Road Reality » accelerator

In-depth look at Toyota’s accelerator issue

John Suit — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 06:15:09 +0000

I found this over on AutoBlog and had to share it. What is it, you ask? It’s an in-depth video where Sam Abuelsamid, who worked in the automotive industry for 20 years, takes a close look at the accelerator pedal from a 2009 Toyota Camry. He spent his time working on anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control systems, so he knows a lot about the subject. Sam breaks down the issue into very easy-to-understand terms, so click past the jump to see it – it’s worth the few minutes to see exactly what is causing Toyota’s newest recall.

by John Suit

Source: AOL Autos via AutoBlog

Another Recall for Toyota? More accelerator woes

John Suit — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:30:00 +0000

By now, it should be common knowledge that Toyota recalled 3.8 million vehicles in late 2009 over floor mats that can cause a car’s gas pedal to become stuck, causing unwanted acceleration. While this recall affects the same pedal, it’s for a different set of vehicles, and has a different cause. The total number of cars in this recall is 2.3 million. Read on for more details.

In the case of the vehicles affected by this recall, due to wear on the gas pedal, it can become stuck or return to its normal place slowly, both leading to unintended acceleration. It’s interesting to see that no Lexus or Scion vehicles are affected, but some of the cars listed below are in both recalls. In the case of the accelerator pedal not returning to its idle position, Toyota recommends drivers use firm and steady pressure on the brakes to stop the car, and to not “pump” the brake pedal, as this can lead to a loss of braking power. Park the car in a safe place and call your Toyota dealer for assistance.

Here’s the list of affected vehicles:
• 2009-2010 RAV4
• 2009-2010 Corolla
• 2009-2010 Matrix
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2010 Highlander
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2008-2010 Sequoia

by John Suit

Source: Toyota; Image Source: AutoBlog

Update: Toyota to Recall 3.8 Million Vehicles over Gas Pedal issue

roadreality — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:01:18 +0000

Source: AutoBlog

As I reported earlier here on Road Reality, Toyota is in hot water over stuck gas pedals. A statement this morning from Toyota gives us their solution for the recall, as well as a timeline for its resolution. While it’s too late to save the lives of the California State Trooper and his family, who died as a result of this flaw, it’s a wake-up call to Toyota and the rest of the manufacturers. Any manufacturer that doesn’t incorporate a “smart throttle” which cuts engine power when the brake pedal is pressed needs to think long and hard about how to get that feature into all of their future vehicles. The crash which brought this issue to the forefront of the news also brings with it the question of how to stop a car equipped with an engine start/stop button, versus a traditional key and ignition cylinder. Read the original post for how to stop said vehicles. Continue reading to find out what Toyota is doing to keep drivers safe.

Before the end of 2009, owners of the Toyota Camry, Toyota Avalon and Lexus ES 350 should expect to receive a letter informing them that their car is on the recall list. In 2010, owners of the other affected vehicles (listed at the end of this post) will also receive recall notices from Toyota.

The recall will start in early 2010, and the first step is reshaping the gas pedal of the recalled vehicles. Next, the floor mats will be replaced with a new one, designed to help prevent the stuck gas pedal. Toyota will also offer a new design of the gas pedal, starting in April. The Camry, Avalon, as well as Lexus IS 250/350 and ES 350 models will be modified to add a “brake override” system which cuts engine power if both the gas and brake pedals are pressed simultaneously, and Toyota is confident that these solutions will work to prevent any more problems with the affected vehicles.

The affected models are the following:

2007-2010 Camry
2005-2010 Avalon
2004-2009 Prius
2005-2010 Tacoma
2007-2010 Tundra
2007-2010 ES 350
2006-2010 IS 250 and IS 350

by John Suit

Source: Automotive News

Recalls: Toyota to shorten gas pedals to prevent them from getting stuck?

roadreality — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:28:45 +0000

Source: AutoBlog

For the last couple of months, Toyota has been in hot water. At least one accident has already been blamed on a dislodged floor mat, which can cause the gas pedal to become stuck under in a wide-open position, leading to unintended acceleration. In all, there are 3.8 million affected vehicles, and Toyota says it has over 5 million dollars earmarked for recalls.

Source: Inside Line

The problem was reported to be in the design of the floor mat catch, which can allow the floor mat to slide forward, blocking the gas pedal from returning to an “idle” state. Now, it’s being reported that Toyota may announce that it will shorten the gas pedal on affected vehicles.

An interesting design issue surfaced a month or so ago, wherein it was found that when the gas pedal is pushed down on some Toyota vehicles, the amount of power able to go to the braking system is minimized, which can lead to one of the affected vehicles not being able to stop as quickly, if at all. Some cars have “smart throttles” now, which prevent the car from accelerating when the brake pedal is pushed down.

Consumer Reports has an excellent article on how to stop your car if you experience the issue at hand, and they include other makes as well. They say to shift your car into neutral. Don’t turn the key off or hold down your Engine Start/Stop button (where equipped) to stop the car, as will shut down your power steering and brake systems as well, making the car more difficult to maneuver, and possibly harder to stop as well. By shifting into neutral, you leave the power steering and brake systems active, and most modern cars have a limiter in them to prevent engine damage from keeping the gas pedal floored. Once you’ve come to a complete stop, you can turn off the engine.

The affected models are the following:

2007-2010 Camry
2005-2010 Avalon
2004-2009 Prius
2005-2010 Tacoma
2007-2010 Tundra
2007-2010 ES 350
2006-2010 IS 250 and IS 350

The following YouTube video shows a news report which shows the aftermath of the accident which prompted the investigation and subsequent recall. It also shows the car which was involved in the accident:

By John Suit

Sources: AutoBlog, Consumer Reports, Inside Line