[goatwgn]

When I was doing upholstery on cars back in the early 90's, a dealer came in with a Fleetwood Brougham that an "old man" had driven through a barber shop. Had to replace the vinyl top after some minor bodywork was done. He supposedly put the car in drive instead of reverse, but the part Im wondering is why he kept driving forward until he was almost out the other side of the building? The same thing with these Toyota drivers and the "high powered" 130 Hp Audi 5000s from the 80's. Why dont they shut the thing off?????

[Bjorn]

Originally Posted by goatwgn

When I was doing upholstery on cars back in the early 90's, a dealer came in with a Fleetwood Brougham that an "old man" had driven through a barber shop. Had to replace the vinyl top after some minor bodywork was done. He supposedly put the car in drive instead of reverse, but the part Im wondering is why he kept driving forward until he was almost out the other side of the building? The same thing with these Toyota drivers and the "high powered" 130 Hp Audi 5000s from the 80's. Why dont they shut the thing off?????

cause they arent educated on cars enough ,and panic....

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by Bjorn

What I and several others tried to say a good while back....
Driver errors!

YUP, and after all those law suits AND money paid out. The lawyers were lining up hard on this one..

[Sirrotica]

No electronic flaws in the software, but there were mechanical flaws in some of the pedal assemblies, from what I read. What is Toyota fixing in millions of cars if there is no flaw in either system? If it ain't broken what are they doing, fixing something that has no flaws? The whole story isn't yet uncovered from what I make of it, it's not that cut and dried 100% operator error, at least in my mind.

I've seen unintended acceleration back as far as 1960 when I was 7 years old I saw the aftermath of a woman hitting the gas instead of the brake at a stop sign with a brand new 1960 Bonneville. She ran into a front porch on a house and actually moved the cement porch off of it's foundation. It happens and no maker is immune from driver error. I however find it hard to believe that this happens 3000 times and each case is 100% driver error. People make machines and people are not 100% infallible, therefore nothing they manufacture is 100% infallible. No matter, Toyota has made a few other recalls after this one came to light, so they aren't automotive gods. Only 1 person that walked this earth was without faults and no one else will approach that.

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by Bjorn

cause they arent educated on cars enough ,and panic....

Isnt there a new FORD that shuts the car off, and unlocks the doors if the air bag is deployed?

[Evil Stu]

Originally Posted by Bjorn

cause they arent educated on cars enough ,and panic....

Like that state police trooper who panicked for 3 hours with his whole family in the car?

Ridiculous.

[Mr_GTO]

Originally Posted by Evil Stu

Like that state police trooper who panicked for 3 hours with his whole family in the car?

Ridiculous.

Exactly...sorry but I don't buy "driver error" in every case. The pedals were faulty and Toyota was caught trying to cover it up...that's why they were fined in the manner and amount they were.

[Teej]

Originally Posted by Bjorn

What I and several others tried to say a good while back....
Driver errors!

Funny, but they made it a point to say that it wasn't "Driver Error" during the press conference, it was "Pedal Misapplication".

[Bjorn]

Originally Posted by Teej

Funny, but they made it a point to say that it wasn't "Driver Error" during the press conference, it was "Pedal Misapplication".

hahaha, tooo PC.... how about turning off ignition? and/or switching gears , to "low"....
especially people who claimed being in this situation "for hours"....theres lots of time to think...if you can.

[David Jones]

Just proves that people aren't responsible for their own actions. Just ask them.
Then fold in the lawsuit/lottery crowd and you can start a feeding frenzy.
Then there are those, like some here, that think it's all a conspiracy. Wouldn't believe the truth if the Pope told them.

[65WJ]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

Isnt there a new FORD that shuts the car off, and unlocks the doors if the air bag is deployed?

VW commercial

[Hitman]

I dont buy it because all this happend in Toyota products only.

As far as shutting the car off or throwing it in neutral, there is no telling what you or anyone would do in a situation where you were taken off guard. This could only be taught in a more intense drivers education course and in that course car safety should be taught, not just the rules of the road.

[Overkillphil]

Apparently Toyota dealers need to employ an IQ test at the time of purchase. I know a couple of Prius owners who need instructions just to get through a typical day.

[poison heart]

I agree, either way it's driver error whether it's the floor mat, the driver pressing the wrong pedal or the electronic throttle doing whatever it wants. Throw the god damn car in park or neutral or turn the god damn key off.

But they bought a toyota so how smart are they?

[Bjorn]

Originally Posted by Hitman

I dont buy it because all this happend in Toyota products only.

As far as shutting the car off or throwing it in neutral, there is no telling what you or anyone would do in a situation where you were taken off guard. This could only be taught in a more intense drivers education course and in that course car safety should be taught, not just the rules of the road.

thats (Toyota owners) who sued.....remember the sudden acceleration in Audis? not only Audis were involved, but 90% +_ were Audis...or their owners...once a Toyota gets mentioned like this in the press, they all start...there may even have been a few other marques, but they werent mentioned.....remember ,this is the media!

I had this (sudden acceleration) happen to me twice as a 18 and 19 year old (once in a Simca Vedette, once in a Mini Cooper, Simca had a pedal hinge on the floor that broke, pedal plipped in under rubber floor mat, Mini had a bent idle screw that got adjusted and gas linkeage got caught behind it at full throttle)....yes ,you get startled ,but you still have to think, not panic...I turned the ignition off both times....

as this was discussed alot last year, some were saying that turning ignition off would /could be dangerous ,and you should downshift, some said it couldnt be done at higher speed...I tested in my Volvo, yes you can....it revs up, but you can shift to loweer gear and or into neutral...then as you slow down ,you turn it off


in my case it wasnt taught by anyone, I just reacted....correctly, but yes it may be a good part of drivers education.... even more so, "how to drive on ice/skid pads"....which IS taught 'over there'

[Hitman]

I remember the Audi cars. The point I was making is some folks cant react, not only in that situation but in many other situations in life. Those are the booksmart folks that lack basic common sense. Which to us car guys everyone should know to reach down and take it out of gear or shut off the car. Drivers education in the US needs to be overhauled.

[Bjorn]

Originally Posted by Hitman

I remember the Audi cars. The point I was making is some folks cant react, not only in that situation but in many other situations in life. Those are the booksmart folks that lack basic common sense. Which to us car guys everyone should know to reach down and take it out of gear or shut off the car. Drivers education in the US needs to be overhauled.

1)I agree!
2)I agree!
3)I agree!