Runaway Toyotas

[Guest merlock]

With all of the extortion payments donations that Toyota made to Jesse Jackson, how come he's been awfully quiet?

[gmwalk]

....

To stop a runaway Prius- choke the hamster.

I think you would get arrested for doing that in a Prius.

[Goblin]

I think you would get arrested for doing that in a Prius.

Yeah, maybe after 9/11, where everybody got so sensitive. Thanks a lot, bin Laden.

[HerkFE]

I've been watching the news reports about all of these Toyotas having uncontrolled accelerator problems. I've been saying all along why don't they just put the transmission in neutral when this happens. I also realize that when it does happen it probably causes a moment of mild stress and one may not think clearly but these people are able to pick the cell phone, call their spouse, call 911, call a lifeline, whatever. Put the F'ing thing in neutral and watch your pistons fly out the hood. In the most recent incident the dude was talking to the 911 dispatcher and she said "put your transmission in neutral" He said, "I'm just trying to control the car". I realize that us aviators are a little more calm in emergencies than mere mortals but damn. Also, why hasn't Toyota come out with a PSA saying something like "we are currently investigating so blow us but in the meantime if this happens, put it in neutral" I don't own a Toyota and my German car is a stick shift so is there something with Toyotas or newer automatics that prevent you from going from D to N.

How can I delete this before Toro hurts my feelings in front of everyone???? Oh $hit, call 911, where's my emergency brake delete button!!!!!!

Edited March 10, 2010 by HerkFE

[Vertigo]

It's there - just look for it.

[HerkFE]

I have accepted my fate and can only offer my sincerest apologies to those affected by my crime.

[ClearedHot]

How can I delete this before Toro hurts my feelings in front of everyone???? Oh $hit, call 911, where's my emergency brake delete button!!!!!!

You owe me...

[HerkFE]

You owe me...

Let me know when you are in ATL or MXF and beer's on me.

[ClearedHot]

Let me know when you are in ATL or MXF and beer's on me.

MXF next month...

[M2]

MXF next month...

You have my condolences...

[HerkFE]

MXF next month...

Let me know when.

[Herk Driver]

In regards to the Prius incident today, they have an electronically controlled shifter. This means that you can try to put the car in neutral, but that sum bitch will stay in drive until it comes to a stop then allows you to put the car in neutral.

And I suppose that keeps you from turning the ignition switch off or in this case, the battery switch, to the O-F-F position?

[Guest s52]

In regards to the Prius incident today, they have an electronically controlled shifter. This means that you can try to put the car in neutral, but that sum bitch will stay in drive until it comes to a stop then allows you to put the car in neutral.

+1 I dont own one, but I had the chance to drive one once and it is not as simple as throwing it in neutral like a normal automatic transmission equipped vehicle. Every input, even turning the car on happens electronically. There is no key or ignition, the car is push button on/off and senses whether you have the keyfob transmitter within range (like in your pocket)

So I can see how if you were hauling on the freeway the computer probably wouldnt let you just shut it off or put it in N...

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

+1 I dont own one, but I had the chance to drive one once and it is not as simple as throwing it in neutral like a normal automatic transmission equipped vehicle. Every input, even turning the car on happens electronically. There is no key or ignition, the car is push button on/off and senses whether you have the keyfob transmitter within range (like in your pocket)

So I can see how if you were hauling on the freeway the computer probably wouldnt let you just shut it off or put it in N...

So can you throw the keyfob out the window and it will shutoff?

[M2]

Wow, you guys are acting like this is HAL 9000 taking over the car!

Like I said, I don't have a Pruis but I do drive a "fly-by-wire" compact Toyota with an automatic transmission. There are ways to stop a car in such an emergency situation; but I decided to find out what those who have Prius think and found this:

How to Stop A Runaway Pruis

HOW TO STOP OF RUNAWAY PRIUS: SUMMARY OF INFO FROM THIS THREAD!

