I really don't get this Toyota problem Update - HE FAKED IT

[Wayne S]

The thing that surprises me the most is that apparently the brakes aren't powerful enough to at least slow the car down. I don't think I've ever encountered a car that could overpower it's brakes like that. My first car was a 65 Buick Skylark Gran Sport with the big honking engine and drum brakes. I could hold the brake pedal down, floor the gas pedal & the car didn't go anywhere. Lots of tire smoke though & nice black lines after I did let go

Let me get this right. "I don't think I've ever encountered a car that could overpower it's brakes like that"

" I could hold the brake pedal down, floor the gas pedal & the car didn't go anywhere. Lots of tire smoke though & nice black lines after I did let go" :D

Please read that to your self then tell me how you get tire smoke "without" over powering the brake system.

I am doing a brake stand in this picture. Toe on the gas, heel on the brake

[CorsairMan]

I'm not such a fanboy that I can't admit they screw up sometimes. The problem here is some Toyota owners have become so entrenched in the propaganda that they refuse to even consider that Toyota made a mistake. At least 34 people have died, should the problem be ignored so Toyota owners can maintain their pride?

You should talk to XBox owners to truly understand how far fanboi-ism can go

[niart17]

The thing that surprises me the most is that apparently the brakes aren't powerful enough to at least slow the car down. I don't think I've ever encountered a car that could overpower it's brakes like that. My first car was a 65 Buick Skylark Gran Sport with the big honking engine and drum brakes. I could hold the brake pedal down, floor the gas pedal & the car didn't go anywhere. Lots of tire smoke though & nice black lines after I did let go

One thing though, you're right it should be able to at least slow the car down, BUT there is a big difference in brakes stopping a sitting still car from moving and brakes stopping a moving car. Once the momentum off all that weight in motion is added in to the mix, there is a LOT more force required to stop a vehicle. But yes, you are correct, they SHOULD be able to at least slow the vehicle down, at least until they just get worn smooth.

Bill

[The Mikester]

Let me get this right. "I don't think I've ever encountered a car that could overpower it's brakes like that"

" I could hold the brake pedal down, floor the gas pedal & the car didn't go anywhere. Lots of tire smoke though & nice black lines after I did let go"

Please read that to your self then tell me how you get tire smoke "without" over powering the brake system.

I am doing a brake stand in this picture. Toe on the gas, heel on the brake

Wayne, you are my new hero! Let's see a Prius do that!

[Wayne S]

Wayne, you are my new hero! Let's see a Prius do that!

Thank-You bud!

This is my Hero aka Dad

[fallsbob]

Wayne

If you read it, I said after I let go. I probably should have said after I let go of the brakes.

[The Mikester]

Thank-You bud!

This is my Hero aka Dad

Guess it runs in the family!

[Wayne S]

Wayne

If you read it, I said after I let go. I probably should have said after I let go of the brakes.

Your on the brakes the wheel is moving bud the brakes are not working, You over powered the brakes on the drive wheels.

Or are you saying the drive wheels had to much traction and did not spin until letting off the brakes. As in what can be done if you stall up the Torque converter on an Auto car?

Edited March 10, 2010 by Wayne S

[zerosystem]

next up will be dynamic breaking for priuses, just like in the big diesel electric locomotives

[MoFo]

I guess I'm a bit skeptical about people who say they tried to shift into neutral, but couldn't. Not saying it couldn't possibly be true, but find it difficult to believe that cars are designed that way.

The Lexus ES350 *does* shift to neutral while driving. I just did it in mine. (granted, not at 100mph, but speed shouldn't have anything to do with it). I too can't imagine any car *not* being able to do this (essentially, not being able to disengage the clutch while driving). Not to mention, it's a fairly common technique when you hit a patch of ice in the winter - kick it to neutral to help control and stop the vehicle.

Also, I can't speak to the IS, but the ES manual does mention how to turn the car off while in gear. I know I read it in one of the manuals. (problem being, there's three of them, totalling a couple thousand pages). I could probably thumb through them to give a page cite, but frankly, given the assinine nature of much of this discussion (this car is a POS, no, THAT car is a POS), I'm not going to waste my time doing so. It's also been included in the recall notice they mailed to customers, in the various instructions on what to do if you have a problem, and what they will impliment in the recall (which I posted in the last thread on the subject).

