Toyota: Analysis Doesn't Match Calif Prius Incident

[ericlp]

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100315-711644.html?mod=WSJ_World_MIDDLEHeadlinesAsia

It doesn't look good for the idiot that pulled off this stunt...

Last week, a California Highway Patrol officer advised Sikes to press firmly on the brakes, apply the emergency brake and turn off the car, at which time the Prius came to a stop. The federal investigation into the incident found a particular pattern of wear on the car's brakes that raises questions about the driver's version of the event, according to three people familiar with the investigation.

I hope if they can get 100% proof that he intentionally caused this incident that they take away his driver license. Better yet put brand new breaks on this car, and I'll drive it. I'm betting this was no fault of the car.

 

[Slew Foot]

Yeah in the other thread it was revealed that the guy is bankrupt, has ruined many businesses before, and the car was about to be repossessed. I hope they fuck that guy with a hot poker.

 

[ericlp]

Yeah in the other thread it was revealed that the guy is bankrupt, has ruined many businesses before, and the car was about to be repossessed. I hope they fuck that guy with a hot poker.

Other thread? Hmmm, I searched and didn't see anything.

 

[GoPackGo]

well...if he faked he needs to go to prison

 

[sciwizam]

Other thread? Hmmm, I searched and didn't see anything.

It's in The Garage.

 

[sportage]

Id give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Because:
1. people are having problems with the prius.
2. the cops involved stated the brake lights were on, indicating the guy was trying to stop.
3. what does bankruptcy or his history have to do with anything? Someone with money problems can't get a bad car? or slip on a banana? or fall off a defective ladder?
4. this means millions or billions to Toyota. Who is more likely to want to cover their butt? A company with their reputation in question and set for a loss of millions? Or some once bankrupt guy?
5. the prius issue has been ongoing for a long time. When a car has such high tech electronics it would seem impossible for the random issue to be recreated at will. Those that work on computers know this well. That’s why with a bad motherboard or hard drive, you just toss the bad and replace with a good. You'll have a hard time nailing down the exact cause of a random occurrence with anything electronic. I think that’s part of Newton’s law.

At this point, I would not assume the guy is trying to pull anything. Just because Toyota can not recreate the fault isn’t saying it didn’t happen. It just means Toyota could not recreate the fault. What’s that old expression... " it worked the last time I used it".

 

[ericlp]

Id give the guy the benefit of the doubt.
At this point, I would not assume the guy is trying to pull anything. Just because Toyota can not recreate the fault isn’t saying it didn’t happen. It just means Toyota could not recreate the fault. What’s that old expression... " it worked the last time I used it".

Toyota isn't trying to recreate the problem. There is a problem with how the breaks were used and the wear on them... I suspect that he wasn't applying hardly any pressure at all to the break peddle. Any break on any car (as long as the breaks were in good condition) would over power an engine (unless it was a 1000 hp engine?) The engine in a prius is very small and wouldn't take much breaking power at all to stop the car even at full throttle.

 

[WHAMPOM]

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100315-711644.html?mod=WSJ_World_MIDDLEHeadlinesAsia

It doesn't look good for the idiot that pulled off this stunt...

Last week, a California Highway Patrol officer advised Sikes to press firmly on the brakes, apply the emergency brake and turn off the car, at which time the Prius came to a stop. The federal investigation into the incident found a particular pattern of wear on the car's brakes that raises questions about the driver's version of the event, according to three people familiar with the investigation.

I hope if they can get 100% proof that he intentionally caused this incident that they take away his driver license. Better yet put brand new breaks on this car, and I'll drive it. I'm betting this was no fault of the car.

We just had balloon boy, now we get toyota man? "Gate" is reserved for political farces, anyone think of a good tail for these scammers?

 

[GoSharks]

break peddle

 

[DonaldC]

Brake lights on does not indicate just how hard he was pushing on the pedal. Some people drive with their left foot lightly on the brake pedal and their brake lights will be on even when they are not stopping.

 

[Jhhnn]

The whole thing with toyota accelerator pedals exemplifies the stupidity of some consumers, very poor operator training, and jounalistic sensationalism at its finest.

Turn the key back one click to kill the engine- the steering wheel won't lock until you turn it back another. Or put the vehicle in neutral- it won't even blow the engine, because it has a rev limiter.

Not to mention that the brakes will overpower the engine on any production toyota...

The guy in the Prius? Remember the Colorado family with the six year old and the home made balloon? Kinda like that...

 

[nonlnear]

It's amazing how many people apparently "know".

 

[Vette73]

Brake lights on does not indicate just how hard he was pushing on the pedal. Some people drive with their left foot lightly on the brake pedal and their brake lights will be on even when they are not stopping.

You can't do that with the prius, at least that is what Toyota says. If both are hit at the same time the engine does not power up anymore and the brakes take affect.

