This isn't looking good for Toyota...

[rook]

Other than a floormat, what else could cause the throttle to open? Our "gas pedals" are more like an electronically controlled switch. What actuates the throttle? Is it vacuum assisted or an electronic motor?

We know that 4Runners have brake assist, which enhances the drivers braking force in a panic stop. Are other toyota's equipped with this feature?

 

[jwyshrek]

Other than a floormat, what else could cause the throttle to open? Our "gas pedals" are more like an electronically controlled switch. What actuates the throttle? Is it vacuum assisted or an electronic motor?

We know that 4Runners have brake assist, which enhances the drivers braking force in a panic stop. Are other toyota's equipped with this feature?

Use to be a cable directly connecting accelerator pedal to the throttle body...at the throttle body (or near it), there was a TPS sensor to tell the PCM how much the throttle was open so it knew how much fuel the injectors had to 'inject'...of course, based on a feedback loop consisting of the O2 sensor, air temp, coolant temp, etc.

Now, vehicles these days have 'drive by wire'...from 'fly by wire' aircraft technology (which is isn't 100% fool proof by the way). Essentially, the TPS (variable resistor) was moved from the throttle body to the pedal, eliminating the cable. So, no direct link between pedal to throttle body. Sensor at pedal tells PCM 'how much gas you want' and then PCM control signal to servo-like mechanism at throttle body...opening it so that it 'corresponds' to your pedal position (or so they say...but why is there a lag in the 4th gen???).

As I mentioned in another thread...it is getting to be where a 'driver' has no direct control over anything anymore...braking and steering included.

How much faith do you have in those engineers???

 

[eskimochaos]

Other than a floormat, what else could cause the throttle to open? Our "gas pedals" are more like an electronically controlled switch. What actuates the throttle? Is it vacuum assisted or an electronic motor?

We know that 4Runners have brake assist, which enhances the drivers braking force in a panic stop. Are other toyota's equipped with this feature?

Brake assist only analyzes time from the throttle to the brake. It takes into account force applied to the brake and adds full force because it deems that you intended to do so.

It happened to me when I needed to stop short off the throttle. Full braking force was not necessary but I went from the gas to the brake so quickly it though I was trying to stop on an emergency basis.

It surprises me that there is not a computer override when both are depressed at the same time even if the throttle is "electronically" stuck open that throttle response is cut almost entirely when brakes are depressed at the same time.

Oh yea, im not going to loose sleep over it.

 

[morphius909]

I think it's one of those situations where people involved in this scary incident will always believe there is a electronic/cpu/module issue.

I've had it happen on our rig a couple of times, and it's always the Husky liner that I've just put in after a wash that I didn't install.

Since these are highway incidents, and they all seem to be related one way or another (Cruise control, highway speeds, etc), there might be something to the drive by wire issue. At the same time, what is the trigger? If there was a common issue, with all the millions and millions of Toyotas out there, we would be seeing it all the time.

 

[jwyshrek]

Well, not necessarily...it could be related to something like a manufactured defect within a batch run for a particular component or maybe they are 'undercutting' defective parts because testing tolerances are not stringent enough.

It is like the recall on the Ford trucks with the cruise control cut off switch...catching fire. Not all of them showed defective behavior...only a small percentage in the grand scheme of things...but enough to cause a recall.

And even though most things are electrical/digital these days...there are still mechanical/moving parts in the system that could cause failures.

Without having Toyota's or the NTSA's data on the matter, it is hard to say what the issue really is. Could be mechanical, electrical, floor mat, or some piece of garbage on the floor board (you see how some people keep their vehicles these days???)...who really knows.

It just bothers me that they are point to one simple thing that is causing all these claims of out of control acceleration...

 

[Roland]

happened to me in an 08 Sport 4runner

I personally don't care whether any of you believe that Toyota has a problem or not and for you rocket scientist that think you can stop V6 4runner under full acceleration in 3rd gear put the pipe down. You can do a search on my user name and find out what happened to me. I'm going to make one point my vehicle did this while I was passing on the freeway and never shifted out of third all the way to the redline. And forget the mat BS I have weathertech mats and the door sill locks them in place. Oh! and did I mention that once thrown into neutral and back into gear vehicle returned to normal and down the road I went to the dealer who denied everything. Bottomline if anyone wants a deal on an 08 Sport with 11k on the clock let me know.

