Unintended Acceleration

10 messages, Last post on Apr 01, 2009 at 10:13 PM

You are in the Lexus RX 300/330/350 Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester

What is this discussion about? Safety Technology, SUV

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#9 of 10 Re: Unintended Acceleration [jayvis] by tidester HOST Apr 01, 2009 (10:29 am)
Replying to: jayvis (Apr 01, 2009 6:05 am) The money has already been spent and "getting a different car" simply passes the problem on to the next unsuspecting person, i.e. there is no resolution. tidester, host SUVs and Smart Shopper Replies to this message: la4mead (Apr 01, 2009 10:13 pm)
#10 of 10 Re: Unintended Acceleration [tidester] by la4mead Apr 01, 2009 (10:13 pm)
Replying to: tidester (Apr 01, 2009 10:29 am) I agree... I'd be determined to keep trying to get to the bottom of it, too. It doesn't have an aftermarket cruise, alarm, obstruction (carpet, plastic panel, loose bolt, cable, clamp, misplaced heater duct, tire iron, water bottle) or anything like that? I know it sounds extremely silly to look for the obvious, but it could be anything. If there's anything else like a throttle cable or cruise servo, or even the engine cover or throttle itself... It could be anything from the pedal to the EFI. I'd be determined to find it right away, rather than in fear of it being unsafe. Maybe a search on the Tacoma forum might reveal if other owners of that model had a problem, and their solution. What if it is inherint in an electronic drive-by-wire? That surely would come up by now, unless you're the first person it's happened to. I hope you find your culprit. I'm pretty sure you will now that you have the incentive of a possible runaway truck. But it's most likely to be something obvious. But I feel for you. My mom had two Mavericks! They both had differing "runaway" car problems. The '70 250CID I6 and a '72 "GRABBER" 302 V8. A combination of a weak auto shift linkage and hand brake that couldn't hold the car on level ground no matter how hard you pulled, and a very determined idle. My mom didn't learn with the first one, and got another that was worse because it had the torque to pin you in after it fell in "Drive" or "Reverse" as you were getting in or out of an idling car. One time, I heard my mom screaming, and there were 4 big guys from her apartment building picking up the rear of the car. It was off the ground running in gear. When they dropped it back on the ground, it ran into the apartment building. They were busy little cars. Ford's fix came in the mail, unsolicited. It was an ugly sticker you're supposed to stick on the dash. It said something like "Do not leave any car idling in Park". Then there's my dad's '70 Hornet SST. I was a 15 year old with a learner's permit when the Hornet's throttle cable broke. The pedal fell under my foot, and I pried my foot under it. But it was loose and so was the engine. The throttle opens all the way when the cable breaks on many old models. The car lept forward, chirped in "first" and right through a red light in a busy section of the San Fernando Valley. It screamed at redline 1-2, then into 3rd. I was going 75 before I got the ignition to cut. I couldn't believe they could make cars that way, even as a youngster. And it didn't have "power" brakes, either. Those were the days. Not trying to belittle the concern for safety. I wouldn't want to put up with it, either. I'm curious to hear about it.

#9 of 10: Re: Unintended Acceleration [jayvis] by tidester HOST; Apr 01, 2009 (10:29 am)

Replying to: jayvis (Apr 01, 2009 6:05 am)

The money has already been spent and "getting a different car" simply passes the problem on to the next unsuspecting person, i.e. there is no resolution.

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

la4mead (Apr 01, 2009 10:13 pm)

#10 of 10: Re: Unintended Acceleration [tidester] by la4mead; Apr 01, 2009 (10:13 pm)

Replying to: tidester (Apr 01, 2009 10:29 am)

I agree... I'd be determined to keep trying to get to the bottom of it, too.

It doesn't have an aftermarket cruise, alarm, obstruction (carpet, plastic panel, loose bolt, cable, clamp, misplaced heater duct, tire iron, water bottle) or anything like that? I know it sounds extremely silly to look for the obvious, but it could be anything. If there's anything else like a throttle cable or cruise servo, or even the engine cover or throttle itself... It could be anything from the pedal to the EFI.

I'd be determined to find it right away, rather than in fear of it being unsafe. Maybe a search on the Tacoma forum might reveal if other owners of that model had a problem, and their solution. What if it is inherint in an electronic drive-by-wire? That surely would come up by now, unless you're the first person it's happened to.

I hope you find your culprit. I'm pretty sure you will now that you have the incentive of a possible runaway truck. But it's most likely to be something obvious. But I feel for you.

My mom had two Mavericks!

They both had differing "runaway" car problems. The '70 250CID I6 and a '72 "GRABBER" 302 V8. A combination of a weak auto shift linkage and hand brake that couldn't hold the car on level ground no matter how hard you pulled, and a very determined idle. My mom didn't learn with the first one, and got another that was worse because it had the torque to pin you in after it fell in "Drive" or "Reverse" as you were getting in or out of an idling car. One time, I heard my mom screaming, and there were 4 big guys from her apartment building picking up the rear of the car. It was off the ground running in gear. When they dropped it back on the ground, it ran into the apartment building. They were busy little cars. Ford's fix came in the mail, unsolicited. It was an ugly sticker you're supposed to stick on the dash. It said something like "Do not leave any car idling in Park".

Then there's my dad's '70 Hornet SST. I was a 15 year old with a learner's permit when the Hornet's throttle cable broke. The pedal fell under my foot, and I pried my foot under it. But it was loose and so was the engine. The throttle opens all the way when the cable breaks on many old models. The car lept forward, chirped in "first" and right through a red light in a busy section of the San Fernando Valley. It screamed at redline 1-2, then into 3rd. I was going 75 before I got the ignition to cut. I couldn't believe they could make cars that way, even as a youngster. And it didn't have "power" brakes, either. Those were the days.