Toyota to recall 3.8 million vehicles

It's possible to get the Toyota All-Weather floor mat stuck on the gas pedal so this it won't come back up at all.
And plus the Lexus being a loaner car with controls that the driver wasn't familiar with might be difficult for the off duty CHP officer to manage.

 

Re: Prius Recall ('04 - '09)

Yep, I've always been very picky about keeping the driver's area clear. I don't like driving with any mat other than the stock mat. Just doesn't feel right and feels like it interferes with your feet and pedals, even when it doesn't.

 

I have the Toyota carpet mats installed with the clips. They seem pretty secure to me. If they want to offer me some new ones, I'll take them though. I have a 2006 and I've never had a problem like this. I'll double check my mats next time I get in the car though. Only takes a second and if there is a problem, it might just save your life.

I like to think I'd have the presence of mind to shift to neutral or hold the power button in an emergency. However, I'd rather not find out.


Now, the mats in my Mitsubishi Montero... Those things are downright dangerous. I need to go buy some different ones now.

 

Re: Prius Recall ('04 - '09)

Yes, and it resulted in the death of 5 people in that car, which had accelerated up to 120 MPH. The driver had called 911 for help, but the crash occurred soon afterwards.

The 2010 Prius has a driver side floormat with hooks that prevent the floormat from sliding against the gas pedal. However, until I heard about this accident, I would not have hesitated to go out and purchase a new floormat from anywhere (like WalMart) once the original floormat wore out. Now I know better.

My first question to myself when I read about this tragedy was: What is so hard about shutting down a vehicle when the gas pedal gets stuck? Can't you just put it into neutral? Failing that, can't you just turn off the ignition, which also would turn off the power steering and power braking. However, in this kind of emergency I would definitely turn off the ignition if I couldn't put it into neutral - even though power steering and power braking would be unavailable.

But how do you turn off the ignition with the vehicle in motion in a Prius or other hybrid-electric vehicle? And can you put a hybrid-electric into neutral while the vehicle is in motion?

In the 2010 Prius Owners Manual, page 167, under the paragraph "Stopping the hybrid system in an emergency", it states "If you want to stop the hybrid system in an emergency while driving the vehicle, push and hold the "POWER" switch for more than 3 seconds".

Also, in the 2010 Prius Owners Manual, page 155, third paragraph down, is stated "Do not under any circumstances shift the shift lever to "R", "N" or push the "P" position switch while the vehicle is moving. Doing so can cause significant damage to the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control."

In the fourth paragraph is stated "Do not shift the shift lever to "N" while the vehicle is moving. Doing so may cause the engine brake not to operate properly and lead to an accident."

And in the fifth paragraph is stated "Do not turn the hybrid system off while driving. The power steering and brake actuator will not operate properly if the hybrid system is not operating."

Frankly, a stuck gas pedal can occur not only because of a floormat that is in the way, but also because of a variety of other reasons, such as a malfunctioning gas pedal linkage inside the engine compartment.

So it looks like an EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE is needed for all hybrid-electric vehicles - or maybe a vehicle KILL SWITCH needs to be developed.

Jim

 

Re: Prius Recall ('04 - '09)

I wouldn't use any type of all-weather mat since my heel couldn't get planted secure. I do use a very thin mat over my stock floor mat to trap oil and dirt. It's also easy to keep it away from my gas and brake pedals since I pull it closer to my seat.

 

Re: Prius Recall ('04 - '09)

Some vehicle owner's manual have emergency procedures printed in them. I don't see why they don't put them in for the Prius OM.

I think it's a warranty issue about putting the car "N" while moving. It might damage parts in your Prius or Hybrid Vehicle. But if you have to do it to get out of trouble then do so as your need be necessary.
I have heard people put the 2004-09 Prius in Neutral while moving. They haven't had problems so far. So I presume it probably won't destroy your Prius if you need to put it in "Neutral while moving" for an emergency.

 

I also have a 2006, which I bought new three years ago. The dealer sold me a full set of Prius carpet floor mats which I installed myself, being careful to insert the two hooks on the driver's mat. I have never had a problem with the driver's carpet mat moving. I have removed it and replaced it several times for cleaning. I agree with those who say it appears unlikely that such a carpet, properly hooked up, would ever slide under the accelerator. Still, since Toyota has issued an official recall for my year's model,(and I don't care if it's for liability reasons), I have just removed the driver's carpet mat. Why take a chance, when the worse that can happen now is that my original carpet can get dirty?
I will wait and see what remedy Toyota proposes...
And, when my wife comes back from shopping, I will check out the driver's side floormat on her 2000 Subaru Outback! I don't see why this type of problem is limited to Toyota.

 

I suppose technically this is a recall of 3.8 million floormats not really 3.8 million automobiles.

Toyota is a great automobile manufacturer. I'm glad they are recognizing a potentially very dangerous flaw and reacting. It's the right thing to do.

As good at building cars as Toyota is, it seems strange to me that lately they seem to be having serious problems with the peripherals. The 2010 Prius has a flaw with the verticle cargo net pulling the side panels, resulting in a withdraw of availability, and now Toyota has a more serious problem with floor mats.

Since the floormat problem can affect the accelerator it's far more dangerous, but somebody at Toyota needs to get on the ball.

How floormats are anchored to the floor, and how cargo nets hang seem like very basic things that should be 100% known before a car is released. I mean, it just seems like a static thing, that should of been investigated, tested and approved. It's not like a electronic component with an occasional intermittent flaw, or an mechanical engine component that wears out prematurely.

