toyota car recall question

treasurebeacon said: dealer will replace the gas pedal

they won't do anything right now since toyota hasn't mailed me a letter yet. Apparently it could be more than the just the pedal (ECM etc.)

Why on earth would you buy a Toyota when they recalled like 5 million vehicles a few months ago?

Porqin said: At the very least, if you are in a situation where the gas pedal gets stuck (or some other uncontrolled acceleration, something rolls onto pedal, etc.) in this vehicle or any other, you can put the transmission into Neutral.

thanks.

I am just curious, as to exactly what the problem is. It seems the cause is still unknown at this point.

Anyone?

ZenNUTS said: I am just curious, as to exactly what the problem is. It seems the cause is still unknown at this point.

Anyone?

Cause for the crash that triggered it all or cause for the recall? The latter is well documented. Floor mat with poor design of hooks + too long of a gas pedal = unintended acceleration. Add a scared driver that freaks out and voila, beef patties. That will be fix number one. Unlike many other companies, Toyota does not have acceleration override if the brake pedal is mushed at the same time, so that's the fix they are still trying to get to, but do not have. Like C&D link above says, best course of action is not to freak out, you can still stop the car.

"Japanese cars are the best! Unsurpassed quality!" LOL. Big 3 is laughing all the way to the bank

bustgum said: Apparently, it's not common knowledge. Take the time today to point this out to your family and your loved ones no matter what brand of car they drive. And if you're reading any news articles or other web articles discussing the problem, add a comment to the user comments board if there is one. Help get the word out.

It's not common knowledge in America. I wonder if the guys and gals on the other side of the pond know that you put the car in neutral in a situation like this...

fasttimes said: If you are paranoid, then just take out the floor mat.

DUDE ITS NOT THE FLOOR MAT READ!

One car full of people died when they accelerated into a lake, FLOOR MATTS WERE IN THE TRUNK DUE TO THE RECALL.

RailroadTrack said: This unintended acceleration issue goes to show how dependent Americans have become on automation. Maybe it's just me, but even my 58 year old parents know to put a car in neutral in the case of unintended acceleration. It's probably because they both know how to drive a manual transmission car and they have some common sense.

Granted, Toyota shouldn't build cars that exhibit this type of behavior, but really? No one knows to put a car in neutral when it's going haywire??? I guess if the brakes don't work, no one knows to put the car in neutral and use the handbrake either, huh.

As for the original poster, cry me a river. Do your homework. With all the bad publicity surrounding Toyota recently, I have no idea why anyone would buy one. You'd have to be living under a rock not to know about it.

Red me all you want, I buy American. Between 3 cars, I've put well over half a million miles on American cars with no major issues.

I agree with you that only a fool would buy a Toyota as they haven't produced high quality cars since the early 2000s if that.

BUT the idea that you can solve all your problems by putting it in neutral is grossly negligent to say that is the simply answer. Many toyotas do not have a mechanical shifting gate. Instead when you move the shifter it is an electronic gate that activates an actuater that shifts, there are lots of 'safety guards' that prevent you from switching gears at high speed in case you bump it, the same mechanisms is to prevent you from putting it in reverse when going forward.

Many toyotas also have a keyless ignition, so when the accelerator gets stuck (or whatever is broken), the shifter is not doing anything, the brake booster is exhausted (toyota's little cheap brakes dont do much when you are accelerating) and you can't turn off the car without holding the start button for 3 seconds you have no options, you are heading towards your death.

vickh said: My new (3 weeks old) 2010 highlander has been recalled

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/RunawayToyotas/runaway-toyotas-pro...

I'm very concerned about safety. Dealer says to wait and it's not a big deal.

What're my rights in this situtation?

BTW put 5K of purchase on a Chase credit card. Can I use that as leverage?

Actually if they can't fix your car before the end of the month you probably qualify for Lemon law status...if I were you I'd do it. Instead go out and get a 2 year BMW X3 fully loaded for the same price...you will LOVE that car.

fasttimes said:
Take out the floormat and learn to swim.

They swam alright, with the fishes.

wackyrabbit said: RailroadTrack said: This unintended acceleration issue goes to show how dependent Americans have become on automation. Maybe it's just me, but even my 58 year old parents know to put a car in neutral in the case of unintended acceleration. It's probably because they both know how to drive a manual transmission car and they have some common sense.

Granted, Toyota shouldn't build cars that exhibit this type of behavior, but really? No one knows to put a car in neutral when it's going haywire??? I guess if the brakes don't work, no one knows to put the car in neutral and use the handbrake either, huh.

As for the original poster, cry me a river. Do your homework. With all the bad publicity surrounding Toyota recently, I have no idea why anyone would buy one. You'd have to be living under a rock not to know about it.

Red me all you want, I buy American. Between 3 cars, I've put well over half a million miles on American cars with no major issues.

I agree with you that only a fool would buy a Toyota as they haven't produced high quality cars since the early 2000s if that.

BUT the idea that you can solve all your problems by putting it in neutral is grossly negligent to say that is the simply answer. Many toyotas do not have a mechanical shifting gate. Instead when you move the shifter it is an electronic gate that activates an actuater that shifts, there are lots of 'safety guards' that prevent you from switching gears at high speed in case you bump it, the same mechanisms is to prevent you from putting it in reverse when going forward.

Many toyotas also have a keyless ignition, so when the accelerator gets stuck (or whatever is broken), the shifter is not doing anything, the brake booster is exhausted (toyota's little cheap brakes dont do much when you are accelerating) and you can't turn off the car without holding the start button for 3 seconds you have no options, you are heading towards your death.

The Car and Driver article said they had absolutely no problem shifting it to neutral when the car was at full throttle. I also don't understand what the safety hazard of moving from D to N would ever be. I understand D to Reverse or Park but I think you are wrong.

