Runaway Prius in California

[ninemm]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100311/ap_ ... rius_panic

[KD5NRH]

From what I've read, you can't shut it off unless the computer agrees conditions are right for shutting off. You can't always shift into neutral just because you want to; it's an electronically controlled transmission, and you can't manually kick it out of gear.

According to one Prius owner, both the off button and the transmission have overrides, but you have to know to hold the off button, or hold the shifter in neutral (it won't stay by itself) for three seconds. Dealers don't mention it, and it's buried in the "driving for complete idiots" section of the manual that nobody reads. (You know, the part where they explain that turning the wheel left makes the car turn left, etc.) Of course, this also assumes the override program works. IMO, I'd rather have a good old fashioned covered toggle switch that turns off the mains.

[KD5NRH]

(It would also affirm just how piddling weak a Prius engine is, if the e-brake could do anything other than lock up the rear wheels while it kept trucking on down the road.)

Not really. My V6 Blazer struggles to overcome the e-brake if it's fully engaged.

[ninemm]

Not really. My V6 Blazer struggles to overcome the e-brake if it's fully engaged.

From a standstill or if you apply it when going 60-70 mph?

[Rex B]

Do you realize you cannot just turn off the key on a Prius.
It's a smart key. It will work if you simply have it in your pocket.
I suppose the only way to circumvent it is to throw it out the window.

When those things first came out, there was a flurry of "Hybrid Clinics" for the automotive aftermarket. Techs were advised to make sure the key was not in the car, or near it. In fact, take it in the office. Because you could have the car on the rack, oil drained out, with the ignition key in your pocket, and the car could decide it needs to charge the battery, and it will start itself up, nevermind there is no oil in the crankcase!

[bdickens]

Switch off the car? Shift to neutral?

In these cases it isn't quite so simple. This guy and others with the same problem are unable to do so.

You NEVER want to turn off a car (at least 99% of most modern cars) midflight. You will lose power steering and it will affect your braking. You DO want to shift in to Neutral and apply braking, but while the car is on. Once stopped, you can kill the engine.

In the case of the Toyota runaways, the drivers are unable to brake; either the brakes don't work, or the engine torque overcomes them. Besides, any concerns about what might happen to the car pale in comparison to any concerns about what might happen to you.

I'll bet half of a moderator's salary that this has nothing to do with the car and everything to do with the driver screwing up and getting scared. :

These runaway Toyota incidents are absolutely NOT driver error. They are 100% attributable to a malfunctioning vehicle. Remember when the reports first started coming out? It was supposed to be the floor mats. Now, they are installing a shim underneath the acelerator pedal

If this was any car other than a hybrid, I'd be the first to declare bullfeathers. But, the hybrids have some complex inter-connected systems that work very differently from traditional systems.

This has happened in other Toyota-made cars too. Just this morning I read of an account of a Lexus that ran away in a professional forum I frequent.

[cougartex]

Scary.

[ninemm]

Thanks, bdickens. It is good to know that 100% of incidents actually ARE attributable to vehicle malfunction. You have restored my faith in my fellow man.

[SwimFan85]

Switch off the car? Shift to neutral?

In these cases it isn't quite so simple. This guy and others with the same problem are unable to do so.

#1 reason people shouldn't buy a car smarter than themself.

He wasn't able to stop the car until The highway patrol team drove alongside the Prius, and instructed Sikes to engage the hand brake while simultaneously holding down the foot brake.

[ninemm]

#1 reason people shouldn't buy a car smarter than themself.

That would eliminate more than half the market, wouldn't it?

[KD5NRH]

Do you realize you cannot just turn off the key on a Prius.
It's a smart key. It will work if you simply have it in your pocket.
I suppose the only way to circumvent it is to throw it out the window.

Actually, I doubt that would work; there's no reason for it to keep polling the key while it's in operation.

[Kythas]

A Prius can do 90+ mph? That's the amazing part of this story.

[chabouk]

http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/12/toyota ... mento.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://jalopnik.com/5491101/did-bankrup ... celeration" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://jalopnik.com/5492199/exclusive-e ... -a-scammer" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ELB]

Some how the guy couldn't turn off his car at 90mph, but he could at 50, AFTER he got all kinds of attention from 911 and CHP? Right.

Michael Fumento weighs in. Go read it. Note the youtube link to the video of a Prius being brought to a stop with full acceleration in progress. Also, this Prius driver has an interesting background...

I smell baloney, and it is starting to fry.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/12/toyota ... mento.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ninemm]

Yeah, I was skeptical from the get-go (as is my nature - hence my original post) but have been assured that 100% of these events are attributable to a malfunctioning vehicle.