Posted on 03/08/2010 10:56:10 PM PST by JoeProBono
EL CAJON, Calif. (AP) -- A California Highway Patrol officer helped slow a runaway Toyota Prius from 94 mph to a safe stop on Monday after the car's accelerator became stuck on a San Diego County freeway, the CHP said.
Prius driver James Sikes called 911 about 1:30 p.m. after accelerating to pass another vehicle on Interstate 8 near La Posta and finding that he could not control his car, the CHP said.
"I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car and it did something kind of funny...
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Wrong. Buying an engine is cheaper than a major car crash.
Yes they can. Son of Gore was busted in a Prius going 100 mph.
It's been pointed out that to shut down your car when it's moving you have to hold the button down for three seconds. Many people don't realize this because they don't read the manual. In other words, anything you do has to be with the approval of your car's computer.
Thanks for that reminder. It may be important to someone on this thread in the future.
If your accelerator becomes stuck, you should:
1. Shift to neutral.( In drive by wire vehicles with automatic transmissions the gear selector lever is nothing more than a switch and this may not shift the transmission to neutral with a computer malfunction)
2. Apply the brakes.
3. Keep your eyes on the road.
4. Look for a way out.
5. Warn other drivers by honking and flashing your emergency lights.
6. Try to drive the car safely off the road.
7. When you no longer need to change direction and have stopped, turn off the ignition. (Turning off the key locks the steering wheel of many vehicles.)(Also in vehicle with push button start or auto sequence starting where you turn and release the key, the engine may not shut off during a computer malfuncion)
Modern drive by wire vehicles actually need to have emegency shutdown switches that disconnect the battery and the alternator from suppling electricity to the vehicle in an emergency.
In 2003 I got one as a loaner when I dropped off my Tundra to have some work done. I was late to work that day so I did some aggressive driving on the interstate. 94...no problem. Al Gore son was arrested a few years ago for driving over 100 in his. These aren't muscle cars from the 60's, but they are peppy little sleds.
More media lies: How ABC News Brian Ross staged his Toyota death ride
http://www.infowars.com/more-media-lies-how-abc-news-brian-ross-staged-his-toyota-death-ride
Gawker | Brian Ross, Americas Wrongest Reporter, has been credited with owning the Toyota recall story, including one memorable report with Ross behind the wheel of an out-of-control car. He did it by splicing in staged footage to make it look scarier. [snip]
A Prius can pass other cars??? ;^)
The owner of GM (Obama) gets to investigate its’ biggest competitor, who happens to be non-union. Meanwhile, GM recalls 1.3 million cars for steering defects and the MSM doesn’t even notice.
Good thing this happened on several miles of open road. That’s the spot I’d pick.
Thank God Ponch was able to make the stop!!!!
Matthew Schwall of engineering firm Exponent, which was hired by Toyota, says a shot from an ABC report misleadingly showed a parked car's engine zooming rather than that of the moving car the video depicted.
I saw a woman on TV who was testifying at the Congressional hearings about how her car had accelerated and she said she called her husband to hear his voice one last time...then tears....sniff sniff.
All I could think was why the heck was she on the cell phone instead of doing what she had to do to get the car stopped? Obviously she made it so at least so maybe the car stopped on it’s own while she was on the phone.
Do we have a nation of helpless people who can’t think to save themselves? She must have been a Democrat.
Posted a couple of days ago.......The Toyota Simulator!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2465815/posts
They are wrong in some cases, if a car is accelerating sometimes you can’t shift to neutral. These are the steps to try but in the end if none of this works you turn off the key.
You will potentially loose power steering but you just have to grunt and steer.
I have been there, and the key was the only option in the end.
I did wreak the car a little, but I hit the curb only busting the half axle. Other than that, no damage to my person.
>ways to get the car under control>
Some have tried while going 90 miles an hr and that is the problem and what is broke.
Around 4 months ago, an off duty CHP officer his wife, dau and b-i-l were in a Toyota. I went speeding out of control
(CHP officer had yrs of experience in emergency situations)
but when something is broke - They sped off and went down
an embankment and all killed here in San Diego
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