Thread: OT: FYI: Toyota/Lexus recalls. (4 million autos involved)

"Andy" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]..
> OT: FYI: Toyota/Lexus recalls. (4 million autos involved)
>
> The driver's side floor mat has come misaligned and forced the gas pedal
> down, causing unavoidable acceleration and fatalities.
>
> Remove the driver's side floor mat right away.
>
> No replacement solution is available yet.

DUH... remove the mat.... I believe it is a mat not the rug.


--
Dimitri
Coming soon:
http://kitchenguide.wordpress.com.

Dimitri said...

>
> "Andy" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]..
>> OT: FYI: Toyota/Lexus recalls. (4 million autos involved)
>>
>> The driver's side floor mat has come misaligned and forced the gas pedal
>> down, causing unavoidable acceleration and fatalities.
>>
>> Remove the driver's side floor mat right away.
>>
>> No replacement solution is available yet.
>
> DUH... remove the mat.... I believe it is a mat not the rug.


Dimitri, who mentioned "rug?"

You!!!

Andy

On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:08:00 -0500, Andy <[email protected]> wrote:

>OT: FYI: Toyota/Lexus recalls. (4 million autos involved)
>
>The driver's side floor mat has come misaligned and forced the gas pedal
>down, causing unavoidable acceleration and fatalities.
>
>Remove the driver's side floor mat right away.
>
>No replacement solution is available yet.

Could probably buy a single floor mat for $6.99 @ Walmart.

>Call your dealership for model and years involved. From what I heard it was
>2004 and recent model years.
>
>Andy

On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:44:30 -0500, Andy <[email protected]> wrote:

>Dimitri said...
>
>>
>> "Andy" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]..
>>> OT: FYI: Toyota/Lexus recalls. (4 million autos involved)
>>>
>>> The driver's side floor mat has come misaligned and forced the gas pedal
>>> down, causing unavoidable acceleration and fatalities.
>>>
>>> Remove the driver's side floor mat right away.
>>>
>>> No replacement solution is available yet.
>>
>> DUH... remove the mat.... I believe it is a mat not the rug.
>
>
>Dimitri, who mentioned "rug?"
>
>You!!!
>
>
Well, most auto floor mats are synthetic rubber (plastic) with a
synthetic pile carpet top face... also available in natural baboon
butt: http://i38.tinypic.com/11qig3l.jpg

On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:08:00 -0500, Andy wrote:

> OT: FYI: Toyota/Lexus recalls. (4 million autos involved)
>
> The driver's side floor mat has come misaligned and forced the gas pedal
> down, causing unavoidable acceleration and fatalities.
>
> Remove the driver's side floor mat right away.
>
> No replacement solution is available yet.
>
> Call your dealership for model and years involved. From what I heard it was
> 2004 and recent model years.

People need to be told to remove things that offend them. They
usually put up with them because they're too stupid to realize that
they're irritating.

I don't think it's coincidence that you posted this warning.

-sw <wiping feet on virtual floor mat>

On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:08:00 -0500, Andy <[email protected]> wrote:

>OT: FYI: Toyota/Lexus recalls. (4 million autos involved)
>
>The driver's side floor mat has come misaligned and forced the gas pedal
>down, causing unavoidable acceleration and fatalities.
>
>Remove the driver's side floor mat right away.
>
>No replacement solution is available yet.
>
>Call your dealership for model and years involved. From what I heard it was
>2004 and recent model years.
>
>Andy

Simple solution. But I can't help but wonder why people who get the
gas pedal stuck or other runaway engine problem don't just shift into
neutral, coast to the side of the road and turn off the ignition. Some
of these people with stuck gas pedals have carried on conversations on
cell phones (I have seen three on TV news over the years) and no one
tells them to just shut off the ignition.

Ron Kelley

"Ron" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> Simple solution. But I can't help but wonder why people who get the
> gas pedal stuck or other runaway engine problem don't just shift into
> neutral, coast to the side of the road and turn off the ignition. Some
> of these people with stuck gas pedals have carried on conversations on
> cell phones (I have seen three on TV news over the years) and no one
> tells them to just shut off the ignition.
>
> Ron Kelley

But what if there is a really good song on the radio? Or you cell phone was
charging? Turn the key off and you'd lose them.

Ron wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:08:00 -0500, Andy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> OT: FYI: Toyota/Lexus recalls. (4 million autos involved)
>>
>> The driver's side floor mat has come misaligned and forced the gas pedal
>> down, causing unavoidable acceleration and fatalities.
>>
>> Remove the driver's side floor mat right away.
>>
>> No replacement solution is available yet.
>>
>> Call your dealership for model and years involved. From what I heard it was
>> 2004 and recent model years.
>>
>> Andy
>
> Simple solution. But I can't help but wonder why people who get the
> gas pedal stuck or other runaway engine problem don't just shift into
> neutral, coast to the side of the road and turn off the ignition. Some
> of these people with stuck gas pedals have carried on conversations on
> cell phones (I have seen three on TV news over the years) and no one
> tells them to just shut off the ignition.
>
> Ron Kelley

But what if you were in a loaner car such as the one in CA last week and
you didn't know you needed to press and hold the "start" button (no key
switch) to stop the engine?

