Comments on: Toyota Recalls 3.8 Million Vehicles: Gas Pedals Sticking

By: michael

michael — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:37:47 +0000

HI CHRIS I HAVE A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA PICK UP TRUCK AND MY GAS PEDAL ALSO GET STUCK I HAVE TO SOME TIME STUMP THE PEDAL TO MAKE THE TRUCK GO AND THEM IT JERK FORWARDS REALLY FAST I PUMP THE GAS PEDAL LIKE YOU WOULD PUMP BREAKS TO MAKE IT STOP WHAT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE DOING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE OUR YEARS OF MODELS WAS NOT RECALL

By: Allan

Allan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:12:08 +0000

I have a 2004 Rav 4 model 2004 that I purchased used with about 24000 miles. It now has about 64000 miles on it.

I had a single incident more than a year ago where my Rav4 wanted to accelerate, and I needed to push very hard with both feet to get it to stop. I had started the car a few seconds earlier and everything was normal. The morning, if I remember correctly, was cold. The car had been parked since the night before. I went about 100 yards to a stop sign. I punched the pedal to turn left and merge with traffic. Then I reduced pressure on the gas, but the car would not respond. A light up ahead about 100 yards was red. I was really scared I would not be able to stop and would be involved in a huge wreck because it is a busy intersection.

I did manage to stop my car. The revs were inching up toward the red. I may have put the car in neutral at this point – I have an automatic transmission. After a few seconds I turned the car off. It responded. Then I turned the car back on (first moved shifter to park) and the revs were still high. I went through the now green light and slowly the revs began to come back down to normal.

I reported this to Toyota about a month ago.

By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:54:28 +0000

Chris, I had the same thing happen two times when I was getting off the expressway. It lunged forward. I forced the break very hard and barely got it stopped after much force. I went out on another highway but luckily there was no one there. I have a RX 2001 Lexus. I took it to the dealer and they said they checked it out but we all know it is hard to diagnose when it is not happening. I ask them to send me a letter in writing about what they did. That was yesterday. Has anyone else had this happen with their Lexus RX2001? I have had it since it was new and never had a problem until last summer. It has not happened since.

By: christianlong

christianlong — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:47:50 +0000

My 1999 Camry gas pedal stuck as I was in stop and go traffic on highway exit ramp. When traffic began to move I stepped on accelerator and my car lunged forward with gas pedal stuck – couldn’t stop it as it happened so quickly – slammed into car in front of me. Now driver is suing me for almost million dolllars – this model also had recall on steering wheel. Also own Tacoma truck 2004 – subject to frame rusting and also another recall. Have not driven Camry for over a year. Not sure about Tacoma now as well. Any more 1999 stuck gas pedal owners out there?? Let me know

Chris

By: Don

Don — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 00:27:58 +0000

I have yet to see any precise description of exactly what is “sticking”, and how the addition of the plate on the bottom of the pedal will solve that problem.

The “talking heads” who interview Toyota execs have never really probed this.

Toyota site does not describe in any specifics on exactly what is sticking, and how this fixes it.

From an engineer – show me the facts!

By: C Cox

C Cox — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:44:59 +0000

My daughter-in-law is driving a 2008 highlander and when she gave the vin number the dealer said that her car was built in japan instead of in the US and they have had no problems with those imported from Japan.
Any comments on this?

By: M J Brown

M J Brown — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:32:05 +0000

I have a 2004 Cambre LE and this has happend to me two times, the last time just yesterday. I was fortunate to be parked facing a curb and some bushes which it jumped. I normally park in the middle of the library lot facing another car but there wasn’t room there yesterday. About a month ago I was coming out of the post office parking lot onto a side street and it surged and the car jumped from the side into the middle of the street before I could get it stopped – fortunately a side street & no car waiting at the stop sign. . I love my Toyota but I am scared to drive it because this happens so unexpectedly and without any reason. The only thing I notice about the car is it sometimes seems to “pull” for lack or a better word. I don’t know what this means but wil contact the dealer and see what he thinks.

By: Anon

Anon — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:33:01 +0000

It appears that many of the pedal stickiing reports have been involved with cars made from 2007 to 2010. The recall involves pedal assemblies that were first used on cars that were made in 2005, could it be that the pedal manufacture has been using plastic molds that have become worn and/or distorted allowing for some of the plastic pedal parts to become ill fitting which then could cause the sticking problem. How many reports involve cars made in 2005?

By: Briana

Briana — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:00:06 +0000

I have a 2005 Camry. Has anyone experienced problems with that year?

By: lm

lm — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:46:29 +0000

I too, am quite worried about the years and models that have been named in the recall.

I have a 2004 that I got in 2005, and I have had this happen and I can easily go 40 without my foot on the gas. I also have same the problem like that others have mentioned- the high RPM’s.

After I got the car home I took it in to the dealership and was treated like a woman that didn’t know what she was talking about.

Same as another response, more in the form of ” we can’t seem to duplicate the problem so it must not be real”, sentiment.

My husband bought our daughter a Camry for her 16th birthday. I told him to return it and get the money back, because I am worried that “the fix” may not fix it and she would know less that most of what to do in that situation.

I’m very concerned to drive my Camry, I’m scared to death for her to drive hers.

Sincerely,

LM- Livermore, Ca.