Not being able to turn the ignition off (easily) while in gear makes sense. It's a button on the dash, it'd be easy to bump it accidentally. Sorry... no, not "easily", it's isolated on its own, so it's not like you're constantly bumping into it... but it IS entirely possible to do so, and completely within the realm of possibility that a person could hit it for one reason or another. The same is true of any keyless/push button ignition - some even more so (Jaguar has their button just in front of the satnav control wheel, for instance). And Toyota would be facing liability issues if Joe Public's car suddenly shut off while he's driving at 100mph down the highway, just as much as if the accelerator malfunctions. Though frankly, a mash-the-button-until-it-does-what-you-want approach probably makes more sense in a panic situation, rather than depressing it for three seconds.

[Wayne S]

The Lexus ES350 *does* shift to neutral while driving. I just did it in mine. (granted, not at 100mph, but speed shouldn't have anything to do with it). I too can't imagine any car *not* being able to do this (essentially, not being able to disengage the clutch while driving). Not to mention, it's a fairly common technique when you hit a patch of ice in the winter - kick it to neutral to help control and stop the vehicle.

Can one put the car in N while at W.O.T "wide open throttle" is my question. In W.O.T the computer does not work the same. Inside the shifter I am not sure if it is a mechanical link, like a cable, or solenoids.

PS: I am not asking or telling you to try the above at W.O.T it will hit the rev limiter or blow by it pretty darn fast.

[Archangel]

So US media is just out to get Toyota? Heck if there was a slight chance with GM of this happening. I would think the Media would be all over it, what a story that would make.

NBC did a fair bit of a hatchet job om GM's pick up trucks supposedly catching fire after a roll over. Turns out NBC rigged their test and caused the trucks to catch fire with help from some pyrotechnics they had installed for effect.

[GreyGhost]

NBC did a fair bit of a hatchet job om GM's pick up trucks supposedly catching fire after a roll over. Turns out NBC rigged their test and caused the trucks to catch fire with help from some pyrotechnics they had installed for effect.

And that came to light and was reported ...

Nothing has so far come to light to suggest that the Toyota incidents are manufactured by the media, in fact, the company has admitted to mistakes ...

Gregg

[Isaac]

Bleh...

I think I like this one better.

Edited March 11, 2010 by Isaac

[Archangel]

And that came to light and was reported ...

Nothing has so far come to light to suggest that the Toyota incidents are manufactured by the media, in fact, the company has admitted to mistakes ...

Gregg

While true that doesn't have much to do with this particular inident in California so far because the model of Prius the guy owns was not part of the recall. If it was I would say that this was the problem.

[Wayne S]

While true that doesn't have much to do with this particular inident in California so far because the model of Prius the guy owns was not part of the recall. If it was I would say that this was the problem.

I am waiting to see what happens, sounds like the Prius was to be in the floor-mat recall? Sounds like their reshaping the new model years pedal.

Was reading a tad, seems the brakes do not work while changing from electric to gas and back etc.

Edited March 11, 2010 by Wayne S

[Matt Roberts]

Ok on Fox they just had a car expert on who said people don't know what 'neutral' is for on a car and the the Prius owner (hesitate to call a driver) didn't know what neutral does on an automatic to disengage the engine...are you kidding me!

Now earlier this week 'reports' had surfaced that the transmissions locked out neutral while the car was running...now it seems people just don't know how to drive thier cars safely.

Are cars too 'advanced' for people to know how they work now?

I mentioned my experience with my Rabbit/Golf when the carberator broke and other than speed I had control of the car the last mile or so to get home, I knew how to regulate my speed both with the clutch and brakes so I could get it limping home - other than fearing I was going to plow into my Parents garage door I knew what to do. I should not have driven it home that last mile or so on I-71 in retrospect, but even though I don't know much about cars I do know how to safely drive one (and I have only used a cell phone once in a car...I was waiting on a train)

[Archangel]

Ok on Fox they just had a car expert on who said people don't know what 'neutral' is for on a car and the the Prius owner (hesitate to call a driver) didn't know what neutral does on an automatic to disengage the engine...are you kidding me!

