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Uncontrolled Acceleration

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Tripod137, Nov 6, 2007.

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  1. Tripod137

    Tripod137 New Member

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    I had a short entrance ramp to the parkway. I waited for my opening and floored it. Got on up to speed w/ no problems so I relax a bit....but the car keeps accelerating! So I disengage the cruise control (I didn't remember hitting it)...but that didn't work it was never on...so I tap the brakes and the car slows a little, but the engine is still revving. I take my foot off the brake and the car starts accelerating again! It was rush hour traffic, but no one was in front of me, luckily. I push harder on the brakes and the car slows down some...but the engine is still revving high! I release and reapply...the car still wants to accelerate (my 2 yr old is in the back totally oblivious). Then I push a little hard on the brakes and, I guess, the emergency stopping thing kicks in and the car shakes and slows down a lot. But the engine is still revving....so I figure...lets see if the gas pedal is stuck. I switched feet on the brakes and tried to pull up the pedal with my toe. The car starts to slow down! and no more revving!

    It seems as if, after my last car wash, my winter floor mats (that I use all year round) slid up a little far towards the pedals and when I floored it, the gas pedal got stuck under the edge of the mat and "kept the gas on".

    Need to keep on up my floor mat position and be mindful of when I floor the gas, it could get stuck.

    It made for an interesting few seconds of my evening. I am still wondering why I didn't start to freak out....maybe if the "toe under the gas pedal" thing didn't work....
     
    #1 Tripod137, Nov 6, 2007
  2. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    There have been other reported problems with floor mats.

    Tom
     
    #2 qbee42, Nov 6, 2007
  3. PoulStaugaard

    PoulStaugaard Now a PriusOwner

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    How about shifting into neutral ? Won't that do it - The Prius throttle being computerized ?
     
    #3 PoulStaugaard, Nov 6, 2007
  4. Tripod137

    Tripod137 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PoulStaugaard @ Nov 6 2007, 04:49 PM) [snapback]535733[/snapback]</div>
    The Engine won't rev like crazy being in neutral?
     
    #4 Tripod137, Nov 6, 2007
  5. Neicy

    Neicy Member

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    In that case it would have continued to rev, but the gear would be disengaged and you would slow down. I believe a safety warning was issued recently regarding mats/rugs on some Toyota vehicles; that when using one set on top of another they may not stay in the clips and move.
     
    #5 Neicy, Nov 6, 2007
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tripod137 @ Nov 6 2007, 02:08 PM) [snapback]535749[/snapback]</div>
    Not on a Prius. Try it. When you're stopped, shift to N and depress the accelerator. Nothing happens.
     
    #6 Tideland Prius, Nov 6, 2007
  7. Danny Hamilton

    Danny Hamilton Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Nov 6 2007, 06:00 PM) [snapback]535779[/snapback]</div>
    Hmm, what about the other way around. If I step on the accelerator to get the ICE revving, and then shift to N, will it maintain the current RPM, or will it drop to idle? Maybe I'll try it on the way home tonight.
     
    #7 Danny Hamilton, Nov 6, 2007
  8. Tech_Guy

    Tech_Guy Class Clown

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    #8 Tech_Guy, Nov 6, 2007
  9. clintbhs02

    clintbhs02 New Member

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    Something similar happens to me when I have the car in cruise control, then go to hit the brakes.. its takes like 3 seconds to make up its mind to stop (and right before it starts to stops it seems like it accelerated)
     
    #9 clintbhs02, Nov 6, 2007
  10. Neicy

    Neicy Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Nov 6 2007, 07:00 PM) [snapback]535779[/snapback]</div>
    Wow! Didn't know that. Thanks!
     
    #10 Neicy, Nov 6, 2007
  11. Neicy

    Neicy Member

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    #11 Neicy, Nov 6, 2007
  12. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    yep i have done the floor mat thing three times. the first time it was scary, the 2nd time, was done on purpose to see how often it would happen... (most of the time), the third time was a fluke because after the first two times, i began practicing giving it the gas without going all the way to the floor and got pretty good at it... mind you, flooring it is not a common need for me.
     
    #12 DaveinOlyWA, Nov 6, 2007
  13. donee

    donee New Member

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    Hi Tripod137,

    You should really remove the drivers side floor mat until you can find the hooks with the prongs that plug into the floor of the car, and install the hooks. Be sure to hook the mat on the hook portion that sticks up of each hook. Takes a few seconds to do, but the consequences of not using the hooks can be very negative.
     
    #13 donee, Nov 6, 2007
  14. ryogajyc

    ryogajyc Active Member

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    Were your winter floor mats hooked properly into the hook on the floor which keeps the mats in place?
     
    #14 ryogajyc, Nov 6, 2007
  15. Tripod137

    Tripod137 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ryogajyc @ Nov 6 2007, 09:20 PM) [snapback]535896[/snapback]</div>
    The winter floor mats are some aftermarket brand w/ no holes in it for the hooks. The cloth mats have the holes for the hooks and are engaged w/ them. the rubber mats just sit on top.

    If I remove the cloth mats....and just put the rubber mats in (right now I have both installed), will the rubber mats break the hooks by lying on top of them?
     
    #15 Tripod137, Nov 7, 2007
  16. Stevep

    Stevep Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tripod137 @ Nov 7 2007, 08:48 AM) [snapback]536091[/snapback]</div>

    Try putting a couple of holes in the rubber mats. Then you can replace the cloth mats with them and hook it on the hooks.
     
    #16 Stevep, Nov 7, 2007
  17. Danny Hamilton

    Danny Hamilton Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tech_Guy @ Nov 6 2007, 06:39 PM) [snapback]535806[/snapback]</div>
    Great links on how the Prius accomplishes its CVT behaviour. I've seen them both before, but I enjoyed the review. However, your post implies that they have details about how neutral works in a Prius. I didn't see anything in either of the articles you linked to that describes what happens when the Prius is in Neutral.
     
    #17 Danny Hamilton, Nov 7, 2007
  18. abq sfr

    abq sfr New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(donee @ Nov 6 2007, 06:40 PM) [snapback]535866[/snapback]</div>
    Hooks?? What hooks??? Since I bought the car there's been a hole in the floor where something should go, I guess the dealer forgot to install the hooks or something. Now there's a record that they forgot to install the hooks so when I'm killed by the floor-mat-on-the-gopedal syndrome my survivors can sue the dealer for a zillion dollars. Maybe Toyota should send the clips to every owner, they might save money by keeping runaway Prii from killing people.
     
    #18 abq sfr, Nov 7, 2007
  19. Tripod137

    Tripod137 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stevep @ Nov 7 2007, 09:49 AM) [snapback]536118[/snapback]</div>
    Woooohooooo!!! My rubber floormats have a few punchouts in them for insertion of the hooks! Also...the Prius floormat hooks (maybe all cars have this) are on little arms that swivel so they can be easily adjusted for different floormat hole positions!!!

    They are kinda like this...

    /
    /
    |________________
    |||
    Swivel ----^

    Thanks guys!!!

    Man I love this place!
     
    #19 Tripod137, Nov 7, 2007
  20. Danny Hamilton

    Danny Hamilton Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(abq sfr @ Nov 7 2007, 12:17 PM) [snapback]536195[/snapback]</div>
    Nah, there is also now a record that you knew there should be hooks, and that you knew that without the hooks there is a risk of being killed by floor-mat-on-the-go-pedal syndrome. Since you haven't taken the car to the dealership to have the hooks installed, you have implicitly accepted that risk. Therefore you have eliminated Toyota's liability in the matter.
     
    #20 Danny Hamilton, Nov 7, 2007
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