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Anyone had complete failure of gas pedal?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by horsehead, Mar 10, 2010.

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  1. horsehead

    horsehead New Member

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    Although this has not happened to me again and it was months ago, my brand new 2010 Prius had complete gas pedal failure twice within the first month I bought it. I was driving 20-30 mph in town (small town) let off the pedal to slow a bit going around a slight curve and upon depressing the pedal again to speed up, nothing happened. I let up and pushed again, this time to the floor. Nothing. I pulled over, turned car completely off. Restarted it, and everything was fine. Has anyone else experienced this?

    :confused::confused::confused:

    I asked the dealer I took it to for an oil change. They said they'd never heard of it and did not document it, report it, or even ask to drive the car. Not going to them again. Called another dealer, they are going to check it out, but it is unlikely they will be able to reproduce it when they drive it. It was fine on a side street in a small town, but had I been on my way to Denver or on the Interstate, this could have caused me major problems.:eek:
     
    #1 horsehead, Mar 10, 2010
  2. mingoglia

    mingoglia Member

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    I haven't had this happen on my Prius, but it happens on occasion on my Grand Cherokee. Not that that helps, but in the spirit of all these accelerator "problems" in the news I figured I'd throw that out there.

    Apparently there are multiple sensors for accelerator inputs. If BOTH sensors don't respond the way the ECM expects it will bring your vehicle to idle as a failsafe. I'd imagine one of those may be on the blink. The thing is though it's supposed to store a troublecode if this were to happen.
     
    #2 mingoglia, Mar 10, 2010
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  3. mad-dog-one

    mad-dog-one Prius Enthusiast

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    I have never experienced any type of gas pedal failure after starting our 2010 Prius, although "complete failure of the gas pedal" occurs with 100% regularity before I push the start button.
     
    #3 mad-dog-one, Mar 10, 2010
  4. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    #4 pakitt, Mar 10, 2010
  5. Alphonsus

    Alphonsus New Member

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    I wonder if you accidentally put the vehicle into neutral i.e. by hitting the park button or shifting it into reverse. Did you try shifting into drive after this happened? Did the motor race when you put your foot on the gas pedal?
     
    #5 Alphonsus, Mar 10, 2010
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  6. Much More Better

    Much More Better Active Member

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    Nope.
     
    #6 Much More Better, Mar 10, 2010
  7. kbeck

    kbeck Active Member

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    Horsehead:

    Based upon all the fun we've been having in this forum that sounds like a real pedal failure. I'm surprised the first dealer didn't have you in there ASAP; what you went through sounds like one of the failsafe modes the car goes into.

    Did the check engine light light up?

    Finally: When you bring that car in, before they put their paws on it, I strongly suggest you TELL them that if there's any trouble codes, you want them written out and given back to you. If they refuse, suggest you come back here and let us know how it went.

    KBeck
     
    #7 kbeck, Mar 10, 2010
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  8. horsehead

    horsehead New Member

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    Has anyone had accelerator delay or failure?

    Has anyone out there besides myself and my friend had their accelerator stop working, lose power, or otherwise?

    In the first month of owning my 2010, I was going about 20 in town and stepped on the gas to speed up. Nothing happened. I pushed it to the floor, still nothing. The car was still on. I had to pull over, turn off the car, turn it back on and then everything was fine. My husband was with me and witnessed the whole thing. It happened to me again a couple weeks later, same situation. But then it has not happened again since then, 8 months ago.

    My friend in another state just bought a 2010 and has had this happen to her 5 times now. It is rather scary to think about this occurring on an interstate or anywhere traffic is moving fast. I was lucky, on a small street with no traffic. My friend was pulling onto a highway and could have easily been hit due to lack of acceleration. I have searched everywhere and have not found anyone else talking about it. My dealer totally dismissed it and were jerks. I'm never going to them again, will go to the one four hours away. Please let me know if this has happened to you. Thanks.:confused:
     
    #8 horsehead, May 13, 2010
  9. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Re: Has anyone had accelerator delay or failure?

    I have one of the first produced and shipped to the US 2010 Prius and have never had acceleration issues or an issue such as what you describe.

    I know it is doubtful, but could something have bumped the shifter to the left and placed the car in neutral without you realizing it?
     
    #9 Paradox, May 13, 2010
  10. richsc

    richsc New Member

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    Re: Has anyone had accelerator delay or failure?

    I bought my 2010 in late June, one of the first, and I haven't had any problems like that unless I knocked the shift into neutral, and that was only one time.
     
    #10 richsc, May 13, 2010
  11. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    Re: Has anyone had accelerator delay or failure?

    This is the third thread you've documented this problem, with the last one two months ago, and nobody has experienced the problem. Sounds like user error for both you and your friend.
     
    #11 32kcolors, May 13, 2010
  12. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Re: Has anyone had accelerator delay or failure?


    Thanks, I merged the original thread and the new one. No need to keep starting new threads talking about the same thing...
     
    #12 Paradox, May 13, 2010
  13. J&TFalk

    J&TFalk New Member

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    Not on my Prius, it's only a couple of weeks old but on my 2008 Ford Escape I had the gas pedal not work. It was right after a car wash as Delta Sonic and the car was just sitting there after the interior cleaning. I went to go drive it away and the pedal just went to the floor. I turned off the engine and went to look at the pedal and moved it around a bit and then turned the engine back on and it was working again. /shrug
     
    #13 J&TFalk, May 13, 2010
  14. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Re: Has anyone had accelerator delay or failure?

    File an NHTSA report with the VIN.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #14 bwilson4web, May 14, 2010
  15. lorraine

    lorraine New Member

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    That same thing happened to me a few weeks ago. While I was driving I put it drive again and every thing went back to normal. That must have re-set the computer. You are the first person I heard it happen to. It is the brake problem in reverse.

    Lorraine
     
    #15 lorraine, May 14, 2010
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  16. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    Re: Has anyone had accelerator delay or failure?

    Bob, do you think Dianne Whitmire's customers below should file an NHTSA report with the VIN as well?

     
    #16 32kcolors, May 14, 2010
  17. Flaninacupboard

    Flaninacupboard Senior Member

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    I think maybe the driving test should include an intelligence test as well....
     
    #17 Flaninacupboard, May 15, 2010
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  18. horsehead

    horsehead New Member

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    Well mine completely failed while the car was on and I was driving down the road. Not cool. And has happened to my friend 5 times now, she got hers a month ago. The black box says that she supposedly had her foot on the brake at the same time which is RIDICULOUS. And, her pedal went completely to the floor like mine with no acceleration, just like mine. Hers eventually "caught" and started going. Mine did not, had to pull over, turn off car, turn car back on. Then, it worked.
     
    #18 horsehead, May 15, 2010
  19. horsehead

    horsehead New Member

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    Re: Has anyone had accelerator delay or failure?

    I did, months ago. Haven't heard a word.
     
    #19 horsehead, May 15, 2010
  20. horsehead

    horsehead New Member

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    Re: Has anyone had accelerator delay or failure?

    Well keep reading, because others have had it happen. God everyone is so mean on here it's really disgusting. It is NOT operator error. It's a real problem that's going to result in an accident. My car WAS ON, PEDAL FAILED. And YES, it has happened to others. Why would you people want to be mean to someone simply trying to figure out what's going on? And why would you assume it is operator error? That is completely RIDICULOUS!:mad::mad::mad::mad:
     
    #20 horsehead, May 15, 2010
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