Toyota's runaway-car worries may not stop at floor

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: PT1

Originally Posted By: ProStreetCamaro

You can not flaw a throttle cable.

Unless the throttle cable return spring breaks....then you have a runaway WOT situation and have to shut down the engine or put it in neutral.

You stick your foot under the pedal and pull up. I've done it in the past.

 

[M1Accord]

Am I the only one who thinks it is strange that the state patrol guy didn't turn the car off and just drove on at 120 mph for an extended distance. Either him or his passenger even got on a 911 for help. I would think turning off the car or putting it in Neutral would be a lot easier than dialing 911, and that goes for both the driver and passenger. There were 4 people in that car, 2 males and 2 females. I would guess two males sat up front. I know if my driver can't control a car speed due to medical condition or mechanical malfuction, I will reach over and turn that sucker off if I can't get it to go into Neutral. Wasn't there a case of some guy driving 20 miles at speed over 100 mph before crashing into another vehicle? That is a long way to drive without stopping. A person with some brain can find a ditch and use it to slow down gradually. Back in high school, one of the things we had to do to get a license is to get the car up to 45 mph, turn if off, and make a sharp turn.

 

[chrome]

You might want to go back a few pages and read through this topic. Basically, the Lexus he was driving had a push button start/stop switch, and it required a 3 continual seconds push to stop, which the guy didn't know. It also had a more complex gear gating which might have made it hard for him to find neutral.

 

[tonycarguy]

Originally Posted By: ProStreetCamaro

Give me a throttle cable any day of the week. You can not flaw a throttle cable. It wither works or it doesnt and it has worked for how many years now?

throttle cables are flawless? Make : FORD ESCAPE Year : 2001 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 00V210001 Recall Date : AUG 03, 2000 Component: FORD ESCAPE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Potential Number Of Units Affected : 1193 Summary: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL. THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE CAN HAVE A CRACKED OR MISSING SPEED CONTROL CABLE SERVO CAP LOCATING TAB. THE LOCATING TAB COULD ENTER THE SERVO CLUTCH CAVITY AND INTERFERE WITH THE SPEED CONTROL SERVO CLUTCH. ALSO, WATER COULD ENTER THOSE UNITS THAT CONTAIN A CRACKED OR MISSING SERVO CAP LOCATING TAB, EVENTUALLY CAUSING CORROSION THAT COULD INTERFERE WITH THE FUNCTION OF THE SPEED CONTROL. Consequence: IF EITHER OF THESE CONDITIONS OCCURS AND THE SPEED CONTROL IS USED, THE SPEED CONTROL COULD PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO IDLE, RESULTING IN A STUCK THROTTLE. A STUCK THROTTLE COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SPEED CONTROL CABLES. VEHICLES WITH SPEED CONTROL CABLES FROM CAVITIES 3 AND 4 WILL HAVE THE CABLE THE SPEED CONTROL SERVO REPLACED. Notes: OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 6, 2000. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236) Make : FORD Model : ESCAPE Year : 2002 Manufacturer : FORD MOTOR COMPANY NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 04V574000 Mfg's Report Date : DEC 06, 2004 Component: FORD ESCAPE ACCELERATOR CABLE- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES Potential Number Of Units Affected : 470245 Summary: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES BUILT WITH 3.0L V6 ENGINES, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE MAY PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION. Consequence: AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED MAY INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE AND MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH OR ROLLOVER OF THE FORD ESCAPE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 10, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332. Notes: FORD RECALL NO. 04S25. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236 Make : FORD Model : ESCAPE Year : 2003 Manufacturer : FORD MOTOR COMPANY NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 04V574000 Mfg's Report Date : DEC 06, 2004 Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES Potential Number Of Units Affected : 470245 Summary: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES BUILT WITH 3.0L V6 ENGINES, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE MAY PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION. Consequence: AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED MAY INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE AND MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH OR ESCAPE ROLLOVER Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 10, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332. Notes: FORD RECALL NO. 04S25. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236). Make : FORD Model : ESCAPE Year : 2004 Manufacturer : FORD MOTOR COMPANY NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 04V574000 Mfg's Report Date : DEC 06, 2004 Component: FORD ESCAPE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES Potential Number Of Units Affected : 470245 Summary: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES BUILT WITH 3.0L V6 ENGINES, THE FORD ESCAPE ACCELERATOR CABLE MAY PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION. Consequence: AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED MAY INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE AND MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH OR ROLLOVER Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 10, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332. Notes: FORD RECALL NO. 04S25. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

 

[Kestas]

+1. I've been called to look at throttle cables in the lab because of a stuck throttle situation. I've even experienced it myself in a 66 Corvette (lifting the pedal and shifting to neutral managed that situation). That said, I still think throttle-by-wire is a complicated and expensive endeavor, and may create more problems than it will solve, and be more expensive to design, manufacture, and repair than the money it will save. I personally have a throttle-by-wire that needs repair to the tune of $1400 in parts only. Keep it simple. On another note, Drew Winter of Ward's Autoworld, wrote an editorial politely calling this incident "driver error" and praising Toyota for not getting heavy-handed on this situation. If anything, he's prodding Toyota to "force a reality check and point out driver error is a significant factor. The tragic crash could have been avoided by simply shifting into neutral. Every driver should know that, certainly a police officer."