runaway prius - a hoax?

wish2fish

wish2fish

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Dec 19, 2006
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Locust Creek, Ohio River mm 433
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Just wondering what others think. Have you heard the story about the runnaway prius in California?

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Runaw...-hits-94-mph-driver-rescued/story?id=10046912

I have to wonder if this is a hoax. My understanding of the Toyota hybrids is that when you press the brake pedal the fuel supply is cut to the gas motor. So not only would the person have to have a stuck accelerator but also a defective brake pedal. What is the possibility that this was a hoax or scam by the driver to get money or get out of the vehicle?
 
auditioning for Balloon boy's dad's job?
 
wish2fish said:
Just wondering what others think. Have you heard the story about the runnaway prius in California?

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Runaw...-hits-94-mph-driver-rescued/story?id=10046912

I have to wonder if this is a hoax. My understanding of the Toyota hybrids is that when you press the brake pedal the fuel supply is cut to the gas motor. So not only would the person have to have a stuck accelerator but also a defective brake pedal. What is the possibility that this was a hoax or scam by the driver to get money or get out of the vehicle?
Click to expand...


Toyota better hope so. They're starting to leave a bad taste in their own mouth.

Perhaps "Christine" has take charge....
 
I see jail time in his future. He had plenty of time to call the police, but only turned the key off with the cops arrived.
 
They may want to change this to. Moving Forward out of control....

toyota-moving-forward.jpg
 
I can't imagine it being a hoax but you have to wonder why the driver thought that putting the car in neutral would have caused it to flip.:smt021

But hey.........we license just about everyone to drive cars these days and there are some dimwitted people on the road that shouldn't be. :smt100
 
My wife had a Toyota Sienna and we got rid of it 3 years ago. She hated it... She would complain about the accelerator having a mind of its own and took it in under warranty several times and they said there was nothing wrong with it.

Traded it in on a Honda Pilot... Someone else's problem now. Unless they hit me.
 
I doubt it's a hoax - there may be some driver error involved but there have been too many incidents. What I don't get is why more people don't put it into neutral or cycle the push button start. (if that even works while moving). Now the Tundra's are being recalled for excessive rust - spare tires are falling off. They should recall the 4Runners, Sequoias and Tacomas as well - they all rust excessively - too the point we can't always get the skid plates off to do basic oil changes. Crazy.
 
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That was my first thought, a con job, and for the life of me I don't understand why these people don't put the can in neutral or just just it down. Of course they would probably shut it down...pull out the key...and lot up the steering wheel.:smt021
 
Just remember when you turn off engine, it steers like a truck and takes both feet to push the brake (no power braking). Some people are so freeked out when doing 90 MPH they cannot even think or look at putting the gear lever out of drive.
 
Car magazines have been doing some tests, and brakes can stop a runaway car, so I think there is a panic factor involved. Also, the Toyota push button doesn't stop the engine unless it is held for over 3 seconds. That is to prevent accidental shutdowns. If you panic, and just push the button over and over again, it doesn't stop the engine.
 
I see a whole host of new regualtions comming from our Washington dimwits.....errrr....... Legislators to protect us from ourselves in the future. :smt021
 
Another incident occurred Tuesday in Westchester county NY. A 56 yr old woman was leaving her driveway and her Toyota jetted across the street and into a heavy stonewall, demolishing it. So this makes 2 possible hoaxes.
 
It's a good thing this is not happening to Mazda. Their ads show their cars accelerating in crazy wide circles going ZOOM, ZOOM, ZOOM. Shows motive.
 
magredoak said:
Car magazines have been doing some tests, and brakes can stop a runaway car, so I think there is a panic factor involved. Also, the Toyota push button doesn't stop the engine unless it is held for over 3 seconds. That is to prevent accidental shutdowns. If you panic, and just push the button over and over again, it doesn't stop the engine.
Click to expand...


Yes, if you hit the brakes and hold them, they will stop the car. But at WOT there is no vacuum assist and if you pump the brakes (typical reaction when panicking) you will lose the stored vacuum and will no longer have vacuum assist. Also, the Prius has an electronic shifter, which apparently will not shift it into neutral at high speeds.
 
What shocked me is that a Prius could do 90 mph....the rubber band must've been pretty tight.
 
Gee, may be President Obma could take over Toyata and give it health care.
 
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