ABC News reports on acceleration problems

Gawd ... not another

floor mat / put it in neutral / power button for 3 seconds / they were stupid / you are mean for saying that

thread

please kill me
.

 

LOL...
There is a cable network (and of course I forget which one), that until recently had two sit-coms that followed each other...the first one:
Just Shoot Me

The second one:
Yes, Dear

They've change the line-up now and they don't follow each other any more.

 

No, I haven't received a letter from Toyota. Yes, I have an acceleration problem. My Prius doesn't accelerate as fast as a Tesla Roadster.

 

I could post that photo of me in a Speedo.

Tom

 

I watched the report on TV last night. The report didn't have much substance, just used the drama to draw in viewers and make the easy observation that it must be related to the drive by wire computer and not the mats.

- D

 

What do you expect. This has been sensationalism from the outset. I smelled a rat from the beginning. NOTHING has changed since the initial reports of the accident...other than confirmation that the driver was a complete idiot.

 

I agree 100% and I don't care if saying so it not PC. The guy had SO much time to remedy the issue. I'm not going to rehash because we all know what transpired.

 

Until you are in the driver's shoes...perhaps your comments are a little harsh. I doubt the problem with floor mats (or whatever caused the accelerator issue) is a system wide failure problem for Toyota...but is "the driver was a complete idiot" comment necessary? Again...until you are in the driver's shoes...people died in that crash...have a heart.

I do not agree with the media's overblown reaction to this...but not surprised. However, if one of your friends or relatives were in that doomed car...I think you might take offense to the driver being called an idiot...at least I hope you would.

If you heard the terror of the 911 call from the passenger in the back seat you catch a glimpse of what speeding down the road to your eventual death could be like...and it didn't sound like a fun time.

Every operator of a moving vessel can't be "Sully The Airline Pilot."

 

yes i hear you all. the original case is tragic..........i concur.

for those who want to know the order IN CASE this happens./..................

#1) shift to neutral, this might take a second or two.

#2) hit the power button, this will take three seconds.

.........................knowledge is power, there you have it.

 

Then I'm covered.

I've already been in such a situation with a different vehicle, so, no, I don't think it is too harsh. I was a novice driver at the time. My grandmother also had the same problem with that vehicle. Each of us quickly worked the problem through multiple steps and shut the vehicle down. We sent it to the salvage yard after that.

 

Felt the unexpected acceleration today. I was feathering the brake, approaching stopped traffic, i hit a bump on the overpass and the car accelerated. SCARY!!

Calling them tomorrow.

 

Were you traveling at 120mph?

 

Why? The CHP officer wasn't either until he freaked out and did the wrong things...never bothered to check the pedal for interference, didn't shift to neutral, didn't shut down the car. It ain't rocket science.

Or perhaps he was travelling at 120 when the floormat got stuck on the gas pedal...in which case he would definitely be the #1 candidate for this year's Darwin Award.

 

FWIW - I think this AOL Autos editor did a pretty good job (better than ABC) of reporting, summarizing and balancing the known facts and issues, and the personal, Toyota and gov't experiences and responses:

Runaway Toyotas: Fact Or Fiction?

 

That is not the unexpected acceleration issue. What you felt was the ABS brake system being activated by the loss of traction over the bump. It's normal and not dangerous, although it does feel funny.

Tom

 

For a funny read on this guys real perspectives, please go to this post - #29... http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...lbs-clay-handy-new-mythbusters-episode-3.html

 

Interesting - I have noticed occasionally in my 2005 Prius this SLIGHT feeling of acceleration when I brake to turn a corner - and it definitely has nothing to do with the floor mat. It is a weird feeling and thought I might have been the only one experiencing it - so you are assured that this is the ABS system??

 

Most likely. The system kicks on at the (seemingly) minor change in road surface/contact. There may even be the quickest blip of the yellow warning light on the dash but sometimes it is on and off so fast you can miss it.