guess not. But I appreciate the heads up in case it was.

I am still driving my 2005 Avalon. We have not had a bit of trouble from it in almost five years. I know that Toyota will have a fix for the problem soon. I have faith in them to fix it correctly, too.

The new Camry looks beautiful! I might have to go for one of those in a couple of years. Hubby and I have the Avalon and a 2007 Yaris, so we are a Toyota family.

I think the new Camry looks fantastic. I am so happy with my new Toyota Venza, and I am happy with the way Toyota conducts business.

 

[Moemg]

Unfortunately Cruising Thru is right .Sorry !
Toyota Adds Cars to List of Recalled Vehicles - The World Newser

 

[W2R]

Unfortunately Cruising Thru is right .Sorry !
Toyota Adds Cars to List of Recalled Vehicles - The World Newser

Thanks!

I went to the Toyota website and although the Venza is not listed among those with sticky pedals (at least as of this afternoon's news releases), the Venza was recently put on the list of affected cars with rumpling floormats
http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota/toyota-amends-recall-on-potential-153214.aspx?ncid=11092

I looked at the floormat (after having ten years of trouble with the Solara floormat), and it is tightly anchored down and can't possible move or rumple or interfere with the pedal. It is an aftermarket floormat system (cost me $$$ extra, which doesn't bother me so much now as yesterday! ) so anyway, probably my car is not among those affected by the recall.

Thanks and I'll keep an eye on the Toyota website to see if the Venza is added to the sticky pedal recall. But so far they haven't posted it yet in their press releases.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

I do not own a Toyota. However, I feel they will get this fixed and with the reduced pricing they will certainly offer in the coming months. Id look at them if I was wanting a new vehicle.

 

[Meadbh]

I do not own a Toyota. However, I feel they will get this fixed and with the reduced pricing they will certainly offer in the coming months. Id look at them if I was wanting a new vehicle.

Ditto.

 

[NW-Bound]

My ten year old Toyota Solara had that floor mat problem. It used to bunch up under the pedals.

Like Moemg, I noticed that the floor mats in my Solara bunched up a lot.

I have not owned a Toyota, though I am sure that they are fine vehicles. But why is the floor mat such a big deal? We have had a few Nissans and domestic cars, and they have a little hook under the seat that goes into a grommeted hole at the right rear corner of the floor mat. The hook keeps the mat from sliding forward to interfere with the pedals. Problem solved for $0.15. Why is it so tough?

 

[FIREd]

I have not owned a Toyota, though I am sure that they are fine vehicles. But why is the floor mat such a big deal? We have had a few Nissans and domestic cars, and they have a little hook under the seat that goes into a grommeted hole at the right rear corner of the floor mat. The hook keeps the mat from sliding forward to interfere with the pedals. Problem solved for $0.15. Why is it so tough?

I have floor mat hooks too in my Camry, but since it is new perhaps they had already fixed the mat problem on that model?

I had problems with floor mats bunching up under my gas pedal with my VW and, more than a few times, my foot even got stuck behind the dashboard panel while accelerating to the point where I couldn't lift my foot from the gas pedal. I had to wiggle my foot out in order to be able to decelerate. I usually learn how to live with such minor annoyances without making a fuss about it though. On my VW, the trunk latch remained broken for 6 years before I finally decided to replace it. I found I could still latch the trunk by wiggling the mechanism just so and that was good enough for me until that wiggle didn't do the trick anymore.

Edit: I read on Bloomberg yesterday that 19 people have died because of Toyota's gas pedal problems and that's over the past 10 years. In other words, you have a better chance to get killed crossing the street than driving a Toyota. Yet the gas pedal problem is all over the news (as if Toyotas were running out of control left and right), congress is investigating (led by who else but congressman Bart Stupak from Michigan, home of the American car industry), and the government (the de facto owner of GM) forced Toyota to stop selling cars... Meanwhile, close to 400,000 people have died on American roads in the past 10 years because of people who drive recklessly (more than 1/4 of the deaths are related to drunk driving) and nobody seems to give a hoot. So the media and government's outrage over this sounds more than a little hollow to me. They should start focusing on the big picture.

 

[ls99]

But why is the floor mat such a big deal?

'Cause when the mat is not anchored poperly by the driver's seat end, it slides forward, bunches up, and can prevent the gas pedal from returning to the idle position.

They have two separate recalls, one for floor mats, one for sticking pedals.

I follow the issues out of curiosity, do not own the type vehicles in thes cases.

 

[NW-Bound]

'Cause when the mat is not anchored poperly by the driver's seat end, it slides forward, bunches up, and can prevent the gas pedal from returning to the idle position...

My point is that some cars provide no means of anchoring the floor mat. An ignorant car owner may of course not replace the floor mat properly after vacuuming, for example, but that would be a different problem.