• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

'Toyota defense' might rescue jailed Minnesota man

Analog

Analog

Lifer
[FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif] LINO LAKES, Minn. (AP) - Ever since his 1996 Toyota Camry shot up an interstate ramp, plowing into the back of an Oldsmobile in a horrific crash that killed three people, Koua Fong Lee insisted he had done everything he could to stop the car.
A jury didn't believe him, and a judge sentenced him to eight years in prison. But now, new revelations of safety problems with Toyotas have Lee pressing to get his case reopened and his freedom restored. Relatives of the victims - who condemned Lee at his sentencing three years ago - now believe he is innocent and are planning to sue Toyota. The prosecutor who sent Lee to prison said he thinks the case merits another look.
"I know 100 percent in my heart that I took my foot off the gas and that I was stepping on the brakes as hard as possible," Lee said in an interview Wednesday at the state prison in Lino Lakes. "When the brakes were looked at and we were told that nothing was wrong with the brakes, I was shocked."
Lee's accident is among a growing number of cases, some long resolved, that are getting new attention since Toyota admitted its problems with sudden acceleration were more extensive than originally believed. Numerous lawsuits involving Toyota accidents have been filed over the recent revelations, and attorneys expect the numbers will climb.


http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100225/D9E364PG0.html

[/FONT]
 
In most scenarios, it would be true...dry pavement, if he was 'pressing them as hard as possible', they would make a mark on the pavement.
 
As I said in a garage thread that this was brought up in...

Sorry but that is NOT a toyota issue. His car is older and was a direct system (cable). That and in the current cases, like the tropper in CA, the brakes were roasted and burned out. In this case his brakes were fine.

Also older Toyota cars did not have as many complaints as they do now. Toyota does have issues with its cars in the last 5-10 years, but older than that it came in around the same level as everybody else.

Like someone else said, the people see a bigger wallet. I agree things like this will pop up more, but not because Toyota cars 10+ years old had issues, but that these people see money because of toyotas current cars and their problems
 
I doubt a 96 Camry had electronic braking systems. The only possibilities remaining are user error (most likely) or mechanical failure. Brake systems have built-in redundancy to avoid catastrophic failure even if one of the lines blows and loses all of its pressure. In this case, the car will still slow down and stop, but it will take a bit longer as only two sets of brakes (rather than all four) work. I had this happen to me once when a brake pad actually shattered (probably a random manufacturing flaw) and cut a brake line. I stopped without hitting anyone with some assistance from the handbrake, and that was pretty much the worst-case scenario for catastrophic brake failure in the absence of electronic systems. Even in electronic systems, I doubt an electronic failure should cause a complete loss of braking power.
 
CycloWizard said:
I doubt a 96 Camry had electronic braking systems. The only possibilities remaining are user error (most likely) or mechanical failure. Brake systems have built-in redundancy to avoid catastrophic failure even if one of the lines blows and loses all of its pressure. In this case, the car will still slow down and stop, but it will take a bit longer as only two sets of brakes (rather than all four) work. I had this happen to me once when a brake pad actually shattered (probably a random manufacturing flaw) and cut a brake line. I stopped without hitting anyone with some assistance from the handbrake, and that was pretty much the worst-case scenario for catastrophic brake failure in the absence of electronic systems. Even in electronic systems, I doubt an electronic failure should cause a complete loss of braking power.
Click to expand...

Isn't the issue the sticking accelerator, not the brakes? Or am I missing something?
 
If he was pressing on the brakes and the car was still moving fast enough to kill three people, shouldn't the brakes have melted or shown signs of overheating?
 
her209 said:
If he was pressing on the brakes and the car was still moving fast enough to kill 4 people, shouldn't the brakes have melted or shown signs of overheating?
Click to expand...

yes


guy didn't have a car that is subject to stuck throttle problems. he and/or his lawyer don't know what they're talking about but they're seizing on it to try to get him out.
 
anyone with automotive knowledge could easily refute this guy's claims, but it's not even worth bothering with. dumbass is just trying to jump on the 'blame toyota' bandwagon and is going to fail miserably at it.
 
ViviTheMage said:
If he was pressing the brakes, there would be skid marks.
Click to expand...

Skid marks only occur if the car is skidding to a stop, or the wheels are spinning to gain traction on acceleration.

If the car is still accelerating, there would be no skid marks.
 
GlacierFreeze said:
Anti-lock brakes prevent this for the most part.
Click to expand...

exactly, not to mention i've had my ABS sensor jack up on me and wouldn't let me stop before. i was pulling into my driveway - completely dry out - and went to hit the brakes and then brrup brrup brrup it kept pushing my brakes off and i kept rolling forward. Fortunately the car is a manual and the clutch was in so i just rolled to a nice stop. this happened about 3 times before i pulled my ABS fuse.
 
Relatives of the victims - who condemned Lee at his sentencing three years ago - now believe he is innocent and are planning to sue Toyota.
Click to expand...

Hmmm... easy to forgive now that they are staring at big dollar signs.
 
RbSX said:
Skid marks only occur if the car is skidding to a stop, or the wheels are spinning to gain traction on acceleration.

If the car is still accelerating, there would be no skid marks.
Click to expand...

Wrong. The Camry only gives power to the front wheels, but the brakes work on all four. It is absolutely, 100% possible to lock the rear wheels and have the car continue to accelerate because power is still being applied to the front wheels.

Even if the car had ABS, there will still be some sort of "scruff" pattern though it is lighter than the typical skid marks. Early ABS systems would leave a "dashed" pattern of marks as the wheels locked and un-locked. Either way, ABS still absolutely leaves some record of heavy braking on the road surface.

ZV
 
It's a 96 Camry which shares NOTHING with the current generation of cars which are now under scrutiny. For anyone to entertain the notion that the current set of Toyota problems can be traced to a predecessor that is, what, 4 generations old? It doesn't seem plausible.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top