1) Put the car into Neutral. You have to HOLD down the neutral for at least a little while and not just tap into into neutral.

2) You can also press the "P" button. This will also put the car into Neutral if the car is moving and the accelerator is down.

3) If 1 and 2 fail, try hitting the power button for a prolonged period of time (seconds). Keep in mind that you will lose power steering when the car shuts down.

By the way, I got quite a chuckle out of response #6...

Replace Toyota logo with GM one. And will not run away anymore

But overall, most lambasted Sikes for not knowing what to do in such a situation. Even the most obvious of EPs would have corrected the situation, but he failed miserably. TACO!

[Toro]

[M2]

Looks like the truth is starting to emerge...

Did Toyota Prius Driver Fake Unintended Acceleration?

Did the driver of a runaway Toyota Prius in San Diego tell the truth when he said his accelerator pedal stuck earlier this week? New evidence is calling the driver's credibility into question, although the real answer will not be entirely clear until Toyota and the NHTSA announce the results of their investigation. Details about the driver, James Sikes, leave many wondering if he had ulterior motives for his claims.

USA Today and Jalopnik.com are directly asking the question as to whether or not he faked the incident, citing previous issues with debt and repeated insurance claims as reason for their doubts.

The reports indicate that prior to his unintended acceleration incident, James Sikes and his wife -- both realtors -- found themselves grappling with California's notorious housing bubble and filed for bankruptcy in 2008. Reports show they have $700,000 in debt to their names. He already had a motor home, Mercedes-Benz automobile and Dodge Truck repossessed in the proceedings with creditors.

Among the creditors to whom he owes payments is Toyota Financial Services. Various reports indicate that Sikes is either current with his payments or behind by five months on the 2008 Toyota Prius involved in this week's incident, which has 7,200 miles on it and is valued at $20,494.

Are All Claims Real?

If everyone who gets into a car accident or gets caught speeding is driving a Toyota, should we assume they're experiencing sudden acceleration? The question is an uncomfortable one: if every incident involving a Toyota could be blamed on the company and not the driver, it gives a free pass (albeit a frightening one) to those who choose to exploit it.

For example, in the first 10 weeks of 2009, there were 272 complaints filed to NHTSA in the U.S. for speed control issues with the Prius, according to Associated Press reports. In all of 2008 there were only 74 and just 8 in 2007.

If Sikes's claims were fake, he played a convincing hand. At the time of the incident, all signs pointed to his experience as being authentic.

"I won't drive that car again, period," he told reporters.

Furthermore, the recording of his 911 call, since released, was evidence of the situation's authenticity; unless Sikes was an actor of the highest order, we can't imagine how he'd fake this incident.

Perhaps even more damaging are reports that Sikes has a long history of items being stolen from him, for which he then filed insurance claims.

Skeptics of Sikes also cite the 911 tape that was released shortly after the incident. During the tape, the dispatcher repeatedly told Sikes to put the car in neutral in order to stop it from accelerating. Sikes did not comply with her instructions or the instructions of the officer on the scene who told him to do the same thing via his public address system as they tore down the highway.

Beyond the call itself, the Associated Press reports that Sikes's car was equipped with a brake override system, something that should have slowed the car down once he stomped on the brake pedal.

Sikes claimed he thought that would "flip the car."

"I've since found out that's not possible, but I had no idea," Sikes told USA Today. "Hopefully, I helped save five to 10 lives because people are now finding out" how to put a moving Prius into neutral.

Until Toyota and the NHTSA release the results of their investigation, there won’t be any real answers.

I am still throwing the bullshit flag on this one!

Cheers! M2

[M2]

Even better. ***NSFW*** due to language, but spot on otherwise!

Cheers! M²

[DFRESH]

"The devil's gonna shove his pitchfork up your a$$ with a rotten pineapple".... doesn't even come close to what should be done to these idiots that can't handle driving a f'n car.