 

[Vette73]

The whole thing with toyota accelerator pedals exemplifies the stupidity of some consumers, very poor operator training, and jounalistic sensationalism at its finest.

Turn the key back one click to kill the engine- the steering wheel won't lock until you turn it back another. Or put the vehicle in neutral- it won't even blow the engine, because it has a rev limiter.

Not to mention that the brakes will overpower the engine on any production toyota...

The guy in the Prius? Remember the Colorado family with the six year old and the home made balloon? Kinda like that...

Facepalm.

There is no "turning" of the key in the prius. Have you even seen the inside of a prius, let alone started one?


Here ya go...
http://www.communitycar.com/OnlineOrientation/drive/prius

 

[rudder]

Id give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Because:
1. people are having problems with the prius.
2. the cops involved stated the brake lights were on, indicating the guy was trying to stop.
".

Data showed that he pressed the brakes repeatedly... however, very lightly. Not sure if that is really trying to stop.

 

[rpanic]

How to stop Prius.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ4PtafRB9c

 

[McWatt]

I read a letter in the NYT suggesting that most likely there is no problem with Toyota accelerators. Runaway acceleration scares have happened before with other companies, and in every case it was determined that the most likely cause was a driver pushing the accelerator while thinking it was the brake. This happens all the time in all makes of cars (but never in manual transmissions, which is one of the clues that it's not a problem with the accelerator pedal itself). Once every decade or so the media picks up the story and it becomes a company-specific phenomenon. Since it's on the news all the time, the people who push the wrong pedal feel that they've got confirmation that it was the car at fault.

I'm not convinced that this is the case, but it's a pretty plausible story. The biggest related question in my mind is why Toyota was so secretive about their data. Maybe they really do have something to hide. Or maybe they just handled the media attention poorly because someone panicked.

 

[Genx87]

It sounded fishy from the beginning. Now with the facts coming out I think he staged it. Somebody brought up a good point about this car. The engine isnt strong enough to outpower the brakes. If he was indeed stepping on the brakes all the way, even if the engine was at full tilt he would have stopped.

 

[MJinZ]

Id give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Because:
1. people are having problems with the prius.
2. the cops involved stated the brake lights were on, indicating the guy was trying to stop.
3. what does bankruptcy or his history have to do with anything? Someone with money problems can't get a bad car? or slip on a banana? or fall off a defective ladder?
4. this means millions or billions to Toyota. Who is more likely to want to cover their butt? A company with their reputation in question and set for a loss of millions? Or some once bankrupt guy?
5. the prius issue has been ongoing for a long time. When a car has such high tech electronics it would seem impossible for the random issue to be recreated at will. Those that work on computers know this well. That’s why with a bad motherboard or hard drive, you just toss the bad and replace with a good. You'll have a hard time nailing down the exact cause of a random occurrence with anything electronic. I think that’s part of Newton’s law.

At this point, I would not assume the guy is trying to pull anything. Just because Toyota can not recreate the fault isn’t saying it didn’t happen. It just means Toyota could not recreate the fault. What’s that old expression... " it worked the last time I used it".

LMAO @ Entire post.

 

[MJinZ]

It sounded fishy from the beginning. Now with the facts coming out I think he staged it. Somebody brought up a good point about this car. The engine isnt strong enough to outpower the brakes. If he was indeed stepping on the brakes all the way, even if the engine was at full tilt he would have stopped.

No Engine is strong enough to outpower the brakes. Slam the brakes on a 400HP Mustang going full throttle and it will stop, a few feet longer.

 

[StageLeft]

If I had to guess I'd say it's a scam, but only by a bit, say 60% likely.

 

[StageLeft]

No Engine is strong enough to outpower the brakes. Slam the brakes on a 400HP Mustang going full throttle and it will stop, a few feet longer.

I swear there are threads in the Garage and somebody has tested this and in at least one case either destroyed the brakes or came damn close to doing so but in any case stopping distance is massively increased. I assume in most cases brakes will win out, though.

 

[GroundedSailor]

I swear there are threads in the Garage and somebody has tested this and in at least one case either destroyed the brakes or came damn close to doing so but in any case stopping distance is massively increased. I assume in most cases brakes will win out, though.

But not always. You can burn out the brakes or get them hot enough to not be effective. I don't see particularly heavy braking systems on Toyota cars.

 

[MJinZ]

I swear there are threads in the Garage and somebody has tested this and in at least one case either destroyed the brakes or came damn close to doing so but in any case stopping distance is massively increased. I assume in most cases brakes will win out, though.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/09q4/how_to_deal_with_unintended_acceleration-tech_dept

If you're at 100 and trying to stop a 504HP car, then it might take a bit longer. But otherwise, small increases in stopping distance.

 

[fleshconsumed]

I answered I don't know.

That said, I wouldn't trust anything toyota says right now. They have documented history of stonewalling, backpedaling, and lying about this issue, their trustworthiness factor is exactly zero.