1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Why the "Out of Control" Prius Driver Is Full of It

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Danny, Mar 9, 2010.

  1. gdbelden

    gdbelden Gator Hator

    Joined:
    May 29, 2008
    66
    69
    0
    Location:
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Didn't even realize it was possible to go 90 + MPH in a Prius! :)

    There seems to be a LOT of holes in his story...., but I love the part saying he was being passed left and right! yakking on the cell phone, and reaching down to try to free the pedal. He is not THAT limber!
     
  2. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,795
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I agree with letting the facts come out, but disagree with the statement that it is more likely a mechanical, electrical. and/or software issue than a hoax.

    Anything is possible but don't you find it just a little curious that the driver made a 911 call and had the police catch up with him BEFORE even trying the emergency brake?

    Evidently the emergency brake worked but why wouldn't that be one of the 1st things you would try...not the last under instruction of a following police officer.

    Yes, let the investigation happen...but I think there are very suspicious factors in the drivers reaction and how the events evidently played out.
     
  3. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It's not obvious that a driver will apply the emergency brake. Some owners do not set the emergency brake when parking, so they may forget that this exists.
     
  4. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,795
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A

    I want investigation, so I'm not presenting anything as ultimately conclusive. BUT I don't buy that an owner forgets he has an emergency brake.

    Sure, you might forget to set it from time to time, but evidently this driver was aware of recent issues concerning Toyota's. Does Toyota really need to remind owners that they have Emergency Brakes?

    I agree and concede that in a panic situation anything can happen. But still find it at least suspicious that the driver had presence of mind to make a call to 911, either dodge traffic, or "mysteriously" watch traffic pass him???....and then evidently only used the emergency brake once given outside instruction from an arriving patrol car.

    If I REALLY felt my car was accelerationg out of control, one of the first things I might try would be the emergency brake. As Danny stated in his post...it's called an Emergency Brake for a reason.
     
  5. Eoin

    Eoin Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2009
    593
    116
    0
    Location:
    Long Island
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Favorite quote from news video: "The driver did everything he could to stop the car" Except press the engine off switch, of course.
     
  6. tomad51

    tomad51 New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2009
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Bronx, NY
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    New driver training for Prius drivers? How strange is it to have to prepare to turn off a run-a-way car? I am not a mechanic and so far our '07 Prius has not had an episode. It is now something to think about when getting behind the wheel; How do I stop it? We bought the car used and it had no carpets in the front. We put in some cheap ones and they slip around but they haven't affected driving. I feel there is more to this story maybe in the Quality Control area.
     
  7. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2007
    3,355
    299
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    The man dropped his phone (not once, but twice) while the car speeds down the highway at 90+mph, with other cars passing him "left and right".

    Besides having the presence of mind to call 911 (!!!) he also had the presence of mind to mess with the carpet, stand on the brake pedal, etc. etc. etc. for a full 20 minutes or so.

    BTW, I'd like to hear the 911 report on this.
     
  8. PasPrius

    PasPrius Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2009
    20
    7
    0
    Location:
    Fountain Hills, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Three Touring
    Someone familiar with Mr. Sikes route and the San Diego area might also want to do a time/distance analysis of his well publicized journey. For instance the distance from the I-5/I-8 Interchange to Grossmont is around 10 miles. At 90MPH, say 7 and a half minutes.

    Car accelerates, try to pull up gas pedal, steer car, call 911, have a conversation, alert police, get CHP in position, stop car.

    But then, I am just guessing from looking at a Google map.

    Anybody got better numbers?

    PasPrius
     
  9. longjohn931

    longjohn931 New Member

    Joined:
    May 8, 2005
    116
    1
    0
    Location:
    Orlando, FL.
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    In one of his interviews Mr. Sikes stated he had received a recall notice and when presented to the dealer they told him his car was not included. I received an official recall notice the other day, it had my vin number on it. I assumed Toyota only sent recall notices to those vehicles that were affected to prevent everybody from just showing up. Why would he have one. California residents have a different regulation regarding recalls?
     
