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Accelerator Pedal

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Susan4ET, Mar 2, 2010.

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  1. Susan4ET

    Susan4ET Member

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    Is it normal (every car) for the accelerator pedal to bottom-out on the floor carpet? (Not moving & systems 'off')
     
    #1 Susan4ET, Mar 2, 2010
  2. Tickwood

    Tickwood Active Member

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    #2 Tickwood, Mar 2, 2010
  3. vegasjetskier

    vegasjetskier New Member

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    Only if you have your foot on it.
     
    #3 vegasjetskier, Mar 2, 2010
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    or under it.;)
     
    #4 bisco, Mar 2, 2010
  5. Susan4ET

    Susan4ET Member

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    Okay wise guys...

    I talked about the accelerator pedal with the service manager at my dealer. We noted that the bottom of the pedal actually has a protrusion to it and that the design is for the pedal to be able to move all the way into the floor carpet as normal. He pointed out that flooring the pedal this way while driving results in no additonal speed out of the car past the normal max acceleration point. Unfortuately I also talked to Toyota Customer Support (the 800 number) and after leaving me on hold for a few minutes they came back to say that the pedal should never be able to travel down to the floor.

    So here we are with another very trivial difference between who you talk to at Toyota. Very disappointing for an anal Prius owner/driver who never thought to note this on her now traded in 2007 Prius.
     
    #5 Susan4ET, Mar 2, 2010
  6. vegasjetskier

    vegasjetskier New Member

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    I'm confused about what you're trying to get at. What is your question, exactly?
     
    #6 vegasjetskier, Mar 2, 2010
  7. Susan4ET

    Susan4ET Member

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    Well darn... Car is parked. I open the door and crawl up to the accelerator pedal and with a free hand push the pedal down all the way to the floor carpet. The pedal itself apparently has no internal stop but relies on the pedal travel bottoming into the floor carpet. The pedal has a littl protrusion that is what hits the floor carpet appearing to be the design. Is this normal? Several now say no. One service manager says yes its normal. Got it? The question has _nothing_ to do with actually how you drive the car. It is a static question.
     
    #7 Susan4ET, Mar 2, 2010
  8. LRKingII

    LRKingII New Member

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    That's the way mine works and why is this a problem for you?:confused:
     
    #8 LRKingII, Mar 2, 2010
  9. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    Since the pedal shaft and housing are made of plastic, be
    *thankful* that the floor stops it where the force of the foot
    would be on it rather than all that going through the lever arm
    of the pedal stick which would probably break it at the pivot.
    That probably *is* by design, given the nub on the backside of
    the pedal piece which would otherwise serve no purpose.
    .
    _H*
     
    #9 hobbit, Mar 2, 2010
  10. vegasjetskier

    vegasjetskier New Member

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    I can't tell you for sure that it's normal, but logically it makes sense to me that it would be. If it's not allowed to go all the way to the floor, the pedal would have to have an internal stop mechanism capable of resisting the full pressure that a human leg could apply to it. The mount would have to be equally as strong. This would necessitate more and/or stronger material in those areas. Why do that when you can just use the floor as the stop?
     
    #10 vegasjetskier, Mar 2, 2010
  11. Susan4ET

    Susan4ET Member

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    I agree. The brake pedal does have a limit and it is constructed much tougher. What bothered me at first glance was that the accelerator pedal had no internal stop, but I like your reasoning as to why not. Maybe I thought there would be a little wear pad on the carpet too. But who normally ever pushes their accelerator down to the floor?

    However, lastly, why does Toyota Customer Service get it wrong too. Is it possible that the phone people there talk to other people who really don't know? Well, they gave me a reference number but I don't think they give a rats nice person what I do with it.
     
    #11 Susan4ET, Mar 2, 2010
  12. leeb18c

    leeb18c Active Member

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    If the accelerator pedal cannot touch the floor, there won't be "flooring the accelerator", right?
     
    #12 leeb18c, Mar 2, 2010
  13. Susan4ET

    Susan4ET Member

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    True, and have you heard of someone "putting the accelerator through the floor" before?:eek:
     
    #13 Susan4ET, Mar 2, 2010
  14. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    In my experience the people paid to answer the phone at Toyota Customer Support don't know much. The dimbo I spoke with didn't know the length of the Prius warranty in NJ and hung up on me. This is Toyota's version of "The Helpless Desk". Every corporation has one, sad to say. On a technical question if it is a choice between believing a mechanic or CS I'd believe the mechanic. If it is a choice between believing a mechanic & the PC consensus I'd believe PC.
     
    #14 JimN, Mar 2, 2010
  15. leeb18c

    leeb18c Active Member

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    That reminds me of my dad's old pickup truck back in tropical home country. The driver side floor pan is so rusted you can see the road below while driving. One day it just fall off while we were checking/pushing it to see if it still safe to drive. :D
     
    #15 leeb18c, Mar 2, 2010
  16. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    My old Jeep was like that. I pop riveted some aluminum and screwed in a piece of plywood.

    Tom
     
    #16 qbee42, Mar 2, 2010
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that way, you can push with your feet if you run out of gas. fred flintstone style.:D
     
    #17 bisco, Mar 2, 2010
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    my tr4 was like that as well. in fact, it was so rusted, i'm not sure what the front wheels were attached to.
     
    #18 bisco, Mar 2, 2010
  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    but back to topic, i have never pushed the accelerator pedal to the floor, ignition on or off. we're prius drivers, not cobra!
     
    #19 bisco, Mar 2, 2010
  20. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    I have. You should try driving your fully loaded Prius through 12,000 foot passes out west.

    Tom
     
    #20 qbee42, Mar 2, 2010
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