Quotes of the day
posted at 10:51 pm on March 15, 2010 by Allahpundit
“We’re seeing the same pattern again today. Initial reports of a problem, followed by dozens of new reports ‘coming to light’ as people seek to blame their earlier accidents on sudden acceleration.
“Again, mysterious car components are at issue, this time, speculation of software or electronics going haywire. But if the problem is software, it is manifesting itself a lot like the Audi sudden acceleration did.
“The Los Angeles Times recently did a story detailing all of the NHTSA reports of Toyota ‘sudden acceleration’ fatalities, and, though the Times did not mention it, the ages of the drivers involved were striking.
“In the 24 cases where driver age was reported or readily inferred, the drivers included those of the ages 60, 61, 63, 66, 68, 71, 72, 72, 77, 79, 83, 85, 89—and I’m leaving out the son whose age wasn’t identified, but whose 94-year-old father died as a passenger.
“These ‘electronic defects’ apparently discriminate against the elderly, just as the sudden acceleration of Audis and GM autos did before them.”
***
“Prius owner Jim Sikes made national headlines last week with claims that his car’s accelerator got stuck as he sped up to pass a car while traveling on California’s I-8 highway outside of San Diego, and that he was unable to stop the car.
“‘As I was going, I was trying the brakes … and it just kept speeding up,’ he said.
“Sikes story is at odds with the findings of the investigation, according to Toyota and to a draft congressional memo obtained by CNN.
“‘While a final report is not yet complete, there are strong indications that the driver’s account of the event is inconsistent with the findings of the preliminary analysis,’ Toyota said in a prepared statement.”
***
Blowback
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Bingo. I think this is what it is going to come down to.
AUINSC on March 15, 2010 at 10:55 PM
This jerk from El Cajon is an opportunistic liar and a creep
OmahaConservative on March 15, 2010 at 10:55 PM
First Cocaine, now the Prius….what’s a lefty to do these days. Their whole worldview is collapsing. Obama’s not all that and a bag of chips, the rainforests shrink a few square yards with every line of blow, and now—-the chariot of the intellectual eeee-lite, the venerable Toyota Prius, is offing dudes like Stephen King’s Christine.
Tough times to be a lib….tough times indeed.
ted c on March 15, 2010 at 10:56 PM
I called bullcrap on this when it hit the news for a couple of things.
#1) I really didn’t think a Prius had the power to pull away from a driver with the brakes fully applied.
#2) The drivers comments to the 911 dispatcher when she was telling him to put the car in neutral. He cant put the car in neutral but he can dig at the accelerator with a phone in his ear but he cant put the car in neutral.
#3) He said the accelerator stuck when he pulled out to pass someone in traffic…..in a Prius…really, who was going sooooo slow that he had to pass someone…….in a Prius.
the Coondawg on March 15, 2010 at 10:58 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ5M11m9vI0
Ohhhh snap! Watch the Christine trailer here and think of the sheer comedy goldmine of a skit that’d feature a Prius instead of this old car—-.
ted c on March 15, 2010 at 10:59 PM
Meth and a Mercury Monarch
thomasaur on March 15, 2010 at 10:59 PM
It’s like the Firestone tire “scandal.” People’s tires were blowing out because they were putting too much mileage on them (SUV tires are notoriously expensive to replace) and driving these light trucks like they were Ferraris.
CurtZHP on March 15, 2010 at 10:59 PM
Instructions on how to stop a Prius (strong language warning).
darii on March 15, 2010 at 10:59 PM
The Prius has an automatic transmission…
… I wonder what that “N” stands for?
Seven Percent Solution on March 15, 2010 at 10:59 PM
I remember the 60 minutes story on Audi. When Ed Bradley interviewed a consumer advocate they said these are not stupid people they are doctors and lawyers. I laughed my ass off. Tell me it happened to a truck driver or a construction worker and I’d believe it. He was citing people who have to hire contractors to change light bulbs.