[sky_king]

This reminded my of this thread.

https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/clips/weekend-getaway-prius-commercial/1208877/

[Vice]

Heard on the radio this morning that the dude that claims his Prius went 94 has been denied his claim, because the brake wear on the discs was inconsistent with slamming the brakes at 94 MPH as well as a few other things.

Looks like the 94 MPH speed record isn't true after all...

[M2]

Sikes needs a good

Oversight and Government Reform Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives memo proves runaway Pruis was a hoax

A thorough investigation of the Prius in question revealed that, while the brake pads on the car were worn down, technicians from both Toyota and NHTSA were unable to duplicate the unintended acceleration Sikes claims.

Although unable to duplicate the unintended acceleration, investigators were, however, able to test the brake override system installed on the Prius on both the Sikes car and a test vehicle of the same year. The memo states:

"Every time the technician placed the gas pedal to the floor and the brake pedal to the floor the engine shut off and the car immediately started to slow down. NHTSA and Toyota field representatives reported the same results with the 2008 Prius owned by Mr. Sikes."

Further, a representative of Toyota present at the investigation stated the design of the Prius is such that applying maximum negative force (via the brakes) and positive force (via acceleration) would have such an impact on a car the engine would seize up, which didn't happen:

"According to Mr. David Justo, Toyota Motor Sales HQ, I was informed that he is Toyota's residential Hybrid expert, he stats "that if MG2 (gas pedal is to the floor, creating positive force) and the driver puts the brake MG1 (creating negative force) then the engine would shut down. If the engine does not shut down then the gears would be spinning past their maximum revolutions per minute and completely seize the engine. So, in this case, knowing that we are able to push the car around the shop, it does not appear to be feasibly possible, both electronically and mechanically that his gas pedal was stuck to the floor and he was slamming on the brake at the same time."

These findings certainly raise new questions surrounding the veracity of the sequence of events that has been reported by Mr. Sikes," said Kurt Bardella, a spokesman for Darrell Issa (R-CA), the ranking Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform who was present at the investigation.

More damning than even this memo is a story yesterday from The Wall Street Journal citing three people familiar with the investigation claiming they discovered a pattern of brake wear on the car inconsistent with the account from Mr. Sikes. That's a much more telling data point than even that found in this memo, and if correct, further bolsters any claims against Mr. Sikes' story. We've yet to see the full reports from Toyota or NHTSA, though we're certain both are forthcoming.

Still trust Sikes? Let's look at a well-known meta-theoretical principle known as Occam's Razor. The theory, attributed to 14th Century English theologian and Franciscan friar, William of Ockham, states that "entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity." i.e., that the simplest solution is usually the correct one.

Given this memo indicates Toyota was not to blame in this very public case of unintended acceleration, the choices available to us are that Toyota has ghosts in the machine that can't be rooted out (highly improbable), the seemingly competent Jim Sikes wasn't willing to obey simple commands like "put the car into neutral" out of unstated-at-the-time fears the "car would flip" (highly improbable), or that this was a hoax perpetrated by a financially strapped Mr. Sikes (probable).

Here is the CNN coverage of the above memo...

Memo: Testing didn't duplicate sticky gas pedal on man's Prius

[Vice]

How can a car flip when it's put into neutral? This guy is a moron, he shouldn't be operating a motor vehicle with that kind of grasp of automotive... stuff.

[bfargin]

How can a car flip when it's put into neutral? This guy is a moron, he shouldn't be operating a motor vehicle with that kind of grasp of automotive... stuff.

Ah, you're being too harsh. If you make the bar that high for driving ability/knowledge we would eliminate about 3/4 of our driving public.

[Wolf424]

Ah, you're being too harsh. If you make the bar that high for driving ability/knowledge we would eliminate about 3/4 of our driving public.

More like 7/8 in Arkansas, where the lack or turn signals, driving through red lights, and driving on temp. spare tires doing 80 for months at a time are the norm. Technique only though.