By: Leon

Leon — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:31:56 +0000

Man, I was really PO’d at my Toyota’s gas pedal when I found out it was sleeping with my wife! Damn japanese.

By: Len

Len — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:46:53 +0000

It’s not just cruise control. Also Traction control and Stability control systems selectively accelerate and/or brake different corners of the car when sensors detect that the vehicle is likely deviating from it’s intended path. These electronic management systems rely not just on programming which could be faulty but also on sensors throughout the vehicle. So faulty sensors could also conceivably trick the engine management system into thinking the car is doing one thing when it really is doing something else. the result? Loss of control.
Since, regardless of what each of us drives, we share the highways with many Toyotas, we really need to hope that they can actually resolve the problem.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:42:06 +0000

Coming from the auto repair industry myself, the change to an electronic gas pedal is alittle scary, but it has been working in other brands quite well over the past 5-7 years without failures. Nissian does not have this problem, as well as many other makes of cars. This is the first major safety failure of it’s type in this industry having to do with any onboard electronics. And this is not the gas pedal itself, or the carpet, or the mat. It’s in the engine management system and it’s tied to the cruise control and the brake position switch that feeds the EMS through to the cruise control. That’s why the gas pedal moves by itself, and the braking action does not release the gas pedal to the surprise of the operator. Disconnecting the cruise control would be a good start, since it is this unit that can operate the gas pedal on it’s own. Fixing this problem will not be cheap, like just replacing the gas pedal. Not this time.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:24:47 +0000

After reading some comments here I get the feeling that there are a bunch of union hacks creating as much havoc as they can. Where is the truth in here? Who knows. Looks like a Government/Union set up to drive sales up at Government Motors (GM). That is how it looks to me and shame on any witnesses if they are making up stories.

By: Richard Guevin

Richard Guevin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:31:28 +0000

I have a 2005 Toyota Avalon with only 20,000 miles. I have had no problems with my floor mats or gas pedal. The floor mat is attached to the two catches located under for front edge of the drivers seat and it clears the gas pedal by at least one inch. I have manually depressed the gas pedal and I cannot feel anything that is abnormal. I have not experienced any sudden accelaration incidents.
I am however, concerened about the electronic portions of the system. In particular the Cruise Control. I also feel that Toyota is not being totally honest.

I am sure that most of the reported gas pedal sticking/electronic failure occurances are indeed true, I suspect that a number of these accidents are really related to cell phone use or other distractions. What a perfect way to avoid responsibility and just blame it on the gas pedal. We all have heard the one where the driver reports an accident saying that “all of a sudden a tree hit my car”.
RG FLA

By: DavidM

DavidM — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:39:00 +0000

(Also an engineer of software and hardware). Judging from the many comments, it is likely that disabling the cruise control immediately on these cars would be a good idea until the problem is resolved. The scary lines are those that say “something was pulling the throttle down on it’s own” The last report I saw claimed a spacer was going to help on the sticking throttles. It is likely that even more than 2 problems (the floormats & the sticking pedal) are occuring at once. My money for the third is on the engine managment system, and/or the wiring that controls it, which agrees with other engineers above.

Scary stuff folks.

By: Craig T

Craig T — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:49:45 +0000

Maybe now that Steve Wozniak came forward about his cruise running out of control, toyota MIGHT be forced to admit a deeper problem.

By: E. Sizemore

E. Sizemore — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:47:48 +0000

Sam. Judge not lest ye be judge yourself buddy. Take a look around your house and tell me 90% of the stuff in it wasn’t made in China. I went to three different stores last year (Target, Wal Mart and Sears) looking for a new blender that was made in America and couldn’t find one. They were ALL made in China. The same situation was true with the toaster we bought.

Secondly, the word “Chink” is a racial slur usually reserved for the Chinese. Are you talking about the Chinese or the Japanese? Or just anyone who isn’t a white Christian American like yourself?

Third, do you have any idea how many Americans are employed making Toyotas for other Americans right here in America? Do you have any idea how many of the parts that go in a Ford or Chevy are made in China, Japan and Mexico?

You are quick to call other people stupid. Maybe you should look in the mirror. I’d be willing to put my IQ scores against yours any day. At least I can write complete sentences and get my point across without relying on superfluous punctuation. Soo-perf-lu-us. Look it up moron.

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:09:19 +0000

hah thats what you get for buying that jap crap and not buying american you COMMIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yup. stupid chinks.

By: Christine

Christine — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:03:40 +0000

I worked on cars as an inspector for several years. Toyotas are known for going “forever” I never dreamed that this would happen literally and lead to so many deaths and accidents. Anyone who doubts that this is a computer controlled throttle problem and not a floor mat or pedal problem needs to do nothing more than read the comments on this page. I have written the white house on this. They need to mandate a recall on the cars that have the ECM (computer controlled throttle) and until Toyota can fix and admit that this is a computer problem, and actually remedy the problem with the computer the government should let the consumer turn in their Toyota that has the throttle computer and apply the clunker bomb to the car so it will not kill the owner or someone else. The dealer could reimburse the former Toyota owner for any equity they still had in the car. The former Toyota owner could then get a tax break if they chose to purchase a new car from one of the American companies that the tax payers bailed out. I believe this is a win win for the consumer, and punishes Toyota appropriately for failing to admit the real problem to this day, and not paying enough attention to the consumers that have been trying to make Toyota aware of this problem for years according to the above comments.