IF YOU OWN A TOYOTA, LEARN ABOUT YOUR OPTIONS HERE
California Highway Patrol officer Todd Neibert talks about helping driver James Sikes with his runaway Toyota Prius at a news conference held Tuesday, March 9, 2010 in El Cajon, Calif. Sikes, 61, was driving east on Interstate 8 near Lake Jennings Park Road at 1:30 p.m. when he tried to pass a slower car, according to the California Highway Patrol's account of the incident. Sikes then noticed that the Prius seemed to be accelerating on its own. Sikes attempted to bring the car under control himself, and then called 911.
The 911 tape starts with the operator asking Sikes if he has an emergency. "My car won't slow down," answers Sikes. After telling the operator where he is and what kind of car he's operating, he again tells the operator, "My accelerator is stuck. Yeah, I pulled it back, I tried pulling it back, pulling it back, but it's stuck."
Toyota With 'Stuck' Accelerator Hits 94 MPH, Driver Rescued by California Highway PatrolToyota Slams Sudden Acceleration Research of Auto ExpertMore from Brian Ross and the Investigative TeamAs Sikes would later explain during a press conference, he held on to his steering wheel and tried to pull the accelerator pedal back with his right hand. "I thought it was maybe stuck," he said. "Somehow the pedal was stuck. But it wasn't stuck on anything that was visible."
IF YOU OWN A TOYOTA, LEARN ABOUT YOUR OPTIONS HERE
The Prius had reached more than 80 miles per hour when the operator told Sikes she was notifying a highway patrol officer. Sikes can then be heard saying, "A truck" and "S__t." Sikes said later that he had to avoid several big rigs during the incident.
The operator asks Sikes to check his floor mats and to try to put the car into neutral, and to press down on the brakes for five seconds. Sikes, who has sounded fairly calm, throughout the incident, starts to moan as these various measures fail.
I have a Toyota. I am going to join the class action lawsuit. My life and my family's life is not worth a car.
ReplyDeleteAmerican cars never have those problems. Every other problem under the sun, but not those.Keep buying foreign cars.
ReplyDeleteA mechanic friend of mine warned me about car manufactures using electronics to control the accelerator in cars, I say stick to the old fashioned cable control, it appears safer.
ReplyDeleteFor all die-hard foreign car lovers, (especially Toyota's) maybe it's time to go back to the good old American automakers and put our trust in them. They've had some problems with their cars, but certainly nothing as serious as run-away cars.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't people just turn off their cars when this happens. That is the first thing that I would do if this situation were to happen to me. It is only common sense. Turn the darn thing off!!
ReplyDeleteTURNING OFF THE ENGINE CAUSES YOU TO LOSE THE POWER STEARING AND YOU WILL SURELY PROBABLY FLIP THE AUTO YOU CANT STEAR THE CAR TRY IT SOMEPLASE SAFE AT ABOUT 10 MPH AND SEE FOR YOURSELF
ReplyDeleteall i can say is thats carma for buying japanese
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why people are still buying foign cars, when america has so vastly improved all thier models and feul effeciency. Americans wake up and endorse your oun counrty!
ReplyDelete