As someone who has been in software for over 30 years, I have to ask Toyota this question, “Have you ruled out the computer?” As I understand it, the cars in question are all “drive by wire” cars. Unlike the cars I drove as a teen where the gas pedal was connected to the carburetor with metal rods, these days the pedal is an input device that merely indicates to the car’s computer how fast the driver wishes to go. The computer is what directly controls the engine speed.
Even if the gas pedal was actually sticking, the computer could be programmed to detect a faulty pedal and shut down the engine automatically upon fault detection. Such software would be trivial to implement and could save lives until the real problem is determined. However there seems to be evidence of cases that defy the pedal theory and Toyota should be looking at the computer.
Computer code:
If (gas on floor) and (break on floor) then kill engine;
What do you think?
From today’s AP article on the subject…
“Toyota offered its most detailed description of the problem: Condensation can form in the mechanism that connects the foot pedal to the car’s engine, causing friction that prevents the pedal from smoothly springing back when the driver eases up.”
From the description, it seems likely that this could be caused by corrosion over time, resulting from the relatively infrequent occurrence of condensation in the linkage.
Damn..what happens when my empty beer bottle gets stuck under the gas pedal?????
The suggestion of killing the engine if the brake and gas pedal are simultaneously in use is exactly what volkswagens do. If you put your foot on the brake while having your other foot on the gas the engine is cut until you release the brake.
Simple logic: the brake pedal overrides the gas pedal. If the brake pedal is being pressed, then stop sending fuel to the motor.
#23. I often drive with both pedals, sideways, around corners, at 90 miles an hour. Loosing power at apex because of a computer program, would kill me!
#23. i might add, the new VW DSG gear box on a GTi once decided to change down to second gear (from third) on a loose metal road hilltop corner, sending me in it over a cliff with a front end totally locked up. So much for software.
#25: Unless you are in the habit of applying full throttle and maximum breaking simultaneously for more than 3 seconds, the software kill is not be an issue. Also, when it does kick in it is very gradual and ramped so there is no abrupt transition.
Tom
Terrible, terrible idea. Are you going to comfort the families who’s loved ones died because the sensors bugged out during a dangerous situation? Maybe you are ready to hand the wheel over to a fallible computer, but whatever “automatic kill switch” you want to add to my car that is not directly controlled by the driver will be removed and bypassed by me.
If my car begins to accelerate uncontrollably, then I’ll cut off the ignition. If that doesn’t work, I’ll toss the car in neutral. If you honestly cant figure out to do that, then it’s only a matter of time before some other inane situation will end up killing you. Survival of the fittest includes mental fitness as well. Who knows, maybe the only reason you exist on earth is to serve as an example to others.
Spot DEAD on!!! Next up Lexus recall – all models. See ya Toyota, it was nice knowin ya.
In 1980 I was driving a VW Rabbit Diesel that ran away. Stray oil from air cleaner compartment got into intake. Since motor was diesel, turning off key did nothing. Pressed brake hard, clutch started to slip (diesel has torque). Got up to 100 MPH, depressed clutch, motor red-lined and ran out of air cleaner oil.
That was a fun car. You could start in in gear at takeoff in one step. I also remember shifting into reverse at stop lights on snow packed roads to stop faster.
This the first thing I thought of also.
Brilliant! If gas pedal and brake pressed at same time, don’t move!
and now, let me get back to my squirrel fetish…
May be a gas pedal USB driver issue.
OK, since no one here actually reads anything:
1. Turning your ignition switch back one click cuts off the ignition without locking the steering wheel. Been that way for decades. Federal standard.
2. The fix awaiting federal approval could come quickly – see #3, however – inserting a low friction washer into the linkage.
3. You needn’t worry about the problem any longer. A Congressional committee is ordering hearings over the question. That should solve everything.
After reading all the posts, the only real solution would be to not drive a Toyota. As far as turning off the key….. by the time you realize what is happening, you have already had the accident.
It’s the TWR virus (Toyota Wild Ride) which infects the vehicle’s powertrain controller module via an infected MP3 flash drive plugged into the audio system.
Forgot to mention: only flash drives containing MP3s by Celine Dion are affected.
Most cars have one or more Throttle Position Sensors which are just variable resistors that are read by the car’s computer. However, it looks like this particular problem looks like a mechanical wear issue more than anything.
My vote is for condensation around the throttle freezing and keeping it open.
I hope the transmission isn’t I wire as well. If the computer locks up at full throttle and the computer controls the transmission then shifting into neutral doesn’t put the car in neutral.
Is the transmission control real or just another joystick?