More trouble for Toyota as Prius takes off at 90 mph

[SteelBlue]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/03/08/cal...ex.html?hpt=T1

Another incident where driver calls 911 to try and get help to stop. This time it actually worked with the driver getting advice to use the e-brake and the regular brake at the same time. This allowed him to slow to 50 mph then he turned the car off and was able to slow to a stop. There's a photo of a police cruiser slowing him at some point during the journey. But here's what I don't get: why can't people just shift into neutral? Is there something that prevents shifting during these incidents?

[TripletDaddy]

Toyota is in serious trouble. The brand has taken a major hit.

I saw a Toyota commercial recently offering zero interest financing for 5 years on the purchase of any (I think) new Toyota. That is the first step towards price slashing, then bk, reconsolidation, and then a new launch altogether.

[Pheidippides]

Toyota is in serious trouble. The brand has taken a major hit.

I saw a Toyota commercial recently offering zero interest financing for 5 years on the purchase of any (I think) new Toyota. That is the first step towards price slashing, then bk, reconsolidation, and then a new launch altogether.

In related news, I'm buying a Tacoma soon.

[TripletDaddy]

In related news, I'm buying a Tacoma soon.

with zero interest financing and other incentives, I have a feeling several people will be buying Tacomas soon.

[BigPiney]

But here's what I don't get: why can't people just shift into neutral? Is there something that prevents shifting during these incidents?

Yes it is called stupidity. Lets call 911 instead of taking the car out of gear.

[creekster]

Yes it is called stupidity. Lets call 911 instead of taking the car out of gear.

This is what I thought too but they interviewed the guyont he radio this morning and he claimed (i stress claimed) that he tried to put it in neutral and was unable to do so. Normally I would think this is BS but I really have no idea how the drive train of a hybrid works so will allow it might be true. If it is true, those cars are a mess.

[Surfah]

Here in the DC metro area one of the large Toyota dealers is running an ad on TV that tells how many cars they have fixed via the recall but also explains that should you have this problem you are to shift into neutral and then use the brake and e-brake to stop.

I think these people just panic and lose all sorts of common sense. I mean the guy that died with his family in California was a CHiP. How he didn't think to shift into neutral and pump the e-brake to stop is beyond me. And I don't understand why he called 911 either. This is a trained highway patrolman who shouldn't panic in these types of situations, but he ultimately did and it cost him and his family's life. Quite tragic.

[Moliere]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/03/08/cal...ex.html?hpt=T1

Another incident where driver calls 911 to try and get help to stop. This time it actually worked with the driver getting advice to use the e-brake and the regular brake at the same time. This allowed him to slow to 50 mph then he turned the car off and was able to slow to a stop. There's a photo of a police cruiser slowing him at some point during the journey. But here's what I don't get: why can't people just shift into neutral? Is there something that prevents shifting during these incidents?

At least it was a Prius which is probably why it only got up to 90 mph. At that speed he was probably going with the flow of traffic on the freeway.

[TripletDaddy]

Here in the DC metro area one of the large Toyota dealers is running an ad on TV that tells how many cars they have fixed via the recall but also explains that should you have this problem you are to shift into neutral and then use the brake and e-brake to stop.

wow. not the kind of ad you want to run as a car manufacturer.

"if you are driving one of our defective vehicles, just pop the e brake"

I wonder how long it will take for toyota to recover from this.

[beelzebabette]

Yes it is called stupidity. Lets call 911 instead of taking the car out of gear.

In the Congressional hearings, a separate (separate from the sticking gas pedal) electronic throttle control problem was discussed. So, I'm inclined to believe the account I read that the CHP told him to switch into neutral and the problem was not solved.

[SteelBlue]

Have any of you ever been inside of a Prius? Someone at work today is claiming that there is no way to put it in neutral. He says there is a button for "Go" and a button for "Reverse" and that's it. I'm having a tough time believing that.

[TripletDaddy]

Have any of you ever been inside of a Prius? Someone at work today is claiming that there is no way to put it in neutral. He says there is a button for "Go" and a button for "Reverse" and that's it. I'm having a tough time believing that.

This is not accurate, not per my recollection. I recently spent the better part of a morning in the new prius of a guy in my ward. we were doing some emergency preparedness food drive thing that required us to drive all over the stake boundaries to a few homes and the chapel. He was all excited about his voice activated nav system. I remember him shifting from R to D with his standard automatic shifter. I don't remember him pressing any go and reverse buttons.

[il Padrino Ute]

This is not accurate, not per my recollection. I recently spent the better part of a morning in the new prius of a guy in my ward. we were doing some emergency preparedness food drive thing that required us to drive all over the stake boundaries to a few homes and the chapel. He was all excited about his voice activated nav system. I remember him shifting from R to D with his standard automatic shifter. I don't remember him pressing any go and reverse buttons.

Do you remember if there was a P and an N with the R and D?

[Surfah]

Have any of you ever been inside of a Prius? Someone at work today is claiming that there is no way to put it in neutral. He says there is a button for "Go" and a button for "Reverse" and that's it. I'm having a tough time believing that.

Having sold cars and sat in Prius' (granted no models after '08), this is false. The gear shift is different than your typical PRNLD but it's still the same principle and you can shift into neutral at speed. It has a push button start and to shut it off you hold down the same button for 3 seconds.

[mUUser]

In related news, I'm buying a Tacoma soon.

For fun, I checked out an FJ Cruiser recently to compare against the Jeep for offroading.

There's no sunroof option on that vehicle. Who sells a car anymore that doesn't offer an option for a sunroof?

Sheesh.