Ron wrote:

> Simple solution. But I can't help but wonder why people who get the
> gas pedal stuck or other runaway engine problem don't just shift into
> neutral, coast to the side of the road and turn off the ignition. Some
> of these people with stuck gas pedals have carried on conversations on
> cell phones (I have seen three on TV news over the years) and no one
> tells them to just shut off the ignition.

I saw that, too, the awful phone call where the people ultimate
died in a crash. I wondered why they didn't turn off the car.
I am new to driving an automatic, so I thought maybe it wasn't
that simple.

nancy

On Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:47:14 -0400, George wrote:

> But what if you were in a loaner car such as the one in CA last week and
> you didn't know you needed to press and hold the "start" button (no key
> switch) to stop the engine?

Same as Windows XP.

-sw

On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:06:55 -0700, Ron wrote:

> On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:08:00 -0500, Andy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>OT: FYI: Toyota/Lexus recalls. (4 million autos involved)
>>
>>The driver's side floor mat has come misaligned and forced the gas pedal
>>down, causing unavoidable acceleration and fatalities.
>>
>>Remove the driver's side floor mat right away.
>>
>>No replacement solution is available yet.
>>
>>Call your dealership for model and years involved. From what I heard it was
>>2004 and recent model years.
>>
>>Andy
>
> Simple solution. But I can't help but wonder why people who get the
> gas pedal stuck or other runaway engine problem don't just shift into
> neutral, coast to the side of the road and turn off the ignition. Some
> of these people with stuck gas pedals have carried on conversations on
> cell phones (I have seen three on TV news over the years) and no one
> tells them to just shut off the ignition.
>
> Ron Kelley

if you shut off the ignition, wouldn't you lose your power brakes and
steering?

your pal,
blake

On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 08:53:25 -0400, "Nancy Young" <[email protected]> wrote:

-->Ron wrote:
-->
-->> Simple solution. But I can't help but wonder why people who get the
-->> gas pedal stuck or other runaway engine problem don't just shift into
-->> neutral, coast to the side of the road and turn off the ignition. Some
-->> of these people with stuck gas pedals have carried on conversations on
-->> cell phones (I have seen three on TV news over the years) and no one
-->> tells them to just shut off the ignition.
-->
-->I saw that, too, the awful phone call where the people ultimate
-->died in a crash. I wondered why they didn't turn off the car.
-->I am new to driving an automatic, so I thought maybe it wasn't
-->that simple.
-->
-->nancy

Turning the vehicle off doesn't do a thing if driving a automatic, now if it
was a standard that's a different matter.
With a automatic you pop it into neutral and then if the brake pedal is
compromised as well, either pull slowly if the emergency brake if it's located
on the consol such as mine is, or push it slowly on click at a time ( if you
have time to do so) with your foot if located on the left side of the drivers
area.
I drove professionally for 17 years and took many safety courses that concerned
every driving aspect including high speed emergency crash avoidance and
stopping.

Most drivers figure that if they've been driving for 20 years that they should
be able to handle any kind of driving problem. That may be true, but at 70
mph. most of that goes out the window in an emergency.

> On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:08:00 -0500, Andy wrote:
>
>> OT: FYI: Toyota/Lexus recalls. (4 million autos involved)
>>
>> The driver's side floor mat has come misaligned and forced the gas pedal
>> down, causing unavoidable acceleration and fatalities.
>>
>> Remove the driver's side floor mat right away.
>>
>> No replacement solution is available yet.


Just remove the mat. Not so hard to solve.

My Prius mat has grommets that fit over hooks and lock it in place.

gloria p

Stu said...

> Most drivers figure that if they've been driving for 20 years that they
> should be able to handle any kind of driving problem. That may be true,
> but at 70 mph. most of that goes out the window in an emergency.


I was sailing down the interstate at about 70mph when out of the corner of
my eye I see a truck pulling into my lane but he was on his cell phone and
didn't see me in his blind spot. Surprised me that I noticed so much in a
fraction of a second.

What I did was slam on the brakes and swerve out of my lane to avoid the
crash but my car became a side to side bucking bronco as I tried to steer
it this way and that when something dawned on me, TAKE YOUR FOOD OFF THE
BRAKE! I did and the car swiftly settled down and I regained control,
probably seconds from rolling the car.

I carefully pulled into the slow lane shaken but thankful I didn't involve
other cars with my evasive action.

I 55mph made it the rest of the way home. [whew]

Andy

George wrote:
> Ron wrote:

>> Simple solution. But I can't help but wonder why people who get the
>> gas pedal stuck or other runaway engine problem don't just shift into
>> neutral, coast to the side of the road and turn off the ignition.
>>
>> Ron Kelley


>
> But what if you were in a loaner car such as the one in CA last week and
> you didn't know you needed to press and hold the "start" button (no key
> switch) to stop the engine?


