Anyone with any sense knew that the whole floor mat excuse was a scam.  They issued the recall, but now they are sending a warning saying not to drive the cars on the road at all.  Cynical me wonders if Ray LaHood had stock in Toyota, sold it and bought up some Ford stock for before issuing this new warning.

http://www2.tbo.com/exposure/ar/659/372/2010/02/02/31571_car-wreck.jpg

I had a car (Nissan Sentra) that would accelerate-the brakes wouldn't work and when I hit them you could smell something burning-and the car would go faster and faster and faster. I had to turn the car off and put it in park to stop it. Scary, scary, scary. This was when I was in college. I got to the college and manage to park the car without ramming it into anything (or anyone). I was shaking like a leaf and called my mechanic (who actually came out to the college to look at it  :o :o :o ). He told me that it was gunk that built up on the accelerator that caused it to stick. This was when the car was about 10 years old or so. It never happened before or since. But it was indeed scary. I was actually afraid to drive it after that even though the problem was solved.



Cat   

If anybody has a car, where if the accelerator sticks, and slamming on the brakes will not slow down the car...

THEY HAVE BAD BRAKES TOO...

There is no way that an engine in a production vehicle can overcome the brakes, unless the brakes are severely faulty.  The amount of braking torque that a properly functioning set of brakes can impart on a car is incredible.

If anybody has a car, where if the accelerator sticks, and slamming on the brakes will not slow down the car...

THEY HAVE BAD BRAKES TOO...

There is no way that an engine in a production vehicle can overcome the brakes, unless the brakes are severely faulty.  The amount of braking torque that a properly functioning set of brakes can impart on a car is incredible.


Ever driven in Boston?  The horn is a surrogate for the brakes.  State inspection laws require our cars to possess brakes, but we don't use them.  Why should I use them?  It just wears them out.  I'll just keep tooting that horn and scar you into you using YOUR brakes!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/03/devilfinger.gif

I had a car (Nissan Sentra) that would accelerate-the brakes wouldn't work and when I hit them you could smell something burning-and the car would go faster and faster and faster. I had to turn the car off and put it in park to stop it. Scary, scary, scary. This was when I was in college. I got to the college and manage to park the car without ramming it into anything (or anyone). I was shaking like a leaf and called my mechanic (who actually came out to the college to look at it  :o :o :o ). He told me that it was gunk that built up on the accelerator that caused it to stick. This was when the car was about 10 years old or so. It never happened before or since. But it was indeed scary. I was actually afraid to drive it after that even though the problem was solved.



Cat   


It probably had a carburetor.  Gunk would clot the links, that has pretty much gone now that they have fuel injection. 

They did give good advice, put it in neutral and brake.  If you shut the engine off you lose the steering, but dropping it into neutral disengages the clutch so you are coasting and can brake.

They did give good advice, put it in neutral and brake.  If you shut the engine off you lose the steering, but dropping it into neutral disengages the clutch so you are coasting and can brake.

While your engine revs through the sound barrier and blows up...

The throttle sticking open has actually happened to me twice, for different reasons: once because the accelerator cable stuck, and once because the second barrel of a twin-choke carb didn't close (the return "butterfly" was loose, and the peg slipped past) - in the latter case, it was a reasonably high-powered car, I was accelerating past a slow-moving one on the only straight bit in a nice windy back-road.  The car (a Mk1 VW Scirocco - a wonderful car) basically shot up from 40 to past 80.. I turned the engine off, coasted to a halt and was under the bonnet by the time the car I'd overtaken came past me.

IIRC Ford Explorers had this sort of issue, too - but it was in the engine management, so you didn't even need to hit the accelerator to go surging away. 

It probably had a carburetor.   Gunk would clot the links, that has pretty much gone now that they have fuel injection. 

They did give good advice, put it in neutral and brake.  If you shut the engine off you lose the steering, but dropping it into neutral disengages the clutch so you are coasting and can brake.



I will never have to experience that again because my driving days are over.  :-\\



Cat

While your engine revs through the sound barrier and blows up...
 


Who cares if the sound barrier blows as long as the power train is disengaged, at least you can then brake and shut the engine down.  Blow the engine or die, take your pick.

Who cares if the sound barrier blows as long as the power train is disengaged, at least you can then brake and shut the engine down.  Blow the engine or die, take your pick.


Well, I'm gonna die sooner or later, preferably later, but I hope I never blow an engine.  I've seen in happen to somebody else.  Not pleasant.
:o

Who cares if the sound barrier blows as long as the power train is disengaged, at least you can then brake and shut the engine down.  Blow the engine or die, take your pick.


Most engines these days have a rev limiter built into the engine control system, so you can't blow 'em like you used to be able to do.

My 1989 Taurus will cut out the engine at 8500 RPM.  (And yes, I've been there and tested it!)

My 1991 Saturn likewise was set to cut out at, I think, 6000 RPM. (A buddy of mine tried that out in the parking lot of my apartment complex back then and it worked.)

Most engines these days have a rev limiter built into the engine control system, so you can't blow 'em like you used to be able to do.

My 1989 Taurus will cut out the engine at 8500 RPM.  (And yes, I've been there and tested it!)

