Toyota said to install brake override systems in all cars by end of 2010

When the brake & gas pedals are both pressed the car will shift into neutral.

The government doesn't agree that improper floor mats are the sole cause. I'd like to read about their determination of the problem. Just saying "no it isn't" doesn't impress me.

 

We're in the process of doing it as subject vehicles are brought in. The Service Manager did it on a Camry here for the benefit of the other Toyota stores in the district. It was a re-flashing of the ECU and it worked perfectly he said.

If the throttle is trapped by a mat or a driver's inadvertant foot movement or some other foreign object then when the brakes are applied the throttle is disconnected even if the gas pedal continues to be held all the way to the floor.

 

Why just future vehicle releases? Why not flash our existing Prius'es?

It can be done by flashing the ECU on such drive-by-wire vehicle designs.

 

We have the feature. It obviously is not going to help, according to Mr. Sikes.

 

I am a Toyota Tech in Akron Ohio. The Prius and Camry Hybrid does not need a reflash because the brake override logic is already incorporated from the factory. I was dealing the an unintended accel problem in a Prius today that turned out to be the passenger floor mat installed on the drivers side with folded towels under it. The left, lower edge of the accel pedal was getting caught under the mat and would not return on its own until the mat was pulled back and to the left. The customer swore it was not the mat. He was incorrect. It was the mat. I see stacks off mats on the drivers side every day. One is probably enough but people stack 2/3/4 and I've even seen 5 in a very short legged womens Camry.