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Safety Issue with Brake Pedal

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Main Forum' started by CoolPriusXLE, Apr 7, 2024.

  1. CoolPriusXLE

    CoolPriusXLE Member

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    There will be those who disagree with me but this is a real issue. The brake pedal on the 2023 Prius XLE is the size of a pedal out of the 60's VW Bugs. It 's that small and three times while coming near an intersection my right foot slipped off on the left side of the pedal. There is very little room between the gas and brake pedal. The pedal needs to be much wider than the 3.5 inches.

    Of course I notified Toyota about this and their response was they have not had any callers or issues. Yeah right, until there are deaths.
     
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  2. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    People have been slipping off the brake pedal & onto the accelerator for decades now. Most all manufacturer's vehicles have been involved. Maybe that's why some still go "retro" to this day .... & at the same time have fun with DIY projects like the one below;

    Screenshot_2024-04-07-07-07-33-05_40deb401b9ffe8e1df2f1cc5ba480b12.jpg

    That should give you the extra with your looking for

    .
     
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    How about a pic?

    I seem to recall automatics used to take advantage of the lack of (3rd) clutch pedal, used to make the brake pedal quite side, wider than tall, about 4~5" wide, by 2~3" tall.

    ^ huh, guess that’s still the case: see attached, our Gen 3.
     

    Attached Files:

    #3 Mendel Leisk, Apr 7, 2024
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2024
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  4. HacksawMark

    HacksawMark Active Member

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    There are a number of reasons why one's foot could slip off the brake pedal, none of which would include the size of the brake pedal on a new car. I can see a potential issue if the car had a lot of miles and the brake pedal was worn' down but on a new vehicle, it seems unlikely the design of the pedal is the problem.

    Better positioning of the seat relative to the distance from the steering column and pedals may improve your situation.
     
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  5. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    I think the OP’s foot was slipping off the other side, not the accelerator side.
    That said, I like the after market pedal you shared :)

    To the OP, is your pedal rubber or steel? I’ve seen some ‘upgrades’ that are metal. To me, they look far easier for feet to slip.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you can file a report with nhtsa. manufacturers are not going to ever admit safety issues, even when forced to change by safety agencies, or resulting from a lawsuit.
     
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  7. Blackat

    Blackat Active Member

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    Not had this problem.......ever
     
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  8. ken2023

    ken2023 Member

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    The Gen 5 pedal is about one inch narrower than what @Mendel Leisk posted above for the Gen 3, about 4 inches across, image below. I remember old automatics the pedal was huge, could put two feet on it and apply a lot of pressure if the vacuum boost failed. I haven't had any trouble finding the pedal myself, but realize personal preferences vary there, and they have been getting smaller, but boost is a lot more reliable and the car is relatively light.
     

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  9. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Funny, my first car was about ½ the weight of a Prius. My mom had an early Honda Civic that weighed even less.
     
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  10. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    I wear size-11 sneakers. I didn't notice it at all during my test drive of Gen 5 Priuses. The brake pedal felt nicer than my Gen 4's as a matter of fact, but that was primarily due to better brake modulation in Toyota Hybrid System 5 (THS 5).
     
  11. Zyrian

    Zyrian Junior Member

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    I'd hate to see you drive Lotus Elise :) I drove it for 3 years, and yes, in the beginning I had to be mindful of shoes I was wearing, but after a while was ok in Dr. Martens.

    [​IMG]
     
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  12. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    I don't believe the NHTSA brake pedal force and stopping distance requirements in the case of boost failure, have changed. In the absence of brake boost, the car still must stop in a certain maximum distance (though long), with a certain minimum pedal force (though lots more than normal, small people will need their fully body weight).
     
  13. CoolPriusXLE

    CoolPriusXLE Member

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    WOW. Such a well thought out reply! Thank you very much for that.
     
  14. CoolPriusXLE

    CoolPriusXLE Member

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    Your test drive? No further response necessary.
     
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  15. CoolPriusXLE

    CoolPriusXLE Member

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    Well I have. On other issues people have died. But you obviously have not had any of those issues since you are here to write what you did!
     
  16. CoolPriusXLE

    CoolPriusXLE Member

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    Many today do NOT know how to read or read properly. I suggest you read again the OP. And in the future make your response in a sincere manner.
     
  17. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Thankyou .... you should volunteer to be a moderator ... oh wait ... they understand humor

    .
     
  18. Zeromus

    Zeromus Active Member

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    I mean... you're being pretty combative when you say its a safety issue because you had a moment with it based on your driving style and how you place your feet. Meanwhile everyone else is saying they have no problems, including the test driver, who would - if it was a serious flaw and safety consideration - would have likely experienced it.

    The only real complaint that I think is universal is the small rear window and its associated visibility. I personally think I can live with it and and have adjusted well with the rear window since we have backup cameras which help significantly to mitigate the biggest gripe I have there. For daily driving, the rear visibility is fine enough when tracking who is behind you.

    The A - pillars are maybe a bit of an issue until you adjust.

    Having to move your head to swivel the driver/passenger sun visor to the side window is my only other real complaint.

    But the pedal is not one of them.
     
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  19. Blackat

    Blackat Active Member

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    Drama queen much
     
  20. HacksawMark

    HacksawMark Active Member

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    If people are dying because they didn't step on the brake, that's generally referred to as driver error.
     
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