Another runaway Prius???

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35771933/

Sorry I didn't see this posted (after searching), but this was yesterday...

20 minutes speeding along and didn't figure out how to shift to neutral? >< sigh

 

[techs]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35771933/

Sorry I didn't see this posted (after searching), but this was yesterday...

20 minutes speeding along and didn't figure out how to shift to neutral? >< sigh

Hmm. Needs to be added to the "How dumb are Americans?" thread.

 

[joesmoke]

how come this never happens to the priuses im behind during my commute?!?!

 

[bignateyk]

I wish my 2008 RAV4 was part of the recall. I have a feeling it probably has the same problems, they just aren't admitting it. There have been times I've been driving with cruise control on, and it will just start accelerating for no reason (well beyond the speed I have cruise set to). Simply switching off cruise control stops it though. I've never let it go to see how long it would accelerate though.

 

[destrekor]

Surging adrenaline can make some people smarter, and even more more dumber.

This is a case of the latter.

And it seems some people are afraid of doing anything with the gears in automatics. People with manuals are more likely to think "hmm, throwing it into neutral might be a good idea..." because they pay more attention to the whole "gears" thing.

A lot of people with automatics know: Park, Reverse, Drive.
One and Two? WTH are those for?
Neutral? When would I ever use that?

I'm in the latter group, but think like the former. I pay a lot of attention to my ride, but when it's a 13 year old truck, and things happen constantly, I pay a little more attention. I just wish I knew more about vehicles, but with no auto-minded family to really learn from, I just don't have the time and effort and money to invest in learning things myself.

 

[shortylickens]

Hmm. Needs to be added to the "How dumb are Americans?" thread.

This. I feel really bad that so many cars are coming out of the factory fucked up, but DAMN people are ignorant about their cars. I just test drove one and I learned how it worked it about 20 minutes. WTF is wrong with folks who buy cars and dont know how to drive them?

 

[KeithTalent]

Wrong forum.

KT

 

[shortylickens]

Wrong forum.

KT

I thought news in OT was alright if it wasnt political. And its not really a garage issue more like a news issue.

 

[Kalmah]

I'm really not surprised that this idiot didn't know about neutral. I'm now certain that 9/10 drivers are absolutely fucking retarded.

 

[Kadarin]

This. I feel really bad that so many cars are coming out of the factory fucked up, but DAMN people are ignorant about their cars. I just test drove one and I learned how it worked it about 20 minutes. WTF is wrong with folks who buy cars and dont know how to drive them?

I'm betting (hoping?) most of these guys know perfectly well how to handle their cars in an emergency. They're just hoping for a free settlement handout from Toyota, based off of the hype.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

silly cagers

 

[Linflas]

I thought Priuses (Prii?) had issues with the brakes, not acceleration?

 

[MotF Bane]

Prius drivers suck.

 

[brxndxn]

In the driver's defense, I read about people that testified the car would not allow them to shift gears at speed..

 

[MJinZ]

I wish my 2008 RAV4 was part of the recall. I have a feeling it probably has the same problems, they just aren't admitting it. There have been times I've been driving with cruise control on, and it will just start accelerating for no reason (well beyond the speed I have cruise set to). Simply switching off cruise control stops it though. I've never let it go to see how long it would accelerate though.

You're an idiot too.

My car does the same thing, it accelerates when on cruise. However, there is always a "reason".

If you can't figure it out, please stop driving.

 

[rudder]

20 minutes speeding along and didn't figure out how to shift to neutral? >< sigh

what a silly comment... we all know if the driver put it in neutral they could not get near the same money from toyota for pain and suffering.

 

[spidey07]

It just keeps going from bad to worse.

My bet is a lot of these complaints are from people looking to cash in. Just saying you had unintended acceleration is one thing. But this guy has a 911 call and police eye witnesses. His case is rock solid.

 

[Vette73]

I'm really not surprised that this idiot didn't know about neutral. I'm now certain that 9/10 drivers are absolutely fucking retarded.

The shifter and trans are not direct connected, it is also by "wire". So it could be the person tried to move it and nothing happened.

 

[Squisher]

Surging adrenaline can make some people smarter, and even more more dumber.

This is a case of the latter.

And it seems some people are afraid of doing anything with the gears in automatics. People with manuals are more likely to think "hmm, throwing it into neutral might be a good idea..." because they pay more attention to the whole "gears" thing.

A lot of people with automatics know: Park, Reverse, Drive.
One and Two? WTH are those for?
Neutral? When would I ever use that?

I'm in the latter group, but think like the former. I pay a lot of attention to my ride, but when it's a 13 year old truck, and things happen constantly, I pay a little more attention. I just wish I knew more about vehicles, but with no auto-minded family to really learn from, I just don't have the time and effort and money to invest in learning things myself.

Throwing a Prius into neutral isn't exactly easy. When I have to take it through a car wash is about the only time I do it and it usually takes a couple tries. However, turning it off by pressing and holding the start button is the way to go.

The reason it's so hard is that the shifter is nothing more than a spring loaded momentary switch and neutral is in the middle of the shifter throw.

 

[Ronstang]

I guess the people who buy Toyotas are dumber on average.

 

[bignateyk]

You're an idiot too.

My car does the same thing, it accelerates when on cruise. However, there is always a "reason".

If you can't figure it out, please stop driving.

Yours accelerates to >15mph over what you had it set to while driving on a flat surface? Can't say i've ever had this happen in any other vehicle i've driven on cruise control. If I thought my life was in danger or I was incapable of stopping a runaway car I would have stopped driving a long time ago you dumbass.

 

[brblx]

slapping a knob to the left is hard?

I guess the people who buy Toyotas are dumber on average.

also this. you design and market a car for idiots, don't be surprised when the idiots hurt themselves. it's like making a 9mm fisher price handgun and selling it to retards.

 

[waffleironhead]

I wish my 2008 RAV4 was part of the recall. I have a feeling it probably has the same problems, they just aren't admitting it. There have been times I've been driving with cruise control on, and it will just start accelerating for no reason (well beyond the speed I have cruise set to). Simply switching off cruise control stops it though. I've never let it go to see how long it would accelerate though.

My Odyssey does the same thing from time to time. I'll set the cruise at 70 and be going for awhile, then suddenly look down to see it approaching 75 or more. For some reason it's not happy at 70 and feels the need to increase the speed.

 

[bignateyk]

I guess the people who buy Toyotas are dumber on average.

Yeah, seeing as how most of these cars are all by wire, including the transmission and ignition, and even brakes in the prius. Yep, they sure are dumb for not knowing what to do when they none of those things are functioning.

 

[Vette73]

slapping a knob to the left is hard?



also this. you design and market a car for idiots, don't be surprised when the idiots hurt themselves. it's like making a 9mm fisher price handgun and selling it to retards.

No, but getting the car to do what you want is another. The shifter is not connected to the trans. It is a switch and tells the computer to do something, same as the throttle pedal is on Toyotas. So it could be you tell the computer to do that and it ignores it, like the throttle peddle issue.