Toyota issued a massive safety recall involving 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus models following this highly publicized case. In August, four members of a family travelling in a Lexus ES on State Route 125 in Santee, San Diego, California were killed when the throttle pedal of the vehicle was apparently stuck wide open. The Lexus hit an SUV at over 190km/h before rolling over and burst into flames, killing everyone inside.
Toyota eventually issued a safety recall, citing problems with improperly fitted rubber mats (rubber mats are dealer fitted items in Lexus models sold in USA) as the cause of accelerator pedals getting stuck. Toyota is in a messy PR situation because, either fortunately or unfortunately, it is very clear that problems of sudden acceleration in Toyota (Tacoma, Prius, Camry) and Lexus (ES and IS) models sold in USA have been reported many years earlier, as seen in the report below.
Do a simple Google search and you will see that complaints started streaming in since 2007.
Above is the picture I found on the internet, supposedly of an ES350 with OEM rubber mats. As you can see, it is quite difficult to believe how is it possible for a floor mat to be pushed so far up and above the pedal AND be able to hold the pedal down. All rubber mats have ribbed / spikes back surface and they don't move around a lot on the carpet no matter how hard you try.
The odd thing is that the problem is only reported in USA and not anywhere else. The IS in particular, is only manufactured in Toyota's Tahara plant in Japan. Some owners are not satisfied with the answer and are asking Toyota to look into the cruise control.
In any case, Toyota have issued a direction on the correct rubber mat installation and inspection, and the part number of the correct rubber mats to be used. You may download them from here.
However do note that these are North American market specific parts, and thus might include all-weather material type mats which may not be applicable to your local market.
So far, regional Toyota offices have been silent on the matter even though the Lexus models affected are made in the same plant in Tahara, Japan, which is the primary production site for all Lexus models sold all over the world. To my knowledge, there is only 1 other Lexus production facility outside Japan, in Ontario, Canada which makes LHD North American market Lexus RX models.
In the unfortunate event that you do encounter sudden acceleration, stay calm and shift the car into Neutral and hit the brakes hard, use both your feet if you have to (assuming that in a worst case scenario that the brake servo has also failed for some reason). On a vehicle equipped with Start-Stop button ignition, press and hold the button should kill the engine, but don't do this unless at last resort because killing the engine will also cut all power assist to the brakes and steering.
Many years ago, I myself had experienced sudden acceleration on an old electronic fuel injected Proton Wira. I was pulling out of a junction to merge into fast moving traffic. The engine was soon racing towards the redline and I quickly knock the shift lever into Neutral. It was fine when reengaged it into gear again. Inspection by technicians later revealed a faulty idle speed control servo.
It might seem no big deal to drivers who are more alert to their cars, many whom will be able to catch a slightly off rev character from the current gear position immediately. But it can be quite a hairy experience to lesser experienced drivers.
Should you somehow find yourself in a dangerous situation where you don't have control of the brakes as well on a runaway vehicle, use the guard rail to slow the car down, as shown in this BMW driver training video (unofficial amateur video).
Update : NHTSA have release a photo showing exactly how the accelerator pedal can be caught under the floor mat.
Toyota also revealed that it has came out with a semi-permanent solution - to tie down the floor mats to the driver's seat using plastic zip ties. No doubt it's a practical and cost effective solution. But I am not sure how will those Lexus drivers react when their BMW, Audi and Mercedes buddies look at their new advanced "active safety floor mat retention feature installed."
Related link :
Lexus lacks a critical safety feature for drive-by-wire vehicles?
Product Recalls
Recall on China Market Toyota Camry - Defective Brakes
2 comments:
I have a sound slip of the actual 911 call made before the crash by one of the passengers of the ill fated car. Wondered why they never thought of shifting to neutral.
The sound clip is also in the news report. But readers behind some company firewalls might not be able to see Youtube videos.
I guess in the midst of the panic, they just didn't thought of that. Or maybe they did and was affraid of the engine rev racing towards the redline. To regular folks who don't drive like loonies, a redlining engine in neutral can be quite scarry. I know because I had a passenger with me who freaked out during my own sudden acceleration experience. But of course, it no biggie if you have erm...explored that area of rev range...
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