No fan of Toyota(they price fix) but I aint buying any.
faol on March 15, 2010 at 10:59 PM
Going to come down to what exactly? That Toyota sucks or that people don’t know how to drive–and that Government Motors is more than happy to entertain their claims?
Free Constitution on March 15, 2010 at 10:59 PM
EVERYONE KNOWS this problem is caused by Global Warming!
GarandFan on March 15, 2010 at 11:00 PM
Anybody check to see if Sikes is with SEIU, ACORN,registered democrat…?
katy on March 15, 2010 at 11:00 PM
The damage has been done, nothing is too underhanded for the owners of GM.
Daveyardbird on March 15, 2010 at 11:00 PM
I worked on some Audi cases, way back when.
The drivers were overwhelmingly ‘older’ drivers with a few young drivers who had driven through their garage doors (fishy), but I’ve heard a few of the Toyota claims that make me think there is a real problem there. (But not the San Diego guy- definitely a faker.)
LASue on March 15, 2010 at 11:01 PM
it ain’t sexy, but it’ll get you there! LOL
ted c on March 15, 2010 at 11:01 PM
If only they had seen this educational video prior to their “incidents”: (NSFW)
Delete if need be.
Vigilante on March 15, 2010 at 11:02 PM
Iowahawk covered this a couple of weeks ago in a WW2 racist sort of way. I think this was before the Tom Hanks kerfuffle.
http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2010/02/take-that-tojo.html
zmdavid on March 15, 2010 at 11:02 PM
Where are the class action suits? Someone somewhere will get cash register eyes
ace tomato on March 15, 2010 at 11:03 PM
The Prius accelerator fiasco is just more liberal ‘chicken little’ stuff. They have made a living on scare tactics which unfortunately a good portion of the public accepts as gospel.
docdave on March 15, 2010 at 11:03 PM
The first time I saw this guy Sikes talk on TV I thought whoa something’s not right here.
Speakup on March 15, 2010 at 11:03 PM
The 2010 Toyota Prius….no ordinary car…she is possessed by hell—her last driver, is no longer alive….No one quite knows what became of him….
ted c on March 15, 2010 at 11:03 PM
Damn, beat me to it!
Vigilante on March 15, 2010 at 11:03 PM
Sounds like the Obamacare death panel may be at work already.
katy on March 15, 2010 at 11:03 PM
If you’re scared, don’t turn on the cruse control. If you’re not using the cruse control, don’t have it on.
People tap the break or whatever to disengage it, but never press the button to turn it all the way off.
It’s like having a tv and using the mute at night so it doesn’t keep you up. Then throw a hissy fit when the mute goes off and the sound wakes you up.
- The Cat
MirCat on March 15, 2010 at 11:03 PM
Is this model a ‘drive by wire’ car where everything is electronic; brakes, accelerator, transmission?
Really sad that CNN and it’s reporters didn’t know enough to ask that question, or even why that question is important.
Credibility of the news media isn’t being helped by their reporting either. Not unexpected since journalists are notoriously weak in engineering and science.
Skandia Recluse on March 15, 2010 at 11:04 PM
These people are smart enough not to get out of the car that’s speeding away for countless minutes, but not smart enough to put the car in neutral.
gregbert on March 15, 2010 at 11:05 PM
About a week ago, I told a friend that I thought this was another “Balloon boy” incident.
Hubby has a contract with a Toyota vendor that has been hired to look into these claims. It looks like there is massive fraud going on.
Suprisingly, just about everybody who has a Toyota that is involved in any accident says they were unable to stop the vehicle, despite trying every thing under the sun.
Additionally, insurance companies are denying claims for Toyota owners and telling them they need to file product failure claims with the manufacturer BEFORE their claims will even be considered.
Every Toyota that hubby has inspected since this kerfluffle started can be stopped quickly…even if the right foot has the gas pedal pressed to the floor…by simply applying the brakes firmly. Emergency brake isn’t even necessary.
