The messy public relations situation stirred up by apparently ill-fitting floor mats in Toyota and Lexus vehicles and the potential for unintended acceleration isn't going to just go away. Certainly, not if ABC News has anything to say about it.
ABC has produced an investigative piece on the issue, wherein a few Toyota owners and an independent safety expert make the case that reports of unintended acceleration in Toyota/Lexus products cannot be written off to mere bunched-up floor mats.
Independent safety analyst Sean Kane, of the Vehicle Safety Information Resource Center, LLC (VSIRC), was interviewed for the story, and he says he has uncovered evidence of more than 200 accidents and a dozen deaths involving Toyota and Lexus vehicles that apparently accelerated out of control. His numbers come from another company, Safety Research & Strategies, Inc. (SRS), but neither Kane nor the SRS web site lays out those numbers in any kind of detail. Kane then speculates that electronic thottles may be the real culprit of unintended acceleration but offers nothing in support of that.
So, in the absence of hard evidence, we can't exactly describe ABC's report as a rigorous investigative piece. ABC does at least acknowledge that no engineers or automotive safety experts have been able to duplicate this condition in a Toyota or Lexus, and that NHTSA denied the latest petition for a defect investigation of the current-generation ES 350.
ABC says Toyota officials refused interview requests for this story. If that's true, Toyota may have lost an opportunity to state its side of the story and save face.
SnakeDoctor says:
11:20 AM, 11/ 3/09
Audi 5000 and 60 Minutes "journalism" all over again.
estreka says:
11:40 AM, 11/ 3/09
I don't mind ABC investigating this piece as long as they explain that they are reviewing a trend and not a scientific flaw. Toyota can't issue a recall for a "trend."
cruiserhead1 says:
11:55 AM, 11/ 3/09
hatchet job.
Toyota is smart not to walk into it.
Everything in that "report" is innuendo. Very damaging.
Why don't they compare "unintended acceleration" stats from other makes too?
brn says:
11:57 AM, 11/ 3/09
The floormat thing has bugged me since the beginning. Yes, it's possible for a gas pedal to catch on non secured floormat on ANY brand vehicle. The solution isn't to recall the car. It's to secure the damn floormats. Also, the brakes should be able to overpower the engine, so most of the cars wouldn't continue to accelerate.
I'm not a big fan of them telling people to pull the emergency brake. Nothing like losing control over the rears wheels.
DLu says:
12:01 PM, 11/ 3/09
the lady that crushed the Elantra in her X5 probably also has a problem like that ... !!!
7driver says:
12:07 PM, 11/ 3/09
brn,
"Also, the brakes should be able to overpower the engine, so most of the cars wouldn't continue to accelerate."
Yeah, if you apply the brakes correctly. Stomp on 'em to engage the ABS and the car will likely haul on down to 0mph. Be timid and prolonged on the brakes at high speed and you run the risk of overheating the pads/discs/shoes/drums.
acbayard says:
12:35 PM, 11/ 3/09
Many ECUs in automatics will not allow the brake and accelerator to be engaged at the same time. Step on the brake, and the ECU overrides the accelerator pedal.
The whole "unintended acceleration" issue is a red herring unless there's actual duplicability. Drivers who have a brain fart and crash their cars blame the car, how many will admit oops? I stepped on the wrong pedal?
I don't intend to disrespect the deceased Lexus driver and family, but in a situation where the accelerator is jammed, you go down the options instead of calling for help. Shift to neutral, apply the brakes. If somehow there's a mechanical issue that prevents shifting out of a drive gear, turn off the ignition (although it'll seriously compromise braking and steering).
fuhteng says:
01:16 PM, 11/ 3/09
acbayard - I thought I saw on a previous discussion that so long as you leave the key in accessory, you will still have power brakes and steering.
Also, where did bayard come from? Is it your name or from a certain historical figure?
Of course it is the cars fault. Just like that hot coffee that burnt that woman. I know this is sad, but if it wasn't quite so sad, it would be a certain Darwin Award candidate.
hondacura4 says:
04:46 PM, 11/ 3/09
Why not select neutral?
cwc1 says:
06:05 PM, 11/ 3/09
Looks like our idiot media culture has just been waiting for an opportunity to rehash the same story all over again, this time with Toyota. Does the truth matter? Of course not, not as long as they can whip up enough people into a frenzy to watch their shows and read their newspapers. Why do these organizations have any credibility with anyone at all? Peoples' memories are far too short, and propaganda organizations and politicians take advantage of it.