  10. Politburo

    Politburo Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2009
    971
    208
    0
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    He should have received a recall notice... for the floormats. Back in November(?).

    Now maybe he didn't read it and/or got confused due to all the recent media coverage, so he went to the dealer.
     
  11. Tickwood

    Tickwood Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2004
    334
    101
    0
    Location:
    San Diego
    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    I don't have a time/distance calculation but I am familiar with this road. This did not happen in the more congested areas. This started out in the country at about Flinn Springs (a long way East of Grossmont). This is a four lane freeway that would not be crowded in the middle of the afternoon.

    A few miles into the drive he would have had to climb the Viejas grade, a nearly straight 3 mile or more steep climb. By now you are out in the high desert. There are wide shoulders the entire distance.

    I cannot believe there is any danger of being rear ended on this road.
     
  12. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2007
    3,355
    299
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    But, but... cars were passing him "left and right". How can that be?
     
  13. dropd

    dropd New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2007
    3
    1
    0
    Location:
    PA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    A quick little bit of searching seems to indicate that Mr. Sikes is a real estate agent in the San Diego area (search for 'patty and jim sikes' to get their website).

    The photo on the site and the audio there sound like the same person being interviewed on the news.
     
    1 person likes this.
  14. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2007
    3,355
    299
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    He dropped the phone twice, he said. Does that mean his Prius doesn't have Bluetooth handsfree?
     
  15. Tech_Guy

    Tech_Guy Class Clown

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2007
    868
    123
    0
    Location:
    Silicon Valley, CA --- Land of Fruits & Nuts
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    3+ seconds is a Very Long Time in case of an emergency. I think that Toyota should change this to rapidly pushing the button 4 or more times within a 2 second period (and have a small placard near the On/Off function switch.)

    Keith
     
  16. web1b

    web1b Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2007
    817
    52
    0
    He said he was scared of turning off the car because he might be rear-ended if the car stopped suddenly.
     
  17. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2009
    13,525
    4,057
    0
    Location:
    Austin, TX, USA
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    lol. We call it a parking brake. Its funny how the language we use can make a big difference.

    The driver interview seemed reasonable. He had unintended acceleration and ineffective braking. He seemed to be able to manuever his car, but unable to control the speed. He requested assistance. Eventually hard brake pressure with application of the
    parking brake slowed the car, and pressing the start button for an extended period of time turned off the engine. Take the emotion out and things seem like a car fault than needs to be investigated, but not one that will cause imminent death in a prius. This does sound a great deal like the Ms. Smith incident only with the 911 and cops and media.

    Poking at the start button to turn the car off ergonomically seems like a no-brainer. This is how the infinities work. A placard would also help, but given the likely media attention on the next few of these, everyone will soon know they need to hold down the button for a long time. It would be nice if the media interviewed a safety expert and they talked about putting the car in neutral, and car and driver did write an article like this.

    I was mainly commenting on speculation in the article, that contradicted the drivers story, but had no supporting evidence other than a youtube video on a different car.
     
  18. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2007
    3,355
    299
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I didn't know about the 3-second hold until recently, and I've read the manual from beginning to end when we first bought the car. This "feature" could have been described in the manual in some obscure paragraph, but I certainly don't remember it, and suspect most people probably are the same way.

    I'm sure my wife doesn't know anything about it. A label w/ instructions of some sort wouldn't hurt. Kinda like what we have on the visors today that didn't use to be required years ago.
     
  19. Eoin

    Eoin Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2009
    593
    116
    0
    Location:
    Long Island
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    He is a real estate agent? He must be telling the truth - those guys never lie.
     
  20. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2004
    12,747
    5,243
    57
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    1,200 seconds (20 minutes) is how long he drove waiting for the CHP to arrive.

    In that time, shifting to neutral was never attempted. Why?
    .