If you could figure out how to turn it on, why couldn't you figure out
how to turn it off? Same button.

gloria p

Gloria P said...

> Just remove the mat. Not so hard to solve.
>
> My Prius mat has grommets that fit over hooks and lock it in place.
>
> gloria p


gloria p,

I think that is the heart of the issue, that the mat material can stretch out
of shape while still hooked and locked in place, causing the recall. Have you
given the mat a tug to check for play?

I wouldn't risk my life on grommets and caps if I were you.

Best,

Andy

Gloria P wrote:
> George wrote:
>> Ron wrote:
>
>>> Simple solution. But I can't help but wonder why people who get the
>>> gas pedal stuck or other runaway engine problem don't just shift into
>>> neutral, coast to the side of the road and turn off the ignition.
>>> Ron Kelley
>
>
>>
>> But what if you were in a loaner car such as the one in CA last week
>> and you didn't know you needed to press and hold the "start" button
>> (no key switch) to stop the engine?
>
>
> If you could figure out how to turn it on, why couldn't you figure out
> how to turn it off? Same button.
>
> gloria p

It is well proven and easily demonstrated that folks will use the method
that is burned into their brain in an emergency.

Basic instincts kick in especially when it isn't your car and it is
likely the first time you have operated a vehicle that uses a non
intuitive method of pressing and holding a button to stop the engine.

Stu wrote:
> On Thu, 1 Oct 2009 08:53:25 -0400, "Nancy Young" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> -->Ron wrote:
> -->
> -->> Simple solution. But I can't help but wonder why people who get the
> -->> gas pedal stuck or other runaway engine problem don't just shift into
> -->> neutral, coast to the side of the road and turn off the ignition. Some
> -->> of these people with stuck gas pedals have carried on conversations on
> -->> cell phones (I have seen three on TV news over the years) and no one
> -->> tells them to just shut off the ignition.
> -->
> -->I saw that, too, the awful phone call where the people ultimate
> -->died in a crash. I wondered why they didn't turn off the car.
> -->I am new to driving an automatic, so I thought maybe it wasn't
> -->that simple.
> -->
> -->nancy
>
> Turning the vehicle off doesn't do a thing if driving a automatic, now if it
> was a standard that's a different matter.
> With a automatic you pop it into neutral and then if the brake pedal is
> compromised as well, either pull slowly if the emergency brake if it's located
> on the consol such as mine is, or push it slowly on click at a time ( if you
> have time to do so) with your foot if located on the left side of the drivers
> area.

Unfortunately most cars don't even have emergency brakes. They typically
have a very light duty parking brake that isn't up to anything more than
parking and slowing down from slow speeds. A typical parking brake would
immediately fade out in a condition say like that crash last week where
the engine was providing full power.

> I drove professionally for 17 years and took many safety courses that concerned
> every driving aspect including high speed emergency crash avoidance and
> stopping.
>
> Most drivers figure that if they've been driving for 20 years that they should
> be able to handle any kind of driving problem. That may be true, but at 70
> mph. most of that goes out the window in an emergency.

In article <[email protected]>,
blake murphy <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:06:55 -0700, Ron wrote:

> > Simple solution. But I can't help but wonder why people who get the
> > gas pedal stuck or other runaway engine problem don't just shift into
> > neutral, coast to the side of the road and turn off the ignition. Some
> > of these people with stuck gas pedals have carried on conversations on
> > cell phones (I have seen three on TV news over the years) and no one
> > tells them to just shut off the ignition.
> >
> > Ron Kelley
>
> if you shut off the ignition, wouldn't you lose your power brakes and
> steering?

Sooner or later they won't work the same. They are actually called
"power-assisted". The brakes and steering are still connected, they are
just much harder once you lose the power-assist. The power-assist
usually runs off of vacuum from the engine. There is enough vacuum in
reserve to run the brakes and steering (and often the clutch for manual
transmission cars) a few times, and the power-assist loss is gradual at
first.

It's important to know what your car is going to do. Putting an
automatic transmission in neutral while the throttle is on full may blow
up your engine. I suspect that just shutting off your engine while the
automatic transmission is in gear will just let you coast (or brake) to
a stop. I've never owned a car with an automatic transmission, so this
might be something to check out.

Most importantly, many cars have various forms of locks that engage when
you turn the key. It would be good to know, in advance, how these work.
Most cars lock the steering when you turn the key all the way off. This
would be a disaster. You will not be able to steer. If you turn the
key one notch over, to "off" or "accessory", it may not lock the
steering. This would be the way to go.

I am always astounded at how many people do not realize that they can
use their emergency/parking brake in an emergency. When your brake
pedal just goes to the floor and provides no braking due to a mechanical
failure, the emergency brake will usually work. In older cars, it only
activates two brake pads on the rear wheels, so it isn't full power
braking, but it will stop you if you have a little more than normal room.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA
[email protected]