Toyota Suspends Sales of 8 Models After Accelerator Pedals Keep Sticking

[G27]

This is UNREAL: Toyota Suspends Sales of 8 Models After Accelerator Pedals Keep Sticking - ABC News

Toyota has suspended sales of eight of its most popular vehicle models while the motor company investigates sticking accelerator pedals, following reports by ABC News' Brian Ross that examined incidents of random acceleration, some of which resulted in fatalities.

Toyota dealers across the country have been instructed not to sell:

2009-2010 RAV4

2009-2010 Corolla

2009-2010 Matrix

2005-2010 Avalon

2010 Highlander

2007-2010 Tundra

2008-2010 Sequoia

certain 2007-2010 Camry models

"This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized," said Group Vice President and Toyota Division General Manager Bob Carter in a statement today. "We're making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible."

[Guest jackdm3]

I heard it was one of the biggest recalls ever for Toy Yodas.

[Guest Jcochran88]

Has any one else seen their commercials lately talking about how safe they are.

[Guest 1817ak47]

I wounder if this is because people don't know how to adjust the position of the floormat so that it doesn't keep the pedal pushed down! I have had it happen before, but I pull the floormat back with the heel of my shoe, and i don't worry about untended acceleration as I still had a brake pedal. BTW this was not in a toyota that this happened to me in, and it just barely pushed pressure on the gas pedal

[Guest 1817ak47]

Has any one else seen their commercials lately talking about how safe they are.

I think they are just taking precautionary measures, now the american auto companys would just pay off lawyers and lawmakers to get everything dismissed and covered under the rug. most people don't know about the crap they have gotten away with, but I have been deeper into cars than 99% of the people I know. the american cars have really disappointed me unfortunately

[Guest milkman]

I wounder if this is because people don't know how to adjust the position of the floormat so that it doesn't keep the pedal pushed down! I have had it happen before, but I pull the floormat back with the heel of my shoe, and i don't worry about untended acceleration as I still had a brake pedal. BTW this was not in a toyota that this happened to me in, and it just barely pushed pressure on the gas pedal

No this is an unrelated problem. The pedal just sticks and so far they don't have a fix. Fox was talking about it yesterday or the day before. They are recalling some all the way back to 2005.

[Guest yankee2010]

In one of the latest accidents the floormats were in the trunk.

[poak]

On an unrelated note, I think I like the new 4Runners.

[Guest 1817ak47]

i am curious what is caseing this, something with the cruise control servo, throttle body clogged with carbon and not fully closing( yes that is a common problem when cars get higher mileage resulting in cars not idleing as low as they sometimes should) I am glad to hear that it sound like they are taking all abilities to try to fix and not hide the problem. that is interesting that it could possibly be affecting all the above mentioned cars

[Guest Jcochran88]

I wounder if this is because people don't know how to adjust the position of the floormat so that it doesn't keep the pedal pushed down! I have had it happen before, but I pull the floormat back with the heel of my shoe, and i don't worry about untended acceleration as I still had a brake pedal. BTW this was not in a toyota that this happened to me in, and it just barely pushed pressure on the gas pedal

I don't think so one of the camarys involved had the floor mats in the trunk.

[Superman]

I am pretty sure all of these cars do not have accelerator cables. They have a sensor on the pedal and a motor on the side of the throttle body. It is all electronicly controlled, so no CC servo.

I haven't had any experience with any of these malfunctioning cars, but IMO blaming the floormats and the gas pedal was all BS. They didn't know what was causing it, so blaming the floormats and the pedal was just cover to try and give them time to figure out what was going on.

Edited January 27, 2010 by Superman

[Guest 1817ak47]

so there are all fly by wire, that technology has been used for several years on diesels, some since the 90's even, some of hte european cars adopted that in the early 00's era, I was real concerned and so werr alot of critics about potiential prblems that could arise from fly by wire as it is commonly called. I don't keep up with the new cars anymore though

[Tempest455]

I have one of these "recall" cars. The mats have little clips that are to keep them in place. Reminds of the Volvo problem in the early 80's. People forget what the brake is for!

[peejman]

I recall reading a story about a car that went flying down the interstate at 100+ mph because the throttle hung open. The passengers called 911 or family in a panic while weaving through traffic. I think car ended up in oncoming traffic and all the passengers were killed. Link.

Seems that they cooked the brakes in short order rendering them ineffective and/or the ABS interfered. The part that really puzzles me is that they couldn't shift the car into neutral or kill the ignition. I don't know much about these cars, but I wonder how the system could be designed such that you couldn't get it out of gear or turn the ignition off?

