Another runaway reported in New York

Another case of a stupid driver and Toyota gets the blame. People drive into buildings all the time, it doesn't mean the car is at fault.

 

My eyes are fully open and I feel as a fool! It is strange what americans, in general, are able to say to excuse their faults. There are 1000s of Priuses in Europe and no one report the similar problems. It is true, that Prius is not a mass market product here as in Japan and US, but it looks the US market is not prepared or matured enough to use a hightech vehicles widely. Sadly, the PC community is not big enough. IMHO, Toyota will have to establish the "flying investigators" team with ability to read the blackbox data. I have heard about the BB, but didn't notice any mention in the service manual. If Toyota has this record, they would be able to say what pedal angle, what brake pressure simulated, what speed - all at given time was true and they can argue. After that the problems disappear immediatelly.

 

Toyota.....Guilty until proven innocent!

 

If it wasn’t for the Americans (Please capitalize) Toyota would not be #1 or was #1. Who are you to say anything about Americans? Let all the facts unfold before you make nonsense remarks.

 

I predict a recall to install black boxes that will record the data similar to what commercial aircraft have. That way Toyota will be able to show that these people had the accelerator instead of the brake depressed.

 

Thx, I expected this kind of reaction. BTW. I worked 15 years for US firms, I know your culture well, don't worry. The cat in the microwave oven is still very popular around the globe ;-).
I don't like to start a flamewar, my post was a first reaction when I saw another runaway "incident". My thx to u.

 

Here is another thing to think about: If a runaway situation is caused by electronic noise, there is no reason to trust the black box data. Unless the black box data is generated and collected from a separate system, one would expect it to log the same bogus data as that which causes the problem.

For example, let's say EMF gets into the accelerator position sensor and tells the ECU to go to full throttle. The ECU sends full power commands to the ICE and MG2 and also logs that the accelerator has been fully pressed. The result would be identical to fully depressing the accelerator. There would be no way to differentiate between this runaway situation and a confused driver.

Tom

 

Your right instead of a black box, a video camera with a recoreder that shows where your feet are would be better. It could record the last 10 minutes and loop. That should do it.

 

Exactly, and you can already see the endgame here. People who think, for whatever reason, that there is an electronic fault will never be satisfied.

 

In this case all other data will be "scrambled" and you can say, okay I don't trust them at all.

 

I heard that the Prius finally came to rest next to a grassey knoll.

 

This all began with a real problem affecting a few Toyotas -- and probably some other makes. Then it changed. The publicity that was focused on Toyota transformed the problem into a much more interesting phenomenon -- an example of the psychology of mass hysteria.
I'm sure the owners of the two runaway Priuses indignantly (and sincerely) claim, "But the problem was real!" However we've now gone beyond technical probability and almost beyond technical possibility.
The patient with Munchausen symptom will protest sincerely to the doctor that his/her illness is real. It is real, but we now know that in this case the illness is self-inflicted, albeit subconsciously.
If I'm right, and the two recent runaway Prius stories support this theory, Toyota's mistake is to examine the vehicles instead of the owners.

 

"Grassy knoll" :lol:


Mr. Sikes claimed his accelerator pedal was stuck on the floor but when TV cameras showed the pedals, all was normal.
I have to question the credibility of someone who has obviously driven for many yeas, has driven his Prius for several years but still doens't know how to turn it off?
Oh and he kept pumping the brakes despite all the media coverage telling us not to.
Finally, he thought it would "flip over" if he put it in Neutral???
He needs a full mental evaluation before he's allowed to continue driving.

 

deleted

 

I can't remember what I've posted on which thread now.. but I did see a pic of this car and the airbags were deployed. Hopefully there is good EDR data. Of course if that data shows pedal application, what I said above will come into force.

 

There is no shortage of "victims" and ambulance chasers, that's for sure.
The ambulance chasers smell blood, and once those sharks smell blood, it is (and is going to) get even uglier.

 

Huh? People drive into buildings all the time? I know "alternate universes" are the cool thing right now, but in my universe people generally try to avoid the buildings.

Accidents do happen all the time, but in this case we know nothing more or nothing less than is being reported. "Something" happened and we don't know if it was driver error or mechanical or electronic issue.

I do agree that the problem right now is once the idea has been planted in the conciousness of the public that Toyota's and/or Prius are "run-aways" or dangerous then it becomes difficult to overcome that idea.

As well as I do think you will get a percentage of people just trying to con Toyota and get "in" on a potential lawsuit.

But unfortunately for Toyota every incident has to be taken initially at face value and investigated. Investigation is the key. As posters in a forum I think speculation is fine, but defaulting to the idea that everyone with a incident and a complaint is an idiot and/or Con-Man Or defaulting to the idea that every accident is a result of a faulty Toyota is just as wrong on either side IMO.

IMO it was the weeks of caustic media exposure that has created this climate. I still think EVENTUALLY it will die down but I'm starting to have my doubts.

 

Are u kidding me? Once a day now??? Nowaday everything, anything to do is Prius! Guess what, I am going to call my boss and tell him that I don't feel like to work today because it is my Prius too! And I bet u it can fly because it is Prius too