I still think Toyota is one of the best producers of a quality automobile on the planet. But they better pull it together on this very important minutia. All the quality in the world and a hard fought reputation for quality can be lost pretty quickly when floormats get stuck under accelerators and people die.

With all the testing I imagine gets done as automobiles are produced and released it's hard for me to understand why floormats are coming loose and evidently able to slide under accelerator pedals, and why Cargo nets are pulling side panels loose.

One reason I came to respect Toyota and also Honda over the years was I'd always hear about massive US automakers recalls, but noticed that you seldom heard about a major recall from Toyota or Honda.

A friend of mine had a PT Cruiser and it seemed to me he averaged a recall trip to the dealer about once every 9 months. It literally caught fire because of a defect.

 

Re: Prius Recall ('04 - '09)

The Media loves to pick on the Prius. (Especially the 2010 which is the most popular car currently in the US.)

 

I don't think I bought 2 x 2006 Prii intending to ever push the accelerator pedal to the floor. I imagine that speaks for many of us in this forum. Still, I welcome Toyota sending me something newer, safer, and cleaner.

 

Being concerned about what a driver can do to stop a hybrid-electric car that has a stuck accelerator, I called Toyota and asked. The response was clear, concise, and helpful. There are 3 things a driver can do, each of which should stop the car:

1. Put both feet on the brake pedal and push firmly without letting up on the pressure.

2. Put the car into Neutral.

3. Push the POWER button for more than 3 seconds.

Methods 2 and 3 may damage components of the vehicle, but in an emergency the top priority is not the vehicle. It is the saving of human lives.

Hope this helps.

Jim

 

Not sure Powering OFF the Prius in the middle of a Freeway with traffic would be a good idea.
I think they should have said for #3, "If possible, steer the car to a safe area and then power OFF."
Hey Jim, I think you meant "Push and HOLD the POWER button for more that 3 seconds."

 

I don't see how either of those would damage a car.

I would recomend people go in a parking lot and see what the car feels like at low speeds when you shut it off. So they get an understanding of what would happen if they need to power the car off or if something breaks and the car powers it's self off while moving.

 

powering down while in motion? Um, no people, PLEASE don't practice powering down the ICE while in motion. Ever note how once the ice is off, the power train is 'locked' ?? Your practice may be like throwing a broom stick into the spokes of a bicycle ... better than flinging you hybrid over a cliff ... but not just for grins / practice

.

 

Re: Prius Recall ('04 - '09)

I think you should be more worried about the clear plastic mat without clips that you have on top of the OEM mat.

 

From Diannes post from Toyota http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...wners-said-theres-more-than-2.html#post970571


Q8: What if a driver experiences accelerator pedal interference. What should they do?
A8: Should the vehicle continue to accelerate rapidly after releasing the accelerator pedal, this could be an indication of floor mat interference. If this occurs, Toyota recommends the driver take the following actions:

First, if it is possible and safe to do so, pull-back the floor mat and dislodge it from the accelerator pedal; then pull over and stop the vehicle.

If the floor mat cannot be dislodged, then firmly and steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet. Do not pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the effort required to slow the vehicle. If you are still unable to stop the vehicle, then do the following:

Shift the transmission gear selector to the Neutral (N) position and use the brakes to make a controlled stop at the side of the road and turn off the engine.

If unable to put the vehicle in Neutral, turn the engine OFF. This will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the power assist to these systems will be lost.

-If the vehicle is equipped with an Engine Start/Stop button, firmly and steadily push the button for at least three seconds to turn off the engine. Do NOT tap the Engine Start/Stop button.

-If the vehicle is equipped with a conventional key-ignition, turn the ignition key to the ACC position to turn off the engine. Do NOT remove the key from the ignition as this will lock the steering wheel.

 

Re: Recall of 3.8 Million Toyotas - Not the '10 though

How on earth could pressing the power button be faster than flicking the shift knob to the left which takes about 200 milliseconds and instantly puts you into coast????? What were they thinking?

 

Maybe the words "Push and hold the POWER button for more than 3 seconds" seem more descriptive, but "push the POWER button for more than 3 seconds" says the same thing.

Picture yourself zooming down a freeway (with traffic) at 90 mph, 100 mph, or faster - because the gas pedal is stuck. Could it be because a floormat has jammed the gas pedal? Could it be because the gas pedal linkage inside the engine compartment has failed?

Whatever the reason, one MUST get that vehicle slowed down - NOW. A way to do that is to push the POWER button for more than 3 seconds, which shuts down the engine. This step, or one of the other steps, MUST be taken IMMEDIATELY. There is no time to gradually pull over to a safe area and then power off - especially if the vehicle has already exceeded into a dangerous speed. That is what happened in that tragic case reported in today's news.

Jim

 

Hi Sorka,

The instructions seem to be general, for cars including a column and/or floor shifter of a typical automatic transmission. Its possible on some of these to go past N and into Reverse which is quite dangerous on mechanically controlled transmissions. On a Prius , not a problem. N is directly left of the rest position of the shifter as you say. And its simple to avoid pushing up or down, when pushing the shifter left.

 

Re: Recall of 3.8 Million Toyotas - Not the '10 though

What if trying to put the transmission into neutral doesn't work? Holding the POWER button down for 30 seconds is another option that might save your life.

Hey, folks. Let's not start nit-picking here. Just know what steps you can take - and be prepared.

Jim