Unintentional Acceleration

WorthyWads You got it just like that. The cruise was not in use at any of those times.
I am not looking to sue anybody if you don't believe me that is your choice.
Every time this has occurred it was going at slow speed. Once in a parking lot
and once pulling in to a driveway. Yes it does rev to the redline when placing it in neutral

 

I am 52 and have driven many hundreds of thousands of miles. I have experienced unintended acceleration twice in my life (not in Toyotas) both times the accelerator pedal got stuck under edge of floor mat. In both cases I immediately turned off the key.

The biggest problem I see is with the push button start systems which you would have to hold the button down for a few seconds or keep pushing it a few times to turn off engine while moving. This takes too long and some people would not know what to do in a panic.

Most of the newer vehicles have an override system that will kill engine power if brake is pressed at the same time.

 

Sorry cbrcolin no start stop button and engine revs with the brake depressed this is
why you have to shift in to neutral

 

Bubba, there's a NASA research paper that detailed the Toyota unintended acceleration was due to a change in plating of electrical components used in the circuitry that results in the formation of "tin whiskers" and thus resulting in a short. Take it to the dealer and have it checked out. Ask them to replace the gas pedal assembly as that is where the NASA paper described where the short was occurring. Good luck. I believe what you've experienced is real.

 

Be that as it may, the ECU reflash that was part of the "floor mat recall" causes the ECU to drop to idle any time the throttle is over 25% and the brake is applied.

If that is not happening, then we have one of 3 conditions:

The recall was not done (properly)
The brake switch is not operating properly
The problem is in the ECU or throttle body servo and not the accelerator pedal.

The recall did not replace the accelerator, it would, at the option of the service manager, either replace it or TRIM the bottom part of the accelerator pedal to prevent the floor mat from snagging it.

 

Floor debris wouldn't suddenly disappear by selecting Park. If engine bay debris entered the throttle body to stick it I'm pretty sure it would permanently turn the engine off; in a loud expensive noisy way that wouldn't be repaired by selecting Park.

Bubba's incidents sound like real electronic acceleration issues and not his foot or floormat or whatever. I would take it in! I have ignored my recall because I was told they were just going to trim the accelerator pedal and I know this is not a problem nor a cure. I won't let anyone work on my truck unless I have to. If the floormat or anything else sticks my go pedal it's MY fault. The pedal doesn't appear to have any distinctively different shape or size from any other car's pedal and it has no clearance issues therefore it doesn't need trimming.

Anyone who's had this happen should go to a dealer and explain the entire incident. If they go with the pedal/floormat routine I'd call AND write Toyota and put them on notice that you attempted to have your unsafe vehicle repaired and that the dealer refused to accept that there's a fault in the system and that you hold them responsible in the event this leads to an accident. It may not mean squat, but it may get them to actually fix it and at the least it puts it on the record in case something bad does happen.

Crap, now that I think of it, I have to do my recall in case the electronic demon ever strikes me so they can't blame the pedal.

 

Stock of the new design pedal is available in dealer stock. Don't let them just trim yours... insist on a new one. Trimming was intended by Toyota to only be a temporary thing until they got replacement pedals into the parts pipeline (remember, they were pretty much shut down on sales for the better part of a month).
They will also reflash your ECU.

 

Great info guys. I did not take it back for the recall because that is all they were going
to do was trim the gas pedal. Thank you vssman I did not know about the NASA
research on Toyota's problem.

 

Actually there is a NASA report that speculated that tin whiskers "could" be a problem but they concluded it was a remote possibly.

http://pcdandf.com/cms/component/content/article/237-2011-issues/7834-caveat-lector

 

I'm just curious as to why you haven't been to the dealer? After the first time this happened to me, I'd be there raising hell. Something like this, if happens at the right (or wrong) time could get you or someone else killed. Being that I drive my kids in my truck, I wouldn't be asking on here before it was at the very least looked at by the dealer. Imagine this happens and you drive into someone and kill them, who's at fault? You, unless you have some type of documentation atleast showing you complained about an issue. Go get it looked at.

 

You've acknowledged and publicized that it has a dangerous fault, it behooves you to get it in asap before something bad happens. There are situations where this could put you outa control, even if briefly, and result in damage, injury, or death.