Now, I am certain that there is NO attempt to exaggerate the danger given that the US Gob’ment owns a large auto manufacturing company that is getting the stuffing beat out of them by those evil Toyota people!/
Chewy the Lab on March 15, 2010 at 11:06 PM
What amuses me is that people like this Sikes character don’t realize that the engineers and accident investigators are really smart and he’s not.
thomasaur on March 15, 2010 at 11:06 PM
OMG, I just heard the same problem is happening to the Aston Martin V12 Vantage. Better unload them ASAP. I got 10 grand right here to save your life.
faol on March 15, 2010 at 11:06 PM
winner!
Melba Toast on March 15, 2010 at 11:07 PM
My 80 year old mother crashed her brand new Lexus last month. The car smashed into the house across the street. She was really upset and of course my dad was pissed.
When I asked her if she had taken out the floor mat that Toyota had suspected might be the problem, like I had told her to do, she said NO!………………….
…….It seems that she forgot her purse in the house, got out of the running car and went to fetch the purse…….she forgot to put the car in park. She’s lucky the runaway car didn’t hit someone and kill them.
Knucklehead on March 15, 2010 at 11:07 PM
Gee, there’s a big black button on the dash. I wonder what happens when I push it. Gee, it stops the engine. Wow..
docdave on March 15, 2010 at 11:08 PM
an entrepreneur… +2
ted c on March 15, 2010 at 11:08 PM
I’ve been driving Camrys since 1986. God-willing, I’ll continue to drive them. Don’t need or want Government Motors.
OmahaConservative on March 15, 2010 at 11:10 PM
This is the weird thing with these sudden acceleration things. Why don’t the brakes work? Even if there was a problem with acceleration the brakes should till work. You can stand on the gas all day and the brakes will still engage.
Rocks on March 15, 2010 at 11:11 PM
Yeah, funny that… 6 mos after BHO snatches up GM and Chrysler–the flagship car of the lefty eeee-lite turns into Christine and starts thinning the herd in just the categories that may be in opposition to Obamacare??? Moreover, the proper exit question the lefties are gonna have to ask is “Second look at Chevy?”
Govmint Motors—gittin you there
ted c on March 15, 2010 at 11:11 PM
I was responding to the quote I pasted right above that.
AUINSC on March 15, 2010 at 11:12 PM
Govmint Motors—gittin you there
ted c on March 15, 2010 at 11:11 PM
The Chicago way.
faol on March 15, 2010 at 11:12 PM
What works great at stopping an engine is the device that you use to stop the engine when you reach your destination; the ignition switch. Today’s cars won’t allow the steering wheel to be locked without it in Park.
Electrongod on March 15, 2010 at 11:14 PM
What works great at stopping an engine is the device that you use to stop the engine when you reach your destination; the ignition switch. Today’s cars won’t allow the steering wheel to be locked without it in Park.
Electrongod on March 15, 2010 at 11:14 PM
What works great at stopping an engine is the device that you use to stop the engine when you reach your destination; the ignition switch. Today’s cars won’t allow the steering wheel to be locked without it in Park.
Electrongod on March 15, 2010 at 11:14 PM
Prius owner Jim Sikes:
Do not pass Go! Do not collect $200. Go directly to jail.
Americannodash on March 15, 2010 at 11:14 PM
What works great at stopping an engine is the device that you use to stop the engine when you reach your destination; the ignition switch. Today’s cars won’t allow the steering wheel to be locked without it in Park.
Electrongod on March 15, 2010 at 11:15 PM
I’ll trust Toyota–their president tearfully went before Congress and said “My name is on every car”–far more than I’d trust the US Govt motors who only have their foot on the necks of people to buy them. At least Toyota has an incentive to put out a good product (and they do). I think most of this is hype to coax people into buying American stuff.
ted c on March 15, 2010 at 11:15 PM
Oh my! I didn’t think I could quadruple post. Sorry.
