4-Runner Sudden Acceleration

[Spaceman]

Has anyone experienced an "Unintended Acceleration" problem on a 4-Runner?? I'm referring to the current "Unintended Acceleration" problem that lots of Toyota cars are now experiencing and in the news.

Since I drive mine on dangerous ledge roads in the high mountains of Colorado, I am getting a bit concerned about this. If that problem shows up on this car at the wrong time, I will probably die!!! I'm sure everyone knows that the brakes will not stop the car and probably wont even slow it down while in 4WD low.

 

[Jed]

Has anyone experienced a Sudden Acceleration problem on a 4-Runner?? I'm referring to the current Sudden Acceleration problem that lots of Toyota cars are now experiencing and in the news.

Since I drive mine on dangerous ledge roads in the high mountains of Colorado, I am getting a bit concerned about this. If that problem shows up on this car at the wrong time, I will probably die!!! I'm sure everyone knows that the brakes will not stop the car and probably wont even slow it down while in 4WD low.

There are no legitimate reports that I know of for the 4Runner. It's not even part of any related recall.

BTW, the brakes will still stop the vehicle under full throttle in 4wd low. Try it yourself some time in an empty parking lot.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Spaceman, where have you been? It's been a while... I reference you're ride frequently when people ask "will these tires fit a stock T4R".


As far as the throttle issue is concerned, I agree with Jed. The T4R isn't even on the list. The vendor that provides the throttle sending unit for our 'fly-by-wire' throttles isn't the same one as the recalled vehicles. Basically the J VIN# vehicles (like our T4R's) get a Denso brand sending unit that doesn't seem to have issues.
:cheers:

 

[wjamyers]

IMO, this is an issue manufactured by their competition.

YouTube - How to Stop Sudden Unintended Acceleration

 

[Axis]

This is just overhyped crap and I'm getting sick of it. Even on the oscars last night Steve martin made a lame joke about how the director of hurt locker sent james cameron a bomb strapped gift bag and that james cameron in turn sent her a toyota. Way to be part of the corporate hype machine Steve!

 

[SV_Dude]

This is just overhyped crap and I'm getting sick of it. Even on the oscars last night Steve martin made a lame joke about how the director of hurt locker sent james cameron a bomb strapped gift bag and that james cameron in turn sent her a toyota. Way to be part of the corporate hype machine Steve!

+1 !!!

I'm about tired of hearing about toyota's taking off on their own. From my knowledge it's been proven that cars do NOT suddenly take off on their own and the acceleration system is redundant on it's own electrical system that is seperate from all other systems.

Too bad toyota took the fall on this. This is not to say that Toyota is perfect, every car maker has flaws but sudden acceleration is a bunch of BS!!

 

[blackmax]

ALmost certainly made up by the UAW and lawyers. Toyota is in a pickle because for lawsuit reasons, they can't come out and say that. That would make it look like they are lying or hiding something or denying a problem. So, they have to apologize for something that almost surely doesn't even exist.

Now, there IS a problem with the use of thick floor mats, that cause the accelerator to get wedged on the mat. The thick rubber ones are usually the issue. It happens to mine all the time, but ya know what? I never panicked and drove into a wall. I pulled the mat back and/or hit the brake.

Oh, and don't forget the scumbag UAW steals from consumers and pays much of that plunder to congressmen and senators from their states. Those ars clowns then call hearings and try to make it as big an issue as possible, in order to benefit their fellow criminals at the UAW. Sick sick sick..... NEVER buy union made anything. Buy REAL American from Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Honda, etc. They are made by real Americans, not those criminal slimeball union members.

 

[BamBam]

I almost hate to even bring this up... but as a former FJ owner (with the same V6 as the 4Runner and same setup) this was a problem. I had it happen to me twice. I believe somebody on the FJ Forum had it happen at some point and hit into another car at a stoplight. I could be misremembering which forum I read that on. It ALMOST happened to me.

The discussion we had went something like this..... "It seems that FJ's are 'jumping' at lights and in garages when you are stopping."

The discussion went on for a while and we ultimately figured out that it was just the typical getting used to the weird brakes that the FJ has (they grab like nobody's business, but it isn't a gradual grab.... you are either stopped or still rolling... hard to explain, but I feel some of it in my 4R). Anyway, we tested the theory for a few weeks and it seemed to be incomplete locking of the brakes or people doing the inch forward in the garage thing, and then the AC cycling or a fan coming on or something similar that automatically makes the engine ramp up slightly. Due to the brakes not being locked, the vehicle seems to lurch forward slightly.

This is typical of pretty much any vehicle made in the last 20 years with fuel injection and AC. I just learned to make sure that I was really all the way down on the brakes, and I did turn the AC off before pulling into the garage because I had a super tight fit and the one time I smacked into the lawnmower (no damage to either).

It wasn't a big deal. I wasn't concerned about it, but if I remember right (and this was a couple of years ago) some people were filing complaints with NHTSA and Toyota and not getting many answers.