 

[Thai]

I personally don't care whether any of you believe that Toyota has a problem or not and for you rocket scientist that think you can stop V6 4runner under full acceleration in 3rd gear put the pipe down. You can do a search on my user name and find out what happened to me. I'm going to make one point my vehicle did this while I was passing on the freeway and never shifted out of third all the way to the redline. And forget the mat BS I have weathertech mats and the door sill locks them in place. Oh! and did I mention that once thrown into neutral and back into gear vehicle returned to normal and down the road I went to the dealer who denied everything. Bottomline if anyone wants a deal on an 08 Sport with 11k on the clock let me know.

Here is the thread: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?t=43729

Atlanta Man also had a similar event.

 

[rook]

Roland, its not that we do not believe you or anyone else who has experienced this, but we need to rule out all possibilites to get to an answer. It therefore generates some debate. Some will claim operator error, while others swear the truck acted on its own.

I was driving my 4runner Tuesday and went to pass on the freeway in my 08 v6 sport 4x4 and it stuck in passing gear. I finally had to throw it into neutral. and then back into 5 gear. Talk about having to change yout underwear. How about closing on the traffic in front of you at 90 mph:bugeye: Dealer tried some lame excuse that the gas pedal got stuck under the mat which is total BS. Not sure what I'm going to do now. Not using passing gear would be a real bummer, but having a major wreck if it did it again wouldn't be fun either.

I'll know more on Monday when the stealership gives me an update.

Word back from the dealer is that the mat most have got stuck over the accelerator. Which is total BS. I went back and looked in more detail and the weathertech mat has a slot for the accelerator pedal and tried a bunch of different ways to get the pedal stuck under the mat and couldn't duplicate the problem.

Reflecting back on the actual event when it happened this didn't have anything to do with the accelerator pedal getting stuck, it was more like the tranmission engaged 3rd gear and just developing a mind of its own My vehicle never stopped accelerating and was doing somewhere around 90 in 3rd with the shifter in the 5th gear slot. I've made limited attempts to duplicate the problem and been unsuccessful. To be honest I hope it never happens again, because that was a pretty scary event.

This post from Roland's 2008 thread brings up some interesting points.
1. The pedal became stuck after the operator depressed it to pass.
2. The transmission kickdown was activated.

In looking at the system components, there is a pedal travel sensor. I am guessing, but it makes sense that this would trigger the downshift as well as send the signal to the throttle body. By both events happening simultaneously, it may shed some light on what could possibly be defective.

 

[Will_4R]

Anything is better than a high speed crash, but wouldn't putting the trans in neutral with an open throttle over rev and damage the engine? Would turning the ignition off while still in D be any better?

 

[morphius909]

I personally don't care whether any of you believe that Toyota has a problem or not and for you rocket scientist that think you can stop V6 4runner under full acceleration in 3rd gear put the pipe down. You can do a search on my user name and find out what happened to me. I'm going to make one point my vehicle did this while I was passing on the freeway and never shifted out of third all the way to the redline. And forget the mat BS I have weathertech mats and the door sill locks them in place. Oh! and did I mention that once thrown into neutral and back into gear vehicle returned to normal and down the road I went to the dealer who denied everything. Bottomline if anyone wants a deal on an 08 Sport with 11k on the clock let me know.

That's some scary and crazy SH*T.

 

[rook]

Anything is better than a high speed crash, but wouldn't putting the trans in neutral with an open throttle over rev and damage the engine? Would turning the ignition off while still in D be any better?

In neutral, the truck will hit its rev limiter, therefore no serious engine damage will occur. The only time you turn the engine off is when the truck is stopped. In addition to longer braking distances, difficult steering, all other safety mechanisms are turned off.

 

[LBeard87]

FYI you can turn the 4runner off while moving. it just needs to be in neutral, not drive.

 

[rook]

FYI you can turn the 4runner off while moving. it just needs to be in neutral, not drive.

It can be turned off in any gear, in doing so the driver loses power brakes and steering and goes from one dangerous situation to another. Best to leave it running in neutral until stopped.

 

[Budrow]

Hasn't happened in my 4Runner... But I experienced WOT in my Isuzu Rodeo in high school (pushed clutch in, bounced off rev limiter, pulled over to shoulder on highway with motor off). My 94 civic just did pretty much the same thing bouncing off the rev limiter, I shut the motor off while rolling, started her back up and it was back to normal... no idea why. I'm assuming perhaps there is build-up of gunk keeping the throttle plate open, or making it stick etc... Meh, people that experience this and don't know how to handle it maybe shouldn't be driving.