Electrongod on March 15, 2010 at 11:16 PM
I will never buy an American car again. The next new vehicle I buy will be a Tyota (sic) made in America with non-union labor.
Too bad, too. I really love my bow tie, but, c’est la vie.
Lanceman on March 15, 2010 at 11:16 PM
Wreckless drivng? Honest officer my uh accelerator stuck. Yeah thats the ticket er I mean reason.
faol on March 15, 2010 at 11:19 PM
Now that was funny.
John the Libertarian on March 15, 2010 at 11:20 PM
Engine control software when coupled with an electronic accelerator pedal. When sensors in the pedal fail how do they fail, open (high impedance) or shorted, and how does the software handle that sensor failure.
Brakes : Prius has traction control which requires sensors for wheel spin. How do those sensors fail (open or short) and how does the software handle that failure. Is the transmission controlled by computer software that reads the position of the transmission selector lever, and what safety interlocks are designed into that subsystem?
How does the Prius control software handle intermittent sensor failure?
Skandia Recluse on March 15, 2010 at 11:21 PM
Is he a registered democrat? Hummm lets see?
He owns a Prius, 99.8% of Prius owners are “greenies” or “lefties”, I would put the probability that he is a Dem at 99.9%.
DSchoen on March 15, 2010 at 11:22 PM
Better save that one for your wife, Morgan Fairchild.
Lanceman on March 15, 2010 at 11:23 PM
+1
I’m a mech engineer & gearhead. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
dts-01 on March 15, 2010 at 11:23 PM
By ejecting the driver and calling 911.
Electrongod on March 15, 2010 at 11:24 PM
Truly, you have powers beyond those of unworthy mortal posters! We are not worthy!
ya2daup on March 15, 2010 at 11:25 PM
Electron, now see, if Prius had Onstar, the Onstar operator could have shut the car down safely, remotely, and even called for roadside assistance.
Skandia Recluse on March 15, 2010 at 11:28 PM
LMAO!!!!!!!!
speed911 on March 15, 2010 at 11:32 PM
Interesting.
Electrongod on March 15, 2010 at 11:32 PM
The issue ’sudden acceleration’ is not related to the elderly, it’s related to Americans.
dave742 on March 15, 2010 at 11:32 PM
That video was hilarious! thanks darii
ted c on March 15, 2010 at 11:32 PM
How freaking hard is it to know to put the car in neutral? This guy is looking for a payout and the Obama administration is looking to prop up their pet unions.
TXMomof3 on March 15, 2010 at 11:32 PM
I spent years at a major computer manufacturer, and I can tell y’all a few things from Toyota’s end of things:
1) It’s best not to say jack sprat until the engineers have thoroughly gone over everything and found a definite cause. If the company breaks out the flogs and goes “mea culpa, mea maxima culpa” for something that’s not their fault, consumer protection laws in many states will still leave the manufacturer on the hook for the repair of the issue. Even if it’s caused by customer abuse.
2) If there is the barest hint of a rumor of a theoretical possibility of a problem, customers will line up around the block trying to associate their problematic, out-of-warranty, dated equipment with this alleged “known issue” in order to finagle (at least) a free repair of their general issues. Expect a fraudster or two or fifty.
3) Someone kvetching on a message board, or Consumerist, or wherever about the problem they, their neighbor, and their hairdresser have had with their Widget 2050 is a thing completely out of context. Hey, maybe y’all’s computers being slow might possibly have had something to do with that “viral video (TinyURLed link, does not go to YouTube)” you forwarded to your whole damn email list, instead of blaming the original RAM for the problem.
4) The eeeevil corporations have few incentives to hide a real issue with their products, and let consumers carry on with broken machines. In fact, they often have a massive effort behind the scenes to identify and fix problems out in the field before anybody takes notice.
Sekhmet on March 15, 2010 at 11:36 PM
Ah Sensai! Next Government Motor commercial! You are indeed genius. (Bows…as he always does.)