I think a lot of it is just getting used to the vehicle and driving it properly for how it is set up. That isn't so much a safety issue as a user error issue.

 

[offshorebear]

Practice throwing it in neutral.

 

[Maz]

ALmost certainly made up by the UAW and lawyers. Toyota is in a pickle because for lawsuit reasons, they can't come out and say that. That would make it look like they are lying or hiding something or denying a problem. So, they have to apologize for something that almost surely doesn't even exist.

Now, there IS a problem with the use of thick floor mats, that cause the accelerator to get wedged on the mat. The thick rubber ones are usually the issue. It happens to mine all the time, but ya know what? I never panicked and drove into a wall. I pulled the mat back and/or hit the brake.

Oh, and don't forget the scumbag UAW steals from consumers and pays much of that plunder to congressmen and senators from their states. Those ars clowns then call hearings and try to make it as big an issue as possible, in order to benefit their fellow criminals at the UAW. Sick sick sick..... NEVER buy union made anything. Buy REAL American from Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Honda, etc. They are made by real Americans, not those criminal slimeball union members.

Did you miss any anti-union talking points....No, it seems you got them all. You've made numerous claims several times now and presented as fact blackmax. Can you back any of them up?

1. "Almost certainly made up by the UAW and lawyers." So people went out and killed themselves so their surviving family members could file a lawsuit? Well that makes sense. I'm also sure the UAW forced Toyota to first insist the problem was the consumers fault because of the floor mats they used, then chanced the story to say it about gas pedals, and then recalled at least some Prius models for reasons that had nothing to do with floor mats or gas pedals.

blackmax please provide one link, quote, or something other than your OPINION the United Auto Workers are involved. Can you do that...??

2. "Toyota is in a pickle because for lawsuit reasons, they can't come out and say that." Why can't Toyota say that?? If there were any truth to this claim, or for that matter even the appearance of truth, you can bet Toyota's lawyers would be screaming that story as loud as possible.

3. "Oh, and don't forget the scumbag UAW steals from consumers and pays much of that plunder to congressmen and senators from their states." How can we forget it blackmax, since you keep saying it over and over. However we also can't forget you never back up these wild claims.

Give us some example where the UAW "steals from consumers." In fact let's make this easier, give us even one example. Can you??

4. "Sick sick sick..... NEVER buy union made anything." So this isn't really about Toyota, nor is it really about the question of unintended acceleration is it. No, it's an anti-union rant, repeated ad naseum and never backed up with a single fact. So here's your chance blackmax, the floor is yours. The facts are??

 

[2004TR4-SR5]

never throw it in neutral...if the throttle is stuck open the engine will rev itself up and you WILL blow the engine up....just shut the truck off if it happens

 

[Spaceman]

There are no legitimate reports that I know of for the 4Runner. It's not even part of any related recall.

BTW, the brakes will still stop the vehicle under full throttle in 4wd low. Try it yourself some time in an empty parking lot.

Thanks Jed for the info. I am really surprised by that!!!

I guess I went too far with my comment. It was based on what I could remember about typical driving experience up in the mountains.

Guess I'll have to try it.

 

[Jed]

never throw it in neutral...if the throttle is stuck open the engine will rev itself up and you WILL blow the engine up....just shut the truck off if it happens

No, it will not blow up. The engine has a rev limiter which will stop it from self destructing.

Besides, if anyone ever found themselves in such a situation and could not control a vehicle, it is a much better option to destroy the engine than to crash the car. But like I said, rev limiters protect the engine from destroying itself in the first place.

 

[Spaceman]

Spaceman, where have you been? It's been a while... I reference you're ride frequently when people ask "will these tires fit a stock T4R".


As far as the throttle issue is concerned, I agree with Jed. The T4R isn't even on the list. The vendor that provides the throttle sending unit for our 'fly-by-wire' throttles isn't the same one as the recalled vehicles. Basically the J VIN# vehicles (like our T4R's) get a Denso brand sending unit that doesn't seem to have issues.
:cheers:

Hi CJ3Flyr

Yes, still like the tires. They have been perfect for me both on & off road. They really grab when you need it, mpg is good, not noisy on the freeways & really like the 1 inch extra clearance.

Not really concerned about the mechanical issues. That one is history.

I'm only concerned about the electronics issue. Toyota has not closed the door on that one yet. They only talk about continuing the analysis.

I'm concerned about my T4R a little because of my driving 13,000 ft ledge trails and we keep hearing about other models, not on the recall list, showing up with related problems. I sure hope Toyota gets to the bottom of this fast so all can forget about this issue.

I'm really glad, so far, that no one has reported a serious problem with the T4R.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

never throw it in neutral...if the throttle is stuck open the engine will rev itself up and you WILL blow the engine up....just shut the truck off if it happens

I say always go to 'N'.


