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Toyota / Lexus recall 3.8m cars - killer floor mats

A

alrocky

Golden Member
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32867201/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...recall-3_n_303584.html

http://www.just-auto.com/article.aspx?id=101368

"Mark Saylor, 45, his wife Cleofe, 45, their daughter Mahala, 13 and brother-in-law Chris Lastrella, 38, died in the August 28 crash on Highway 125 in Santee.

Witnesses reported seeing a Lexus weaving through traffic at a high rate of speed. The driver tried to make a left turn, but he was going too fast and struck a Ford Explorer. The Lexus broke through a fence and struck a dirt embankment, catapulting it through the air more than 100 feet."

"In the August incident near San Diego, the fiery crash of a 2009 Lexus ES 350 killed California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor, 45, and three members of his family on State Route 125 in Santee. The runaway car was traveling at more than 120 mph when it hit a sport utility vehicle, launched off an embankment, rolled several times and burst into flames. One of the family members called police about a minute before the crash to report the vehicle had no brakes and the accelerator was stuck. The call ended with someone telling people in the car to hold on and pray, followed by a woman's scream."


"The 2009 Lexus ES 350 was a loaner from Bob Baker Lexus El Cajon. Investigators said it was equipped with all-weather mats, designed for Lexus vehicles made between 2004 and 2009. The thick, all weather floor mat may have caused the crash by jamming the Lexus gas pedal to the floor."

"Toyota's suggested measures to stop the unintended acceleration include shifting the gear selector to neutral but some drivers have complained that neutral can be hard to find on some Lexus shifters especially during emergencies"

"For vehicles with engine start/stop buttons, Toyota said the engine can be shut off by holding the button down for three seconds."

 
holy frikken crap! Didn't Jeep go through something like this recently due to the placement of their gas/brake pedals?
 
Thanks, Mojoed. Quick search in OT and P&N came up empty. Didn't look in the Garage.

Listened to the 911 call (this morning on the ride to work) made by the brother in law. Knowing that the call was not going to end well, I couldn't listen to more than a few seconds before I turned it off. He was calm as he had to repeat his dire circumstances to 911. I was hoping the 911 operator would simply tell him to shift into neutral.
 
Wow that's crazy. First thing that would come to mind is probably turning the car off but if it has power steering... probably not a good idea. Putting it in neutral is probably the best bet but guess you may not think of that in an emergency situation.

 
There's a 12 page thread over on vwvortex about this. Consensus seems to be "operator error." I tried slamming on the brakes while going full throttle in my GTO this evening. Was only going about 35 mph, but the car had no problem coming to a stop. Don't see what the big problem is. I also don't see how a little floor mat can apply enough pressure on a gas pedal to push it all the way to the floor, just by the weight of the mat alone.
 
Originally posted by: Jadow
uhh put it in neutral?
Click to expand...

when put in a situation like this, some people will panic, regardless how intelligent they are. Panicking can lead to you freezing up and forgetting what should should be logic to you. When your brain decides to lock up there isn't much you can do. Very few people are above this possibly happening to them.
 
Originally posted by: QueBert
Originally posted by: Jadow
uhh put it in neutral?
Click to expand...

when put in a situation like this, some people will panic, regardless how intelligent they are. Panicking can lead to you freezing up and forgetting what should should be logic to you. When your brain decides to lock up there isn't much you can do. Very few people are above this possibly happening to them.
Click to expand...

Neutral + brakes....
 
Originally posted by: Mo0o
Hmm I have a 09 Camry. What are you supposed to do w/ the car? Take it to a dealer?
Click to expand...

Use the floor mat to let the car drive itself off a cliff.
 
Originally posted by: Triumph
There's a 12 page thread over on vwvortex about this. Consensus seems to be "operator error." I tried slamming on the brakes while going full throttle in my GTO this evening. Was only going about 35 mph, but the car had no problem coming to a stop. Don't see what the big problem is. I also don't see how a little floor mat can apply enough pressure on a gas pedal to push it all the way to the floor, just by the weight of the mat alone.
Click to expand...

The mat is acting as a wedge or stop, and holding the pedal down when the driver pushes it far enough. Pretty simple to understand and easy to happen with certain cars and mats.

 
Originally posted by: Mo0o
Hmm I have a 09 Camry. What are you supposed to do w/ the car? Take it to a dealer?
Click to expand...

Take the driver's side mat out for now, and then call your dealer.
 
The driver was apparently unaware of how to kill the engine with push button starting.

An enormous number of folks on the web posted that you could not kill the engine in the Lexus, or that if you did, the steering would lock. Neither of which are true.
 
Originally posted by: QueBert
Originally posted by: Jadow
uhh put it in neutral?
Click to expand...

when put in a situation like this, some people will panic, regardless how intelligent they are. Panicking can lead to you freezing up and forgetting what should should be logic to you. When your brain decides to lock up there isn't much you can do. Very few people are above this possibly happening to them.
Click to expand...

But still, it takes atleast a minute or two to get up that speed. It wasn't as if he was going 70 to 120 in 5 seconds. That minute or two should have been plenty of time for 4 people to think the situation through and simply put it into neutral.
 
Originally posted by: RU482
stuck floormats...retarded drivers. kudos to Toyota for stepping up
Click to expand...

lol Toyota has to step up. No kudos for any company for having to issue a recall for anything.
 
Originally posted by: jtvang125
Originally posted by: QueBert
Originally posted by: Jadow
uhh put it in neutral?
Click to expand...

when put in a situation like this, some people will panic, regardless how intelligent they are. Panicking can lead to you freezing up and forgetting what should should be logic to you. When your brain decides to lock up there isn't much you can do. Very few people are above this possibly happening to them.
Click to expand...

But still, it takes atleast a minute or two to get up that speed. It wasn't as if he was going 70 to 120 in 5 seconds. That minute or two should have been plenty of time for 4 people to think the situation through and simply put it into neutral.
Click to expand...

a minute or 2? I have a 2000 Taurus which has a weaker motor, and I can go from 0-100 in maybe 15 seconds, that may be exaggerating a bit, but I don't see a car with a stuck accelerator taking more than 25 seconds to reach full speed. And like I said, when you panic the brain can shut down. I would imagine the car reached top speed pretty quickly, causing him to panic more. I mean he didn't think "I could try putting it into neutral and see what happens!" and decide not to try it. It's very doubtful he wanted to die, so if he could have figured out a way to prevent it, logic tells me he would have.

Like when you hear about people trapped on the train tracks when a trains coming and they don't take off their seat belts and jump out of the car. You figure in a situation like that they have a good 20-25 seconds of seeing, and hearing the train blaring it's horn. Yet they still die.

 
Originally posted by: zerocool84
Originally posted by: RU482
stuck floormats...retarded drivers. kudos to Toyota for stepping up
Click to expand...

lol Toyota has to step up. No kudos for any company for having to issue a recall for anything.
Click to expand...

wait...is this a voluntary recall or MANDATORY recall?

If mandatory, you're totally right
if voluntary, meh...kudos to them for stepping up after only 4 deaths
 
Has anyone tried to shift to neutral in a modern DBW vehicle while moving with the brake and throttle pressed?

Perhaps the shift interlock prevents it, or perhaps the computer won't allow N at full throttle, etc.?

I know the transmission will not shift to a low gear in most autos even if you move the lever because the vehicle is going too fast for the gear. Some manumatics will allow it regardless though.

I have already risked my new Jeep in a full throttle 70mph braking test. It's someone else's turn. 😀
 
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