Chewy the Lab on March 15, 2010 at 11:37 PM
“Just let me review this with you, for accuracy sake, sir. You were passing a vehicle and your car suddenly started picking up speed, even though you lifted your foot from the accelerator. You immediately realized the “throttle was stuck” as your car gained speed very rapidly. You immediately applied the brakes, but the car didn’t slow down. You didn’t think of shifting the car into neutral or shutting off the ignition. With your car racing out of control at about 90 miles per hour you decided to call 9-1-1? Have I got that about right?”
Are those the actions of a “reasonable and prudent” person? Because that’s what the court will determine.
And good luck to all those gold-diggers who give it a whirl!
GoldenEagle4444 on March 15, 2010 at 11:39 PM
But I fear that C3-PO may by manning the Onstar and say “No! Shut them all down!”
Electrongod on March 15, 2010 at 11:40 PM
Allah -
Your buddy Mitt’s #1 best seller is currently #69 (how appropriate) at amazon.com (and is fading fast). He couldn’t fill a 4,400-seat venue in Salt Lake City, the Mormon capitol of the world (Salt Lake Tribune). He only drew 400 in Birmingham, MI (his boyhood home),according to the Detroit News, and 200 in Sacramento, according to the Sacramento Bee.
Mitt is going to sink faster that the Titanic.
bw222 on March 15, 2010 at 11:41 PM
.
Available on GM cars. . . .
Skandia Recluse on March 15, 2010 at 11:42 PM
I won’t repeat the story here, but there’s a report in the NHTSA DB with my name on it that did not involve an accident or any damage, was verified by the dealership who charged me $350 as I recall to repair it in a Camry. I knew they had a problem. I told them. They ignored it. They ignored me. Now they have to live with it. They’ll have to sort out which incidents were legit and which were not. If you think this is all BS I can tell you, it’s not. That doesn’t mean it’s common. It just means it happens.
As I recall this all started because a police officer had this happen and it was captured on a cell phone and people died right? At first they tried to blame it on their floor mats right? Then, they finally came clean. If it wasn’t for that case they’d still be sitting on this denying they have a problem.
It’s the culture of the auto industry based on what I saw on the inside of 2 of them. Their legal departments are some of the largest law firms in the country because they are constantly being sued, rightly and wrongly, and that “under siege” mentality leads people to keep their mouths shut. The Engineer who wrote the memo exposing the Pinto’s exploding gas tank problem eventually took his own life iirc. Nobody wants to be that guy.
TheBigOldDog on March 15, 2010 at 11:45 PM
I just hope that Toyota isn’t foreclosing on this event because it’s a good pr move.
Well, heck, why does it matter? Either they are truly addressing their issues or not.
Not much we can do about it.
AnninCA on March 15, 2010 at 11:47 PM
Remember the dude’s story…he was afraid the car would roll if he put it in neutral…whatever.
AUINSC on March 15, 2010 at 11:50 PM
In “Parliament of Whores”, P. J. O’Rourke offered up a hilarious description of the perpetrators of the Audi “Sudden-Acceleration Incidents”:
The more things change, the more they remain the same.
ya2daup on March 15, 2010 at 11:52 PM
Toyota should sue everyone who is caught lying about their car.
What’s good for the goose …
OldEnglish on March 15, 2010 at 11:53 PM
The overall problem for this Toyota throttle computer problem is most likely going to be “insulation breakdown”, much like the 1st “fly by wire” birds.
It’s too random, intermittent to be a hardware or software problem.
Way wayyyy back then the problem was traced down to the type of wire used.
The in insulation on that wire was “Kapton” great for a lot of reasons but had poor resistance to chaffing, which leads to “insulation breakdown” which can cause/allow (EMF) a false discreet being sent to the computer.
And a false discreet can turn an “off” command to an “on” command.
Me think ultimately that’s where this problem will end up being.
