Toyota Cleared of Unintended Acceleration?

Joe Marconi · February 13, 2011

Toyota Cleared of Unintended Acceleration???

Federal Highway Safety Officials on Tuesday of this past week absolved Toyota for problems pertaining to unintended acceleration with respect to its “electronics”. As Toyota cheers this finding, the news media now reports that according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Driver Error is the cause for most cases of unintended acceleration. That’s right, MOST cases. All that was cleared in this investigation, which NASA also participated in, was the electronics systems of the Toyota vehicles.

No conclusions were reached for the mechanical issues Toyota has with either the floor mat or the gas pedal. Many news stories failed to report other parts of the investigation. Here’s a quote from the Wall Street Journal, “In a few cases of prolonged uncontrolled acceleration, NHTSA said slipping floor mats that trapped the gas pedal were the likely the cause” Here is a direct quote from Mr. Ray Lahood, US Secretary of Transportation, “ The evidence points to mechanical and driver problems, not electronic”. And, the last quote for today from NASA’s lead engineer Michael Kirsch, “An electronics failure couldn’t be entirely ruled out”. For me, there are still a lot of unanswered questions.

Three main causes for unintended acceleration were found, Sticking gas pedal, floor mats that trapped the throttle and driver error.

I don’t know how you feel, but for me the jury is still out. I know firsthand that I had customers complaining of run-way Toyotas long before the problem hit the news papers. And, if this is driver error then why only Toyota vehicles? Wasn’t it Toyota who finally admitted to the problems?

Please, I want to hear from my fellow shop owners. What do you think?

Gonzo · February 13, 2011