Also they were able to bring the car from 120 mph with a pinned down throttle on a Camry to 10 mph where the brakes couldnt decelerate the car anymore.

wackyrabbit said: fasttimes said: One car full of people died when they accelerated into a lake, FLOOR MATTS WERE IN THE TRUNK DUE TO THE RECALL.

Car died, what happent to people?

bpp said: wackyrabbit said: RailroadTrack said: This unintended acceleration issue goes to show how dependent Americans have become on automation. Maybe it's just me, but even my 58 year old parents know to put a car in neutral in the case of unintended acceleration. It's probably because they both know how to drive a manual transmission car and they have some common sense.

Granted, Toyota shouldn't build cars that exhibit this type of behavior, but really? No one knows to put a car in neutral when it's going haywire??? I guess if the brakes don't work, no one knows to put the car in neutral and use the handbrake either, huh.

As for the original poster, cry me a river. Do your homework. With all the bad publicity surrounding Toyota recently, I have no idea why anyone would buy one. You'd have to be living under a rock not to know about it.

Red me all you want, I buy American. Between 3 cars, I've put well over half a million miles on American cars with no major issues.

I agree with you that only a fool would buy a Toyota as they haven't produced high quality cars since the early 2000s if that.

BUT the idea that you can solve all your problems by putting it in neutral is grossly negligent to say that is the simply answer. Many toyotas do not have a mechanical shifting gate. Instead when you move the shifter it is an electronic gate that activates an actuater that shifts, there are lots of 'safety guards' that prevent you from switching gears at high speed in case you bump it, the same mechanisms is to prevent you from putting it in reverse when going forward.

Many toyotas also have a keyless ignition, so when the accelerator gets stuck (or whatever is broken), the shifter is not doing anything, the brake booster is exhausted (toyota's little cheap brakes dont do much when you are accelerating) and you can't turn off the car without holding the start button for 3 seconds you have no options, you are heading towards your death.

The Car and Driver article said they had absolutely no problem shifting it to neutral when the car was at full throttle. I also don't understand what the safety hazard of moving from D to N would ever be. I understand D to Reverse or Park but I think you are wrong.

Also they were able to bring the car from 120 mph with a pinned down throttle on a Camry to 10 mph where the brakes couldnt decelerate the car anymore.

I read all about Car and Driver's test...but to think this is just a sticky accelerator is doubtful, just like Toyota told us it was the floor mats. I still believe there is a fundamental problem with the ECU, which controls the electronic gate, meaning C&D tests would have had to have a vehicle with a faulty ecu for a proper test.. The prius has been dealing with this for a while. The fact they say the accelerator pedal wears yet some accidents have been with new vehicles makes me think toyota has lost control of quality...and can't pinpoint the origin of failure.

wackyrabbit said: skooba said: wackyrabbit said: fasttimes said: If you are paranoid, then just take out the floor mat.

DUDE ITS NOT THE FLOOR MAT READ!

One car full of people died when they accelerated into a lake, FLOOR MATTS WERE IN THE TRUNK DUE TO THE RECALL.

Link?

http://www.southlaketimes.com/articles/2010/01/06/southlake_time...

And also in the link the OP provided. As /. says, RTFA.

Bought an '09 Corolla days before this suspension from a Toyota dealership. Just my luck.......

shadyj said: Wackyrabbit is wrong. Car will shift into neutral.

Neutral is nothing more than disengaging the engine from the transmission. Once the engine is disengaged from the transmission there is no more power being sent to the wheels and you can either coast to a stop or apply the brakes.

I've never insulted anyone on fatwallet but learn about cars before you spread such dangerous disinformation (yes i edited out an insult).

Of course moving the shifter on an auto car to neutral will disengage the transmission, that is what it is supposed to do...no one is debating that.

The issue is many modern cars you are not mechanically shifting into neutral. You are moving the shifter which activates an electronic sensor that goes to the ECU which activates an actuator which puts it into nuetral. If the ECU is failing or acting up it may not communicated with either the electronic gate or the actuator and so it will never put it into nuetral no matter what you do.

You honestly think the highway patrol officer who was killed with his family didn't try shifting it into nuetral? he had lots of time.

For crying out loud, just hit the brakes. You'll smoke them, but who cares. I don't care if I detonate my engine by bouncing off the redline. I value my life more then the mechanicals of my car.

Some of you guys need to focus on the big picture. Sounds simple, but people don't know how to respond so much that they are DYING.

I'm telling people, including a co-worker with a tundra to hold their brakes to the floor first, try to shift into neutral second, and not to shut the car off. Let your car take the damage. I can just see someone pulling out the key and locking the steering column at speed. Or not knowing they'd have to manhandle the steering wheel when off. Or having to really push on the brake.

Brake First
Neutral Second
Do not shut off car until you're stopped.

scrouds said: For crying out loud, just hit the brakes. You'll smoke them, but who cares. I don't care if I detonate my engine by bouncing off the redline. I value my life more then the mechanicals of my car.

Some of you guys need to focus on the big picture. Sounds simple, but people don't know how to respond so much that they are DYING.

I'm telling people, including a co-worker with a tundra to hold their brakes to the floor first, try to shift into neutral second, and not to shut the car off. Let your car take the damage. I can just see someone pulling out the key and locking the steering column at speed. Or not knowing they'd have to manhandle the steering wheel when off. Or having to really push on the brake.

Brake First
Neutral Second
Do not shut off car until you're stopped.

Apparently you've never tried braking before with tiny brakes while still accelerating...brakes overheat and fail very quickly without stopping anything, toyota was never known for larger piston brake setups...plus if you are physically weak the power brakes on toyotas are vacuum powered and not electric...so if you keep working the brake eventually the vacuum booster will not provide any assist.