stupid: [PTS] Re: sudden acceleration

Minggu, 17 Februari 2008

[PTS] Re: sudden acceleration

If you lightly touch the brake pedal (so that the brake switch
engages, you can see the brake lights come on at night)
does the cruise control show the same error?
That would confirm that the brake switch could be the issue,
it would further be confirmed if you can check when driving at
night that sometimes after a stop, your brake lights stay on.

Make sure it is not the "big foot" syndrome, where the driver
accidentally touches the brake pedal with one edge of his foot,
while operating the accelerator pedal.
I presume that your left foot is on the footrest against the
left wheel well during all of this.
(Only ralley-drivers learn to use two feet-driving techniques,
for the rest of us, one foot is all we need until we get into a
stickshift car.)
Cor.

--- In Prius_Technical_Stuff@yahoogroups.com, "Jon Wilson"
<jonswilson@...> wrote:
>
> I have a randomly recurring cruise control problem that Patrick (I
think it
> was) suggested may be caused by a faulty brake light switch. After
using the
> cruise control, I stop at a signal. Then, when I resume,
the "cruise" light
> on the instrument panel flashes indicating a malfunction. I can
turn it off
> and back on several times and it still flashes (when turned on). If
I then
> stop and power down, wait, and restart, it recovers and operates
properly
> until the next random recurrence. Sometimes it will operate OK for
days,
> other times only for a few drives. The only consistent correlation
is that
> the malfunction always occurs after being stopped.
> Perhaps the sudden acceleration problems are caused by failure of
some
> sensor or switch?
>
> Jon
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dan" <hyattdj@...>
> To: <Prius_Technical_Stuff@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2008 9:19 AM
> Subject: [PTS] Re: sudden acceleration
>
>
> > *Here is what I posed to consumer affairs site. I had one of these
> > incidents, and I am convinced it is either defective cruise
control
> > hardware or a couple of "don't care" conditions that can be hit in
> > southern California...note the incidents Incidents are primarily
> > reported in southern California sold cars. I didn't catch the
years. But
> > the dealer indicated there was a bin change to solve this problem
in
> > 2005. Mine is a 2006.
> >
> > My cruise control problem is that I will use cruise control to
maximize
> > gas mileage. After setting and unsettling it between 2 and 10
times, it
> > will stop setting. So I have to turn off cruise control and turn
it back
> > on in order to be able to set my speed. I would not be surprised
if the
> > surge is another cruise control issue where it is trying to go to
a
> > preset speed but is ignoring the braking signal to disengage.
> >
> > I first heard of this kind of problem in the 1970s in my step dads
> > Volvo. He was an aerospace engineer (VP) and when he started his
Volvo
> > it raced past the tach before he could shut it off. He and his
engineers
> > decided it was similar to the fly by wire failures that killed a
few
> > test pilots (they were intimately familiar with these problems as
they
> > were involved engineers) related to hardware/software failures.
> > Possibly what we call don't care ...we don't care what will
happen here
> > because this condition will never happen. But if it does, in fly
by wire
> > and acceleration can result in a crash. But if it happens
infrequently
> > and it cannot be easily replicated on the lot, manufacturers tend
to
> > declare it didn't happen.
> >
> > I have run into other problems with dealers refusing to fix
problems you
> > could not show them. With my dodge ram, where on steep downhills
in low
> > 4wd 1st gear the transfer case would pop into neutral. The dealer
said
> > since they could not replicate it on their lot (flat) it was not
covered
> > under warranty. It turns out that the factory had not properly
set the
> > shifter, so it was not fully engaging low 4wd...just enough for
forward,
> > not enough for heavy back load. I moved the shifter at the
connector
> > about 1/4" and solved the problem.
> >
> > *Referring to the wealth of new reports of the accelerator surge.
I had
> > an identical accident, I am a computer engineer and an avid
mechanic. I
> > did a thorough check and eliminated floor mat as a cause. My
situation
> > is unique as I checked everything after it happened and it
certainly WAS
> > NOT the floor mats. I did bring my car into the dealer, Toyota of
> > Glendora. He told me there was a computer bin upgrade for the same
> > problem previous year. Which both contradicts Toyota\'s claim. And
> > furthers my assertion it was a computer not care condition that
can
> > appear. One note I did not previously connect is that I have an
ongoing
> > problem with my cruise control where after working for a while, I
have
> > to shut it down to reset it. So the problem might be cruise
control
> > setting and unsettling itself without human input. My story is on
a hot
> > day, I came down highway 2 from Angeles National Forest in Los
Angeles
> > County. Crossed over the 210 freeway to a resteraunt. Had lunch
with my
> > associates and exited the parking lot quickly in a right turn to
stop at
> > a light. Luckily my foot was on the brake as the engine began
racing in
> > gear. I stood on the brakes while deciding to break down in left
turn
> > lane (cruise control should have shut down with braking action),
I had
> > my finger on the power button read to power off but the light
turned
> > green and I pulled into the next driveway. When my nerves calmed,
I
> > decided to cautiously start the vehicle while standing on the
brakes.
> > Everything was fine so I drove home in the right lane of the
freeway and
> > took it to the dealer for a warranty repair the next day. Part of
my
> > careful inspection eliminated floor mats as a cause. Prior
knowledge of
> > surge in cars with fuel injection, talking to a lot of engineers
some of
> > which have had the same problem in other cars, we agree that
computer
> > problems were the cause. I continue to have problems with cruise
> > control, but I have not had a repeat of the surge.
>