Now earlier this week 'reports' had surfaced that the transmissions locked out neutral while the car was running...now it seems people just don't know how to drive thier cars safely.

Are cars too 'advanced' for people to know how they work now?

I mentioned my experience with my Rabbit/Golf when the carberator broke and other than speed I had control of the car the last mile or so to get home, I knew how to regulate my speed both with the clutch and brakes so I could get it limping home - other than fearing I was going to plow into my Parents garage door I knew what to do. I should not have driven it home that last mile or so on I-71 in retrospect, but even though I don't know much about cars I do know how to safely drive one (and I have only used a cell phone once in a car...I was waiting on a train)

This could definatly be a problem. Drivers Ed in this country for lack of a better description is hardly comprehensive everywhere its taught and add to the fact that many people do not bother to read the owners manual makes for a bad combination. At least most cars that have problems like this are subject to a recal. Whats worse then having your car start accelerating is that you have people willfully modifying their cars without the skills to do it or they just don't care as long as the police do not pull them over.

A long time ago after I had been driving for a short time i saw some guy drive out of a parking lot in a beat up mid 70's chevy that had no bumpers except for the ones he made out of steel pipe and the tailights were from a farm tractor. and a few years ago I saw somone driving some small car,maybe an import that had fins like a Stegosaurus welding to the roof of their car.

[zerosystem]

stuck accelerator may result in driving into the sea, campers, wooden shacks....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVkedyQZfwQ

[Scooby]

Ok on Fox they just had a car expert on who said people don't know what 'neutral' is for on a car and the the Prius owner (hesitate to call a driver) didn't know what neutral does on an automatic to disengage the engine...are you kidding me!

Now earlier this week 'reports' had surfaced that the transmissions locked out neutral while the car was running...now it seems people just don't know how to drive thier cars safely.

Are cars too 'advanced' for people to know how they work now?

I mentioned my experience with my Rabbit/Golf when the carberator broke and other than speed I had control of the car the last mile or so to get home, I knew how to regulate my speed both with the clutch and brakes so I could get it limping home - other than fearing I was going to plow into my Parents garage door I knew what to do. I should not have driven it home that last mile or so on I-71 in retrospect, but even though I don't know much about cars I do know how to safely drive one (and I have only used a cell phone once in a car...I was waiting on a train)

I wonder if these people try pushing their cars in drive?

[jabow]

Latest guy in California is having money problems and they're looking into if this was staged or not!! Betting it is!!

Bo Roberts

[Wayne S]

A long time ago after I had been driving for a short time i saw some guy drive out of a parking lot in a beat up mid 70's chevy that had no bumpers except for the ones he made out of steel pipe and the tailights were from a farm tractor. and a few years ago I saw somone driving some small car,maybe an import that had fins like a Stegosaurus welding to the roof of their car.

The bumper would be legal long as it fits the height and width rules, heck for his year he could of used a pressure treated 2x4. Lights, D.O.T writing on the lenses and your good to go, Same thing applies height measurements etc. come into play.

[Scooby]

Latest guy in California is having money problems and they're looking into if this was staged or not!! Betting it is!!

Bo Roberts

As I have said all along, this guy is a FAKE, FAKE, FAKE!!!! He is now likely going to be charged for his faked incident, just like the good-ole Scoob said he would.

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/pop...;src=canadanews

He obviously was driving with one foot on the gas and one on the brake. This guy was doing this to fake this entire incident. His car has been tested by both the National Transportation Safety Board and Toyota.

[Tilt]

No surprise here Gary. I saw through that one the second I heard it. I find it funny that "hyper-drive" news outlets arn't tripping over themselves to report this - like they were 2 weeks ago.

[Maker]

As I have said all along, this guy is a FAKE, FAKE, FAKE!!!!

The jury is still out on that. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100314/ap_on_...s_runaway_prius

He obviously was driving with one foot on the gas and one on the brake.

How could he do that:

"The memo said both the front and rear brakes were worn and damaged by heat, consistent with Sikes saying that he stood on the brake pedal with both feet and was unable to stop the car. But if the fail-safe system worked properly, the brakes wouldn't have been damaged because power would have been cut to the wheels. "