In any car made after 1990 or so there will be a rev limiter. The engine won't blow and you'll have normal brakes and normal steering.

If you're looking for one rule of thumb for 99% of drivers I say go to 'N'. If you don't have a car with a rev limiter then practice steering and stopping with the engine off in a controlled environment.

 

[offshorebear]

Never turn the car off. You will loose power steering, power brakes, and you can lock the steering wheel. As said above, the rev limiter will protect the engine, but you could probably watch the gas guage swoop down

 

[BamBam]

Did you miss any anti-union talking points....No, it seems you got them all. You've made numerous claims several times now and presented as fact blackmax. Can you back any of them up?

1. "Almost certainly made up by the UAW and lawyers." So people went out and killed themselves so their surviving family members could file a lawsuit? Well that makes sense. I'm also sure the UAW forced Toyota to first insist the problem was the consumers fault because of the floor mats they used, then chanced the story to say it about gas pedals, and then recalled at least some Prius models for reasons that had nothing to do with floor mats or gas pedals.

blackmax please provide one link, quote, or something other than your OPINION the United Auto Workers are involved. Can you do that...??

2. "Toyota is in a pickle because for lawsuit reasons, they can't come out and say that." Why can't Toyota say that?? If there were any truth to this claim, or for that matter even the appearance of truth, you can bet Toyota's lawyers would be screaming that story as loud as possible.

3. "Oh, and don't forget the scumbag UAW steals from consumers and pays much of that plunder to congressmen and senators from their states." How can we forget it blackmax, since you keep saying it over and over. However we also can't forget you never back up these wild claims.

Give us some example where the UAW "steals from consumers." In fact let's make this easier, give us even one example. Can you??

4. "Sick sick sick..... NEVER buy union made anything." So this isn't really about Toyota, nor is it really about the question of unintended acceleration is it. No, it's an anti-union rant, repeated ad naseum and never backed up with a single fact. So here's your chance blackmax, the floor is yours. The facts are??

Proud union member here... not a member of the UAW, but I find the anti-union crowd will do anything to get in a few shots at unions and seem to thrive on stuff that can be skewed towards an anti-union stance. I've gotten to the point where I really just tune it out. The only people who believe it are typically the union haters, and the only ones who revel in it are those who are looking for more junk to post in other places. It's too bad it all came to this. The UAW is somehow responsible here? Amazing. Just amazing.

 

[b.abe825]

My 4Runner has experienced sudden acceleration a few times as of late. Ever since I installed my K&N CAI. I wonder if I should report it.

Every time I'm at an on-ramp or a stop light I'll barely tap the accelerator and it'll just go and rev away and before I know it I'll be going almost 80! It's so weird...





***** The preceding is DRIPPING with sarcasm

 

[FourEyedWilly]

My 4Runner has experienced sudden acceleration a few times as of late. Ever since I installed my K&N CAI. I wonder if I should report it.

Every time I'm at an on-ramp or a stop light I'll barely tap the accelerator and it'll just go and rev away and before I know it I'll be going almost 80! It's so weird...





***** The preceding is DRIPPING with sarcasm

My POS 4Runner does the same thing?!?!?! ****more sarcasm.

My only issue is I was trying to be 16 years old in the rain last night and could not get anything sliding or skidding. Damn electodoohickies keep that damn thing planted. Oh well...

Edit: I have noticed a 'sudden acceleration" when at a stop....with the air conditioning on, idle jumps a bit, lazy foot needs to press harder on the brake.

 

[MnRiverman]

Did you miss any anti-union talking points....No, it seems you got them all. You've made numerous claims several times now and presented as fact blackmax. Can you back any of them up?

1. "Almost certainly made up by the UAW and lawyers." So people went out and killed themselves so their surviving family members could file a lawsuit? Well that makes sense. I'm also sure the UAW forced Toyota to first insist the problem was the consumers fault because of the floor mats they used, then chanced the story to say it about gas pedals, and then recalled at least some Prius models for reasons that had nothing to do with floor mats or gas pedals.

blackmax please provide one link, quote, or something other than your OPINION the United Auto Workers are involved. Can you do that...??

2. "Toyota is in a pickle because for lawsuit reasons, they can't come out and say that." Why can't Toyota say that?? If there were any truth to this claim, or for that matter even the appearance of truth, you can bet Toyota's lawyers would be screaming that story as loud as possible.

3. "Oh, and don't forget the scumbag UAW steals from consumers and pays much of that plunder to congressmen and senators from their states." How can we forget it blackmax, since you keep saying it over and over. However we also can't forget you never back up these wild claims.

Give us some example where the UAW "steals from consumers." In fact let's make this easier, give us even one example. Can you??

4. "Sick sick sick..... NEVER buy union made anything." So this isn't really about Toyota, nor is it really about the question of unintended acceleration is it. No, it's an anti-union rant, repeated ad naseum and never backed up with a single fact. So here's your chance blackmax, the floor is yours. The facts are??

Amen!