Forums: Waiting for Godot:

I'm surprised that none of the car people are talking about the Toyota debacle.


I wonder how much Toyota is willing to pay Mazda for the use of Zoom, Zoom?

Is enough credibility lost to sink the company?

Don't you own a Ford Explorer?

i believe in conspiracies.

I believe there are 2 factors at work that cause a stuck pedal incident to become a threatening situation. Both can happen, but you only need either factor.

Some toyota cars have a sport mode transmission where 3rd gear and neutral hold nearly the same position depending on which mode you're in. Selecting sport mode is easily done by accident. When in sport mode, shifting into neutral is actually putting you into third, which if you're in overdrive cruising on the highway, jamming your car into 3rd would cause the engine to scream and create a very scary drive.

There's one common problem I have noticed among all of the toyotas not being able to be put into neutral after an out of control acceleration. All of them were doing over 50 mph, and the gear shift was unresponsive. I have noticed this on many brands, in the many rental cars I have driven around the US you simply can't move the shifter over 50mph. Even jamming a shift lever will be ignored by the computer, unless you're in sport mode, and then see above.

The Toyota problem is with the user interface, I been saying this since the lexus crash. All cars have a potential stuck pedal condition, not just Toyotas. Toyota has simply blocked any methods of exiting the situation.

So the recall is completely pointless. They're replacing mats (lol) and pedals which can reduce the chance of a stuck pedal, but the risk of a stuck pedal is always there. Toyota seems to be ignoring the more expensive redesign of the entire shift mechanism/ computer software which would allow a driver to exit a failing gas pedal situation.

Politics will always attempt to solve problems at the path of least resistance. in 2010, the only resistance is money.

A new car built by my company leaves somewhere traveling at 60 mph. The rear differential locks up. The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now, should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one.

Originally posted by: persist
So the recall is completely pointless. They're replacing mats (lol) and pedals which can reduce the chance of a stuck pedal, but the risk of a stuck pedal is always there. Toyota seems to be ignoring the more expensive redesign of the entire shift mechanism/ computer software which would allow a driver to exit a failing gas pedal situation.

They are doing software updates in the pedal recall. But for some reason they really aren't publicizing it, but instead focusing on griding down the pedal and adding precision shims.

My immediate thought is the vast majority of the public feels better believing grinding down the pedal will fix things than straightening out the strange demons that live inside computers.

Personally I think it is the ghost of the mr2 haunting all things boring and bland.. hence the entire toyota line up.

My Tundra is an 05, so I don't give a fuck.

Originally posted by: creepylurker
precision shims

That's just really funny to me.

Originally posted by: Obscure/Renegade
My Tundra is an 05, so I don't give a fuck.

Frame rust should be showing up any minute now.

plbkac, or i suppose in this instance plbaac

it's awfully reminiscent of audi claims back in the 80's. with prius claims of those that reported the drivers' age all of them were over 60. it's not going to affect public opinion or the political theater.

i don't know the answer to this, but have there been any claims outside the united states?

yes

Originally posted by: dashiel
plbkac, or i suppose in this instance plbaac

Usually I would agree with it. But considering the amount of cover up and shady dealings between Toyota and the NHSTA I think there is more to it.

I mean the lexus incident involved a Highway patrol offer. Now as I little as I think of some members of law enforcement, he was under 60, and probably a bit more familiar with autos than the average joe. He did try to turn the vehicle off. The brakes where burned. He did try to shift into neutral.

i don't know the answer to this, but have there been any claims outside the united states?

Yes

Originally posted by: creepylurker
Frame rust should be showing up any minute now.

I just checked, we're good.

i can't remember where the link went but a former accident investigator started sniffing up the history behind the toyota issues including that jackass who was driving 90 last week. most, if not all are over 60 and that guy driving the car was lying his ass off. you can't physically reach the gaspedal without mashing your face into the steering wheel.