[Guest Fuel]

I don't know much about these cars, but I wonder how the system could be designed such that you couldn't get it out of gear or turn the ignition off?

I've got a 2010 Tacoma. It will easily shift from Drive into Neutral. I've done it several times accidentally as I rest my hand on the shift lever while I'm driving. I'm kinda like you. Is there somethign in these vehicles that won;t let it shift or do the people just panic and not think to shift?

[enfield]

The American "press" has been overlooking (hiding) reports of Japanese recalls for years. This one was just too big to hide.

It's a shame that none of the people who know how best to run an auto company ever took their talents to Detroit and put them to work.

[G27]

I have one of these "recall" cars. The mats have little clips that are to keep them in place. Reminds of the Volvo problem in the early 80's. People forget what the brake is for!

Several wrecks have been caused when people tried to use the brakes to avoid an accident with a stuck accelerator. Unless your car has oversized brakes and an undersized engine, your brakes will fail before you can get the car stopped.

Shift to neutral is the answer, I guess too many folks panic or are worried more about their engine than their lives...

[h2o]

I have a 2007 Tundra and my floor mats are not even close to the pedal, I checked it after I got the letter from Toyota. My truck does increase sometimes when just sitting at a light.

h

[lowbud]

Several wrecks have been caused when people tried to use the brakes to avoid an accident with a stuck accelerator. Unless your car has oversized brakes and an undersized engine, your brakes will fail before you can get the car stopped.

Shift to neutral is the answer, I guess too many folks panic or are worried more about their engine than their lives...

Nobody ever thinks to turn the key off or hit the stop button. The best one I heard was the guy who called 911 to say his car was accellerating out of control.

WTF?

Has time to call 911 but not turn the damn thing off. All in the name of human churn I suppose... one comes in, one goes out.. Someone has to go... might as well be a dumb ass

[G27]

Nobody ever thinks to turn the key off or hit the stop button.

Well, turning the key off can be dangerous - if you take it past 'accessory' and into 'off' your steering wheel could lock. But in most instances, you wouldn't turn the wheel far enough for it to lock anyway, I'd think.

I've told my wife if something like this ever happens to get it into neutral first - this will disconnect the engine from the transmission - then slowly turn the key to the acc position.

Much better to risk replacing an engine than lose a loved one, imo.

[Guest jackdm3]

That sounded like a Darwin Award Contestant.

[lowbud]

Well, turning the key off can be dangerous - if you take it past 'accessory' and into 'off' your steering wheel could lock. But in most instances, you wouldn't turn the wheel far enough for it to lock anyway, I'd think.

I've told my wife if something like this ever happens to get it into neutral first - this will disconnect the engine from the transmission - then slowly turn the key to the acc position.

Much better to risk replacing an engine than lose a loved one, imo.

agreed. Shifting to N will cause the engine to hit the rev limiter and then the key will not go past the accessory position to lock the wheel. It only does that in P.

either way I can't imagine anyone having time to call 911 and not get the vehicle under control.

[G27]

agreed. Shifting to N will cause the engine to hit the rev limiter and then the key will not go past the accessory position to lock the wheel. It only does that in P.

I did not know that.

</Johnny Carson>

[caliperman]

I heard it was an engineering design fault on the accerator pedal itself.

[MCSCOTT]

I recall reading a story about a car that went flying down the interstate at 100+ mph because the throttle hung open. The passengers called 911 or family in a panic while weaving through traffic. I think car ended up in oncoming traffic and all the passengers were killed. Link.

Seems that they cooked the brakes in short order rendering them ineffective and/or the ABS interfered. The part that really puzzles me is that they couldn't shift the car into neutral or kill the ignition. I don't know much about these cars, but I wonder how the system could be designed such that you couldn't get it out of gear or turn the ignition off?

I saw that same story on the news. If I remember right, they went for several miles with the throttle hung, and they did indeed all end up being killed in the wreck.

I feel sorry for these people and their families, and don't mean to sound bad about it, but there are just some people that should NOT have a driver's license. Also the ones reporting the story should have shifted a little of their focus on telling the public what to do in this situation, instead of making Toyota look bad by acting like there's absolutely nothing you can do and if your throttle hangs you're going to die.

I've driven alot of junk in my dad, done alot of offroading where things break all the time, and it's far too easy to throw the vehicle up in neutral or simply shut the key off. This applies to just about any vehicle there is, but I'm not sure how you would shut the key off on some of the newer push button start vehicles. At any rate, neutral is easy to find.

I think people have forgotten why vehicles have an N at the shifter. I think in order to get a license everyone should have to take the driving test in a vehicle with a manual transmission. That would teach them more about what things do in a vehicle rather than just "push this lever to R to back up and D to go forward".