My 1991 Saturn likewise was set to cut out at, I think, 6000 RPM. (A buddy of mine tried that out in the parking lot of my apartment complex back then and it worked.)


I was in a rental one time in about '93, I can't remember what kind of car it was, but I almost got in a crash.  I was driving up a steep hill and some old geezer rounds the corner and flies at me down the curve in the wrong lane!  Long story short, I had to pull a quick evasive maneuver at a 45-degree angle which involved hitting the gas really hard.  The engine screamed, red-lined, and cut out.  I caught my breath on the side of the road for second thinking "ooohhh sh****t!  What am I gonna tell the Avis guys, what am I gonna tell my dad!" (it was his credit card).  I thought I'd wrecked the engine, but I just turned the ignition and it started up like nothing happened.  I wonder if it had one of those cut-out devices you're talking about. 
???

While your engine revs through the sound barrier and blows up...


Other folks have mentioned that modern cars have rev limiters, which prevent the engine won't self-destruct.

Meanwhile, I'm going to point out that buying a new engine is usually cheaper than performing bodywork (on steel, meat, and especially both) in the event of losing control and exiting the roadway at full throttle.  (And Karma to LyricBoy for reminding us that if the brakes are in good working order, you will be able to stop the car, even if you don't disengage the transmission.)

The other wrinkle to this problem is that in the case of cars that don't have ignition switches, not everyone knows how to turn the engine off.  Some cars will shut off with repeated jabbing of the "power" button.  Other cars - and Toyotas are among them - require that you hold down the button for three seconds.  Three seconds can still be a very long time at full throttle, but unless you're driving a Bugatti Veyron, it's probably not long enough to get you to truly dangerous speeds.

If you purchase (and especially if you rent) a car with a pushbutton or other nonconventional starting system, read the owner's manual.  If there isn't one in the car, ask the salesdroid.  If the salesdroid won't tell you (or doesn't know) how to shut it down in the event of an emergency, figure it out in the parking lot. 

Don't panic.  The person who takes their hands off the wheel to cover their eyes has already made up their mind - and is guaranteed to fly off the cliff.  The person who drove the car all the way to the cliff's edge, even if they made multiple mistakes along the way, and who is found in the wreck with one hand on the "off" button, the other hand on the steering wheel, and both feet on the brakes - had a fighting chance.  Never stop driving.

The person who takes their hands off the wheel to cover their eyes has already made up their mind


Hmmm...that's the way I usually drive!
8)

Both of my sister-in-laws have 2010 Camry's and haven't been able to get them in to get the recall fixed because the dealership is slammed with appointments.  I think they are scheduled for sometime this week.  I was joking with hubby that the accelerator sticking wouldn't be an issue on the way to the appointment because I'm sure my father-in-law would be taking them in (since he usually does) and I would imagine you have to PUSH the accelerator for it to stick (and he drives notoriously SLOW) :D

Both of my sister-in-laws have 2010 Camry's and haven't been able to get them in to get the recall fixed because the dealership is slammed with appointments.  I think they are scheduled for sometime this week.  I was joking with hubby that the accelerator sticking wouldn't be an issue on the way to the appointment because I'm sure my father-in-law would be taking them in (since he usually does) and I would imagine you have to PUSH the accelerator for it to stick (and he drives notoriously SLOW) :D



With his turn signal on all the way?  :D :D ;D ;D ;D

Sorry, couldn't resist.


Cat

Probably ;)  My MIL HATES it when he drives anywhere, especially when they have to be somewhere at a certain time.  One time, they had to go pick up her sister from her chemotherapy....they left 10 minutes early and got there 15 minutes late!  It only takes my MIL 20 minutes TOTAL to get there, it took him almost 40 :o

I sure hope that the Toyota fix to the accelerator problem works in the long haul.

Somehow "just shim it up" sounds like some sort of redneck upgrade.  ;D

If the problem comes back, Toyota is going to have its ass in a huge crack.  :-\\

I sure hope that the Toyota fix to the accelerator problem works in the long haul.

Somehow "just shim it up" sounds like some sort of redneck upgrade.   ;D

If the problem comes back, Toyota is going to have its ass in a huge crack.   :-\\


Or a Toyota driven up its crack!  And if yer drivin' a Toyota, you ain't no real redneck nohow!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/07/nono.gif

I sure hope that the Toyota fix to the accelerator problem works in the long haul.

Somehow "just shim it up" sounds like some sort of redneck upgrade.   ;D

If the problem comes back, Toyota is going to have its ass in a huge crack.   :-\\


Of course you have to consider that they started with "new floor mats" as a fix.  



Or a Toyota driven up its crack!  And if yer drivin' a Toyota, you ain't no real redneck nohow!

http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/07/nono.gif


Don't know about that anymore, Honda Motorcycles and Toyota Tundras with too big American Flags and chicken hawk bumper stickers would like to think they are taunting me as I drive by in my Ford.

http://thumb15.shutterstock.com.edgesuite.net/display_pic_with_logo/215362/215362,1211827971,12/stock-photo-patriotic-honda-motorcycles-13059544.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU55oYH3Ubc