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Toyota Sienna Uncontrolled Acceleration

244 messages,  Last post on Feb 20, 2013 at 8:54 PM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota, Van

Messages Page 10 of 25

#85 of 244 Re: Link to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation [ateixeira] by tsu670

Jan 27, 2010 (2:20 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jan 27, 2010 10:01 am)
Taking it a step further, here is how you can view some of the complaints that are already out there:
 
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/
then select "Recalls, Defects and Complaints" from the menu on the left
then select "Search Complaints" near the top of the menu on the left
On the right side of the next screen, click "Search Selected Type" under where the word "Vehicle" is checked
Try selecting "2005" in the "Select Year" pull down menu and click "Submit Year"
Select "Toyota" from the "Select Make" pull down menu and click "Submit Make"
Select "Sienna" from the "Select Model" pull down menu and click "Submit Model"
Pick "Vehicle Speed Control" from the "Select Component" menu and click "Retrieve Complaints"
 
Click the "Get Summary" link next to each complaint for details. Interesting stuff.
 
This is just for 2005. There are similar complaints afterwards for 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. There are also complaints for 2004, but I got tired of reading them all, so stopped looking at earlier model years.

#86 of 244 Sienna might not be the only Toyo that wasn't on the list, but should be. by tsu670

Jan 27, 2010 (6:51 pm)

After dinner I decided to go back into the NHTSA website to look for complaints of other Toyotas that were not on their recall list released yesterday. When you click "Select a Model" under Toyota, the first one that pops up is the 4Runner, so I picked that one. Sure enough, there are instances of unintended acceleration reported. I looked at 2006 through 2008 model years. I hate to say it, but this problem might be even bigger than what has already been reported.
 
By the way, the 4Runner is 100% built (parts and labor) in Japan.

#87 of 244 Re: Sienna might not be the only Toyo that wasn't on the list, but should be. [tsu670] by ateixeira

Jan 28, 2010 (10:42 am)

Replying to: tsu670 (Jan 27, 2010 6:51 pm)
I don't think where it's made had any influence. I believe the Prius is made in Japan and Highalnder is made in the USA, and both were affected.

#88 of 244 Re: Sienna might not be the only Toyo that wasn't on the list, but should be. [ateixeira] by dbt

Jan 28, 2010 (2:19 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jan 28, 2010 10:42 am)
Current recall affects CTS pedals, used in US/Canada manufactured Toyota models (except Lexus RX and possibly Sienna). Not affected are Denso pedals used by Japanese manufactured Toyotas/Lexus/Scion and definitely Canadian-made RX.

#89 of 244 Re: Sienna might not be the only Toyo that wasn't on the list, but should be. [dbt] by tsu670

Jan 30, 2010 (8:38 am)

Replying to: dbt (Jan 28, 2010 2:19 pm)
After doing more research on this issue (Google "Toyota sudden acceleration pedal"), I'm growing more and more convinced that the problem is NOT the rubber accelerator pedal itself as Toyota would lead us to believe. In other words, it isn't a mechanical problem of the pedal getting caught under floor mats or sticking on the carpet, and it isn't that the pedal is slow to return to idle. Grinding down the shape of the pedal or changing spring tension is not the answer.
 
Instead, it appears the problem is with the electronics of Toyota's "Throttle-By-Wire" system they started incorporating in their vehicles over the past few years. I'm thinking it's the sensors used to tell the computer when to open or close the throttle.
 
I continue to hear on our local news how Toyota dealers describe the problem as "sticking" gas pedals, but the stories I read are about sudden acceleration, not sticking pedals. The vehicles just start bolting out on their own, resulting too often in horrifying accounts of drivers trying to avoid traffic, pedestrians, parked cars, trees...
 
Toyota is supposed to announce their findings in the upcoming week. It will be interesting to see if they stick to their mechanical "pedal" explanation, or admit it is a system-wide electronics issue with their "Throttle-By-Wire" system.
 
For sure, they will need to add the feature that turns off the throttle when the brake is applied, but they should add it to ALL of their vehicles with TBW, not just the 8 models on last week's recall.
 
edit: I just did another Google search to see if there was any news. The following article from the L.A. Times popped up about 40 minutes ago:
 
Doubt cast on Toyota's decision to blame... gas pedal

#90 of 244 9.5 million and counting.... by revit

Jan 30, 2010 (10:04 am)

Toyota is fast losing its reputation as company which promotes reliability and safety. With the Friday’s announcement, the total recall of cars now stands at 9.5 million, 4.1 million for gas pedal problem and 5.4 million for floor mat problems. The number of cars recalled is more than what the company has sold last year (7.8 million vehicles were sold world-wide last year) which means the company’s expenditure will go up for carrying out the repairs.

#91 of 244 Re: 9.5 million and counting.... [revit] by ateixeira

Jan 30, 2010 (3:08 pm)

Replying to: revit (Jan 30, 2010 10:04 am)
Recalls are not necessarily a bad thing.

#92 of 244 Re: 9.5 million and counting.... [ateixeira] by tekkamaki

Jan 31, 2010 (12:23 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jan 30, 2010 3:08 pm)
This situation is certainly bad for Toyota.
The government forcing companies to recall defective products is a good thing. Time will tell if this fix is actually the fix or if there is more too it.

#93 of 244 Re: Brakes and Throttle failed at the same time? [backwoods] by yatesjo

Jan 31, 2010 (12:33 am)

Replying to: backwoods (Jan 19, 2010 6:13 pm)
It isn't about what works for me it is about what creates the least danger to everyone on the road. What your wife insists on doing is dangerous to her and to everyone around her. It is the worst possible way of handling the situation. If she her age is reducing her strength and reactions, then even more so she should take the action that requires the least time, least effort and maintains the power assist in the brakes and steering. Age is no excuse for stupidity. If she persists in using it, she should be removed from the road.
 
No one should expect the brakes to overcome both the momentum of the vehicle and the full power of the engine. It would take a ridiculous degree of over-engineering the brake system to do so on a vehicle of this size and power. The best way to overcome this is to take the engine from working against you to working for you.
 
How you will react in an emergency can be decided by how you plan to react and practice of that reaction. Plan to do something stupid and stupidity will occur with natural consequences of pain and injury to those unfortunate enough to be involved. Plan to do something smart and you aren't as likely to kill bystanders (like me and my family).

#94 of 244 Re: 9.5 million and counting.... [ateixeira] by revit

Jan 31, 2010 (1:19 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jan 30, 2010 3:08 pm)
Recalls are not necessarily a bad thing.
 
True, but they are in the case with Toyota as a recall has been 5 years in the making and their so called fix still does not address the actual cause of sudden acceleration when the pedals are not involve.
 
More importantly, cannot recall in recent years when any other automaker was required by law to stop selling their vehicles.

Messages Page 10 of 25

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