unintended acceleration via floormat

[jediwebdude]

When it happened, I was thinking "wow...so this is what it's like." Fortunately I was at the front of traffic, so no cars in front of me. I was able to remedy the situation quickly (and calmly). However, if I was approaching an intersection where I needed to slow immediately, or coming upon a vehicle, I might have experienced some anxiety/panic/praying.

How it Happened
I was at a stoplight and needed to get over, so my plan was to accelerate aggressively to jockey into position. When the light turned green, I floored it to get out in front of other traffic so I could transition from lane 3 to lane 1. After obtaining my traffic position lead, I let off the gas pedal, but the truck continued to increase in speed. I realized what was happening and shifted into neutral...the engine immediately rev'd up, so my next thought was how to kill the engine. I decided first to try pulling the floormat back with both feet. That worked.

The floormat is the WeatherTech laser cut for the 2007 4Runner. The floormat pegs were in the WeatherTech holes as they should be, but the holes allow some travel. When I later examined the proximity of the gas pedal and the floormat, I realized that a combination of things had to happen in order for the corner of the floormat to catch the bottom of the gas pedal: the mat had to be as far fwd as the pegs/holes allow, the gas pedal floored, and my foot angled so that the heel was not pushing on the corner of the mat.

Solution
The easy solution is to snip off the corner of the WeatherTech mat. I want to measure first to get an exact cut so I can email WeatherTech and provide them the measurement.

Disclaimer
I am only passing this on as advisory info to my fellow 4R folk. In other words, I won't be contacting the media, or filing a lawsuit and hoping to get a settlement (although the new Trail Ed 4R looks pretty sweet and would suffice as a payout), or bashing any companies. While I am no longer skeptical of floormat claims, I remain skeptical of the unintended accel claims where something other than the floormat was to blame.

-Phil

 

[03_4x4Runner]

Have you had the recall done to cut off the bottom of the gas pedal?

 

[ChaosStarter]

You have no idea how many people have multiple (we're talking 2-3+) floormats in their vehicle. No one understands how if you use a all-weather mat, do not put it on top of existing floormats. There's a reason that it should be done like that, as you found out. I'm not saying that's what you have in your car, but it's the truth. And people got pissed if I took their extra floormats out and threw them in the trunk during the recall.

:nicethread:

 

[jediwebdude]

Have you had the recall done to cut off the bottom of the gas pedal?

No, because I was skeptical of the validity of the gas pedal claims for 4Runners. I now know that the recall is for a legitimate issue.

 

[jediwebdude]

You have no idea how many people have multiple (we're talking 2-3+) floormats in their vehicle. No one understands how if you use a all-weather mat, do not put it on top of existing floormats. There's a reason that it should be done like that, as you found out. I'm not saying that's what you have in your car, but it's the truth. And people got pissed if I took their extra floormats out and threw them in the trunk during the recall.

Yikes...was unaware people would do that. Since I off-road and had ruined the OEM floormats beyond the ability to clean them, I threw them out when I got the WTs. So the WTs were the only mats present.

 

[PhillyO]

I do know that toyota was recalling some trucks to replace the all weather floor mats for thinner lower profile rubber mats, but coild only recall seeing that on tacomas.

 

[ChaosStarter]

I do know that toyota was recalling some trucks to replace the all weather floor mats for thinner lower profile rubber mats, but coild only recall seeing that on tacomas.

Yes. It was for any vehicle that Toyota made all-weather mats for (most, but not all vehicles from around 06-07 and up). If the customer had the old ones, we would cut them up, and replace them. Unfortunately, the old ones were a much better design for their purpose, unlike the newer ones which like you said, are much thinner and lower profile.

 

[rebelbowtie]

I recently received a letter about this recall and forgot all about it. I don't even have floor mats in my truck currently. Truck was used an had dirty, stained grey carpet floor mats with my tan interior wtf!

If I took my vehicle to Toyota would they just cut my accelerator pedal?

 

[TRDCal]

The floormat pegs were in the WeatherTech holes as they should be, but the holes allow some travel.

How much travel are we talking? I'll have to check my WTs to be 100% but it don't remember any significant play in the holes.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

They need to notify you that the recall has or has not been performed and you are given the choice to refuse it, which if you do, they will have you sign some liabilty paperwork.

Be very clear if you do not want the recall done, they should not be doing it without your approval as it is optional.

And ChaosStarter is right, it is ridiculous how many people play "stack the mats!" I think the most I have seen is six or seven various floormats/rubbers/carpeting stacked on one another in an old camry.

 

[MikeInNH]

I do know that toyota was recalling some trucks to replace the all weather floor mats for thinner lower profile rubber mats, but coild only recall seeing that on tacomas.

4runners too. I had mine replaced on my 05 4runner.

 

[ryanbt]

This same thing happened to me with my WeatherTech Digital liner floor mats. The only difference was that I had had my T4R detailed at a local car wash hours before and they had not reattached the clips/pegs to the mat. I wrote them a strongly worded eMail and reminded them the importance of these clips. The next time I went to have it cleaned they did the same thing, so I had to talk to a manager. Needless to say they now always reattach my clips, it's the first thing I check for now when I get in!
I don't want to have to cut my mat or my pedal. Oh and for what it's worth I don't have any play in the holes for my clips, but my mats are only about a year old.
jediwebdude, did you use the clips from WT, or the OEM ones from Toyota? I left my Toyota clips in place and never used the ones WT sent with the mats.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

:wow: Weird, I've had the WT Digital liners in 2 4Runners now and never ran into this issue, they've never moved on me at all for that matter.

 

[ChaosStarter]

I recently received a letter about this recall and forgot all about it. I don't even have floor mats in my truck currently. Truck was used an had dirty, stained grey carpet floor mats with my tan interior wtf!

If I took my vehicle to Toyota would they just cut my accelerator pedal?

For the 4Runner's, yes. We trim about 1.5" off the bottom of the pedal. We also make sure the floormats are properly secured, and if you have the OEM Toyota's AWM, they'd be replaced. Other cars had other procedures, but that's it for the 4Runner.

 

[jediwebdude]

jediwebdude, did you use the clips from WT, or the OEM ones from Toyota? I left my Toyota clips in place and never used the ones WT sent with the mats.

I left the OEM clips in. Did not use the WT clips.

Maybe I'll shoot video of the amount of shifting the mats do while hooked to the clips. Could be my clips have too much movement.

 

[boondoggle]

I just have to remark on how good the google ads are on this site.

Below your post is an ad for WeatherTech floor mats. Ironic.

Be safe.

Carry on.

(edit: geez after posting this reply I get an ad for 'google ads'. wonder what happens if I type in Cheese Whiz).

 

[futbolking]

 

[jediwebdude]

Well here's what I get for procrastinating: it happened to me again on the Dallas Tollway. This time I just kicked the floormat back. Got home and shot video of the movement, then snipped off the corner of the mat. Will post video later today. Am busy changing my spark plugs. The air intake is blocking access to one of the plugs...grrr.

 

[NJshadow93]

Could Weathertech be at fault for this also? I understand there is a recall on the Toyota part, but it is happening with the Weathertech mat which is designed for this vehicle, rather than a universal mat. What are your opinions on this?

 

[jediwebdude]

Could Weathertech be at fault for this also? I understand there is a recall on the Toyota part, but it is happening with the Weathertech mat which is designed for this vehicle, rather than a universal mat. What are your opinions on this?

I don't think WT can take total blame. I may try installing the clips that accompanied the WT mats to see if they reduce the amount of play.