DSchoen on March 15, 2010 at 11:57 PM
Enough of this “I want to scam my way to a quickie big $$ payoff” bull$h!t. Waterboard this s.o.b. to get the truth and be done with it!
ya2daup on March 15, 2010 at 11:59 PM
Can’t speak to the validity of this story or the complexity of a hybrid vehicle I have not studied, what I can attest to is how some people react when they are frightened for their lives. Some people completely loose their heads.
I was in a vehicle with a master mechanic who panicked when the vehicle stalled and was rolling across an active roadway and he slammed the column shifter into park and destroyed the parking pall. A woman in my town just a few weeks agon panicked behind the wheel and accelerated through a building killing a couple of people (gee, I wonder if it was a Toyota?). Not all people react rationally when true death fear strikes. They do strange things.
TheBigOldDog on March 16, 2010 at 12:00 AM
You may be driving your Toyota for some time. You can’t sell the thing.
I was worried about cash for clunkers removing too many cheap cars from the road.
Voila! Toyota to the rescue! Those things are challenging the old depreciation record set by Edsels.
The figure I heard on local ‘trade value’ on the east coast is so bad I could not believe it. KBB runs late but should have it in weeks.
I don’t like the cars but I wonder what is wrong with the “neutral gear” option?
Of course, their shift lever looks like a handle for a cheap lawnmower..but still…
IlikedAUH2O on March 16, 2010 at 12:03 AM
The MSM news story was that the police car pulled in front of him and then slowly braked, bringing the cars into contact and bringing them both to a stop.
Hard to tell, but in some of the film coverage, it looked as though the nose of the prius wasn’t even dented, which seems a little odd to me, if it was stopped by the butt-end of the patrol car from 90+ mph (even if done “gradually”). I mean, the nose sheetmetal is what, aluminum foil or something?
bofh on March 16, 2010 at 12:03 AM
But the NHTSA couldn’t duplicate the guy’s problem?
Anyone who remembers old (British and Lucas were the worst) cars can tell you about ghosts and intermittent problems.
Electronics is still electricity.
IlikedAUH2O on March 16, 2010 at 12:08 AM
The car was supposedly stopped by contact with the rear bumper of the patrol car, which then braked both cars (from 90+ mph according to the story). It’s hard to see, but in some of the news views it looks like the nose of the prius isn’t even dented, which makes me wonder just how “unable” to brake he was. If the story is true and accurate, there must have been a fair amount of strain on the nose.
bofh on March 16, 2010 at 12:10 AM
Forgive the OT, but this from Indystar.com (emphasis mine):
(Visual of Snoopy dance!!!!)
Knucklehead tipped me off and directed me to the Indystar site thanks to HotAir Rendezvous on Facebook.
Thanks, Dear!
Chewy the Lab on March 16, 2010 at 12:11 AM
None of this makes sense to me, but others had also claimed that they tried shifting to neutral but the transmission remained engaged. Illogical.
The Audi cases were similarly illogical. The drivers claimed that they had the brakes on but the car didn’t slow. An engineer friend told me that the Audi brakes were designed to stop the car at 150% of the full engine capacity, meaning that there is no way it drove through the brakes.
Funny that it only happens here.
Jaibones on March 16, 2010 at 12:11 AM
This is the new “LOTTO”, but with much,much better odds.
The lawyers are salivating and I’m awaiting the “have you been injured in a Toyota” ads from some law firm to start on T.V. between the infomercials.
Oh, and don’t rule out the MSM jumping on since they are in the tank for Government Motors.
Opposite Day on March 16, 2010 at 12:13 AM
Doh! Sorry about the double posting… thought the first one got lost.
IMO the worst was Magnetti Marelli electrics in the old Alfa’s, although Lucas was pretty awful.
bofh on March 16, 2010 at 12:13 AM
My friend’s MG caught fire (started smoking) after days of sitting untouched in the garage. We were there and unhooked the battery. Never found the issue–hooked the battery back in and he drove it for a long time after that with no problem. Wheee!
