Toyota, the manufacturer with the almost legendary reputation for quality, is recalling the floor mats from 24,500 Toyota and 30,500 Lexus vehicles from model years 2007 and 2008. It is a safety recall. Toyota manufactured defective and dangerous floor mats.
---------------------------- Toyota News:
sjmassey wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@57g2000hsv.googlegroups.com:
A quote from the above link: "One driver claimed that his Toyota hit speeds of 100 m.p.h. over a five mile stretch of road. Another claimed she had lost control of her Lexus on the interstate, completely destroying the car. Though it might seem obvious that the car could be stopped by simply turning the key to 'off,' apparently these models were equipped with pushbutton ignition switches and could not be turned off."
Could not the drivers have simply pressed on the BRAKE? It is impossible for reasons of physics for the accelerator to overpower the brake.
Some text from the recall notice: "Toyota will initiate a Safety Recall (Special Service Campaign) on certain Toyota optional All Weather Floor Mats (floor mats constructed from heavy duty rubber). "The recall campaign involves approximately 24,500 optional Toyota Camry All Weather Floor Mats designed specifically for the driver?s seating position in certain 2007 and early 2008 model year vehicles. "If the optional Toyota Camry All Weather Floor Mat (either by itself or if it is placed on top of the existing carpeted floor mat) is not secured by the retaining hooks and the mat moves forward, it may interfere with the accelerator pedal returning to the idle position. "If the mat is properly secured, it will not interfere with the accelerator pedal. "Toyota is currently developing a design modification to the driver?s seating position Toyota Camry All Weather Floor Mat. We anticipate the replacement mat will be available in mid-to-late November, 2007."
Tegger wrote in news:Xns99B9C721BF561tegger@207.14.116.130:
And that would have been a very stupid thing to do. Key off means a locked steering column and total loss of control. Who wrote this article anyway? What a dummy.
Quote from source article by one "Justin Hyde": "Because some [Lexus] ES 350s are sold with stop/start buttons rather than traditional ignitions, some drivers said they were unable to shut off the engine by pressing the button as the car accelerated."
So then how do you shut the car off once you get to the grocery store?
All my cars with keys have an off position that doesn't lock the steering wheel.
For cars with the push button ignition switch the following applies:
"While the vehicle is being driven normally, operation of the engine switch is disabled. However, if the engine must be stopped in an emergency while the vehicle is being driven, pressing the engine switch for 3 seconds or more stops the engine. Power source mode changes from start to on (ACC)."
So what new? Toyota was number one in recalls in 2006 and is number one so far in 2007
mike
Its a classic case of owners not knowing how to control their vehicle, not a fault with the vehicle eh.
My brakes wont out-perform the engine when the turbo's spooled - after about
6-7 seconds the discs fade and it all goes nasty and you need to find the off-key - as my father found out when the mats that came with my second hand car jammed the throttle while he was driving it home for me!Like engine sludge? LOL
mike
Gotta agree with Tegger on that one. Floor the throttle on any car and apply the brakes with your left foot. There is not a car made that will not stop, yet alone go faster, provide the brakes are working properly. Conversely if you apply brake first, the car will not move if the throttle is floored.
mike
Come try mine, brakes are notoriously bad on it. Just dont crash it :)
"Ed White" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:
Ah yes, the ACC postion. I forgot about that.
But even then, in an emergency situation, you still need to have the presence of mind NOT to do the usual all-the-way-off key movement that you do the other 99.999% of the time. How many people can think of that?
"Coyoteboy" wrote in news:- snipped-for-privacy@bt.com:
What you assert is impossible for any modern vehicle.
Where the heck you been, CB?
I was thinking about you today, wondering, "Where the hell did that boy git?"
Never mind the brake... what's wrong with putting the transmission in neutral if you have a stuck excellerator? When it comes to a stop, put the transmission in Park, and shut the engine off.
Ever seen an unloaded, free revving engine let go of its internals?
Come try mine :) Is a '91 modern enough?
Lol :) So my endless unanswerable questions have been missed :-) woo!
Hehe I'm just about to finish off my phd thesis, ive kind of isolated myself from the world for a few months because I couldnt cope with the distractions! I shouldnt be here now but I couldnt resist a little poke around! I'll be back for good soon!
What's the subject of your thesis?
I shouldnt be here now
Using high speed computer vision technology to overcome link flex in industrial serial-link robot arms without complex modelling or additional sensors. Almost done - phew! I've not left the computer/house in 6 weeks!
industrial serial-link robot arms
left the computer/house
Sounds like it could be directly applied to auto manufacturing.
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