Hybrid Owners Question Toyota Acceleration Explanation

When Toyota announced last week that it was halting sales and production of models associated with unintended acceleration, owners of the Toyota Prius, Camry Hybrid, and Highlander Hybrid, as well as Lexus hybrid owners, were somewhat relieved. That’s because the hybrid models were not included in the list of affected models.

Toyota said the problematic pedals found on conventional models are provided by CTS Automotive Products, while a different supplier, Denso Corporation, supplies the accelerator pedals for Toyota hybrids. As a result, the assembly line for the Camry Hybrid has remained online at Toyota’s Kentucky plant, while the non-hybrid Camry in the same plant has been idled.

Sticking Pedal versus Pedal Floor Mat Entrapment

To add to the confusion, the Toyota Prius remains on a different recall list, first issued in September, when the company said it would reshape or replace accelerator pedals on 3.8 million vehicles. That recall involves 2004 to 2009 Priuses—and recent year models of the Camry, Avalon, Tacoma and Tundra, as well as Lexus models ES 350, IS 250, and IS 350. The correction is intended to reduce the risk that the pedal may be jammed in the floor mat. In addition, the company will replace original equipment floor mats with redesigned mats.

Mike Michels, Toyota vice-president of communications, informed HybridCars.com in an email:

At the time of the floor mat recall—prior to the more recent recall involving the accelerator hardware—ABC News cited reports of 16 acceleration-related deaths and more than 200 accidents. It’s not clear if those accidents are attributed to a sticking pedal or the floor mat problem, or a combination of the two. At the time, Toyota said it had confidence the problem was linked to floor mats and not a vehicle design flaw or problems related to braking, fuel or accelerator systems.

Publicity Fuels Speculation

Confusion about the two different potential causes of the acceleration problem most recently has been confounded by a number of anecdotal stories concerning Priuses. Speaking at an event in San Francisco last week, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said that his 2010 Toyota Prius—not on either of the two recall lists—has “an accelerator that goes wild, but only under certain conditions of cruise control.” He said, “This is software. It’s not a bad accelerator pedal. It’s very scary, but luckily for me, I can hit the brakes,” he said.

Related posts:

1. Toyota Halts Sales of Eight Models, Not Hybrids In an unprecedented move, Toyota said Tuesday it was halting sales and production of eight car and truck models accounting for more than half its US sales until it finds a fix for sticking...
2. Toyota Will Replace Gas Pedals on Recalled Cars Toyota said today it will reshape or replace accelerator pedals on 3.8 million vehicles involved in the company’s largest recall ever. The announcement expands the scope and expense of the recall, which was announced...
3. Toyota Will Replace Gas Pedals on Recalled Cars Toyota said today it will reshape or replace accelerator pedals on 3.8 million vehicles involved in the company’s largest recall ever. The announcement expands the scope and expense of the recall, which was announced...
4. Recall: Toyota Floor Mats Could Be Dangerous Toyota said on Tuesday it will recall some 3.8 million vehicles, including the Toyota Prius, because of the risk a floormat could keep the accelerator pedal forced down. As an immediate remedy, the Japanese automaker...
5. Toyota Canada and Transport Canada Complete Floor Mat Investigation: No Vehicle Defect Identified in Affected Models Toyota Canada and Transport Canada Complete Floor Mat Investigation No Vehicle Defect Identified in Affected Models Canadian-Designed Genuine Toyota and Lexus All-Weather Floor Mats Safe for Affected Models[1] Extra Consumer Safety Improvement Campaign Undertaken...

Tags: accelerator, camry hybrid, floor, highlander hybrid, hybrid camry, Kentucky, Mat Entrapment, Mike Michels, San Francisco, Steve Wozniak, Tacoma, Toyota, toyota hybrids, Toyota Prius, Tundra