TexasDan on March 16, 2010 at 12:17 AM
If the transmission is controlled by the car’s computer, and I believe that to be true even though I can not find a definitive engineering source to cite, and the computer ‘goes crazy’, the operator can push all the button, step on all the pedals, switch off the ignition, move all the levers, and the result will be unpredictable because the computer that controls the car has gone off the rails.
In a ‘drive by wire’ system the computer controls the car, and the operator controls do nothing except provide user input to the computer.
So this story is plausible, and profoundly difficult to prove. Y’all realize the newest 18 wheelers are all computer controlled; engine and transmission?
Skandia Recluse on March 16, 2010 at 12:21 AM
Have we looked into the link between medical marijuana and Prius “accidents”.
Call 1-800-schmucks. We deal with bankruptcy, injury, and Prius accidents.
Mojave Mark on March 16, 2010 at 12:23 AM
It’s the blue prius of death.
Daggett on March 16, 2010 at 12:24 AM
They’re joking, but just wait until they find out that the software problem is triggered when the driver is wearing a hat, drives slowly and tunes into a local easy-listening music station.
Daggett on March 16, 2010 at 12:26 AM
From Douglas Adams’ The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul
bofh on March 16, 2010 at 12:27 AM
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/86947-stupak-house-dem-leaders-at-least-16-votes-short-on-healthcare-reform
andy85719 on March 16, 2010 at 12:31 AM
I drove a Chevy Impala for years and that f*cking OnStar caused more problems than it ever fixed. Piece of s**t. Drained the battery like there was no tomorrow, caused all sorts of electrical havoc.
I’m a convert to a Toyota. I love that piece of crap.
mjk on March 16, 2010 at 12:49 AM
What a coincidence! I heard the same about the Mercedes-Benz SL500! But only the black ones, and those with the convertible top and bone leather interior. If anyone has one of these lemons, I can take it off your hands for a cool $10K.
NoLeftTurn on March 16, 2010 at 12:50 AM
I can’t understand why these people cannot get their cars to stop. From Car and Driver of March 2010:
Read the article and test results for a Toyota Camry V6, Infinite G37, & Roush Stage 3 Mustang.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/09q4/how_to_deal_with_unintended_acceleration-tech_dept
tommer74 on March 16, 2010 at 12:52 AM
Jeff2161 on March 16, 2010 at 12:56 AM
I think this Sikes guy said he did ride the brakes; I believe I heard him talking about how he could smell them burning because he had worn them down.
I’m not saying some of these incidences aren’t legit, but this could happen in any later model car when the cruise control is engaged. I’d be curious to know as well how many of these folks were using it on hilly terrain, which you’re not supposed to do. Or how many of them mistook the gas for the brakes (common problem among older drivers), or who routinely drive with the pedal to the floor anyway.
Ulitmately, we’re talking about a very small number of accidents given the volume of vehicles Toyota sells. I don’t see how this is any different from the exploding Fords or any of the other mass defects that have appeared in cars over the years. What all of this really is is a fascinating exercise in the power of the media to generate group think in the masses. This is hysteria manufactured at least in part by the willing propaganda organ of the Obama administration, which just coincidentally happens to own a majority share of one of Toyota’s biggest competitors.
NoLeftTurn on March 16, 2010 at 1:01 AM
Support the Tea Party candidate on March 23rd
Spathi on March 16, 2010 at 1:06 AM
I’m waiting for a Prius parody of the 1958 song: Beep! Beep! The Little Nash Rambler.
scullymj on March 16, 2010 at 1:06 AM
That dude was driving a blue prius !!
macncheez on March 16, 2010 at 1:07 AM
This is all a get-rich-quick scheme by people who pushed the wrong pedal.
jediwebdude on March 16, 2010 at 1:07 AM
Why can’t Nancy get a bad Toyota? Just put her in and let it take her away.
andy85719 on March 16, 2010 at 1:10 AM
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