MNN.COM > MNN BLOGGERS > Jim Motavalli's Blog

Jim Motavalli

Runaway Toyotas? Investigation of sudden acceleration eerily recalls deadly Ford transmission issue 25 years ago

ABC-TV covers an 'owner rebellion' among consumers who think their Toyotas are unsafe. The Center for Auto Safety sees parallels to the Fords that popped out of park 25 years ago. In both cases, automakers avoided expensive recalls.
Tue, Nov 03 2009 at 4:08 PM EST

The aftermath of a sudden acceleration accident. Credit: (ABC-TV)
 
In 1984, the Center for Auto Safety reported that there had been more than 3,500 accidents involving Ford vehicles with automatic transmissions that allegedly popped out of park and into reverse. And it charged that its nemesis, the federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “has concealed the alarming increase in deaths … by manipulating fatality statistics and by refusing to investigate — and thus count — dozens of reported deaths.”
 
Ralph Nader charged later the same year that White House interference had played a role in the more than 70 reported deaths up to that point. But in July of 1985 NHTSA rejected a bid to reopen the case involving 23 million 1966 to 1979 cars, instead settling for a warning sticker advising people to make sure their cars were firmly in park. That decision saved Ford many millions.
 
History repeats, some people would say. On World News with Charles Gibson and Nightline tonight, ABC-TV will run the result of an investigation into reports that Toyota vehicles of all types and sizes experience “runaway acceleration,” reaching speeds of up to 90 miles an hour. The network cites some 2,000 cases, many involving fatalities.
 
Toyota says the explanation is unsecured or improper floor mats, but hundreds of consumers (an “owners’ rebellion,” says ABC) are not buying that. They think the problem lies in the cars’ computers or electronic software. For its part, NHTSA, having investigated reports for six years, agrees with Toyota — it is unable to find anything wrong with the cars beyond loose mats.
 
 
Then and now, Clarence Ditlow was the executive director of Washington’s Center for Auto Safety. Reached by telephone today, he sees a parallel between the Ford and Toyota cases. "Both Toyota’s and Ford’s reaction is to blame the issue on driver error. In the '80s, they said the driver didn’t put the car fully in park — they left it in neutral or what have you. In Toyota’s case, it’s the floor mat’s fault. The manufacturers want to avoid a costly engineering recall. For Toyota, any recall that goes beyond the floor mat will be very expensive.”
 
Ditlow points to a Michigan lawsuit against Toyota resulting from a 2008 accident in a 2005 Camry that killed Guadalupe Alberto. The car, the suit says, “accelerated from an intended speed of less than 25 mph to a speed of approximately 80 mph, despite Guadalupe Alberto’s having vigorously and desperately applied her brakes …” The car hit a tree, and Alberto died. And, according to the lawsuit, that car did not have floor mats at the time of the crash.
 
“NHTSA did not investigate that crash,” Ditlow said. The agency’s most recent denial of a petition about sudden acceleration did not follow a request to Toyota posing questions, which Ditlow says is very unusual in a major defect petition.
 
But NHTSA’s investigation was by no means cursory. The report is nearly 20 pages long, and attempts to duplicate problems possibly arising from the engine control unit, or even from the magnetic fields that some have alleged pose a danger to hybrid car owners.
 
Given major network exposure, it’s likely that the sudden acceleration issue will remain alive for quite some time. And the answers provided by NHTSA and Toyota will definitely not please everyone. Toyota’s Brian Lyons told me the company is working on a response to the ABC story. “Our position is unchanged,” he said. “NHTSA has investigated six times, and come up with similar findings. The defect trend shows unsecured or incompatible floor mats are the issue.”
 
Given more space, I'd have gone into the case of the exploding Ford Pinto, also a Ford issue decades ago. But just mentioning it I'm sure stirs memories.
CLOSE link:
The opinions expressed by MNN Bloggers and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of MNN.com. While we have reviewed their content to make sure it complies with our Terms and Conditions, MNN is not responsible for the accuracy of any of their information.
« Previous
Four wheels good; three wheels better?		   Next »
Sudden acceleration: Bad floormats may be only 1 cause of deadly runaway cars

Comments(9)

Sort by:
Posted By Kim - Wed, Jan 27 2010 at 6:56 AM EST

Toyota have never cared about cars.

Why am I not surprised.

Toyota make appliances with wheels. They don't actually care about cars. There is a large market of people who would buy a turd if Toyota put a Camry badge on it.

A car company that doesn't care about cars doesn't attract good engineers, and that company will fall inevitably fall behind in design, as Toyota has. It's unsurprising that Toyotas have an increasing number of design flaws.

Combine the design flaws with Toyota's size, and their belief.... More

Posted By skp - Fri, Dec 04 2009 at 11:39 PM EST

detailed expert examination necessary

sudden acceleration w/my 2008 prius occurred for me several months ago, well before the tragic accident in san diego. my car went from about 35 to 65-75 on its own...i kept braking..hard..started to slow, took foot off brake and again speeded up. by the time i managed to successfully stop the brakes had burning smell. i was in el centro on hwy 86, not nearly as busy as the san diego freeways. i took the car to my dealer where i bought the car in pacific beach to inspect and the service.... More

Posted By jmleathe - Wed, Nov 11 2009 at 12:41 AM EST

Using a Toyota defect to try and damage Ford?

Really? We're going to try and cool Fords profits by bringing up problems from 30 years ago to try and JUSTIFY a blatant error and greed on the part of Toyota.

That's rich!

Posted By fyi - Sun, Nov 08 2009 at 9:14 PM EST

Runaway Toyotas?

First and foremost, it’s tragically obvious there has not been nearly enough thought to all the necessary fail-safe and safety override modes designed into these “drive-by-wire” automotive systems. The Germans at least had the good sense to make their engines go to idle mode if their systems were presented with the conflicting inputs of throttle and brakes applied at the same time ("smart pedal"). (The Toyota system does not do this. Shame on Toyota — as well as the NHTSA who.... More

Posted By Joe - Thu, Nov 05 2009 at 10:47 AM EST

FORD F150

I have had the same acceleration happen on my 2008 Ford F150.They tell me it's the floor mat or when I am braking I must be hitting the gas.I know this is not the case and I have had witnesses.

Posted By 2010F150 - Fri, Jan 29 2010 at 7:58 AM EST

Same problem

I have a new 2010 F-150 and I thought it was just me hitting the cruise control wrong... It has accelerated quite a few times without intending to.... scary....

Posted By Jim Motavalli - Thu, Nov 05 2009 at 11:02 AM EST

Give us Details

I'd love to have further details of your experience. Contact me at jmotavalli@gmail.com. If any other readers have experienced sudden acceleration, please contact me there, too.

Posted By Mike - Wed, Nov 04 2009 at 2:39 PM EST

Toyota Stonewalls and Puts Costs over Life

Toyota knows that it has a problem and cares more about its profits than the drivers who drive them. Toyota has its own way at home and it looks like their stonewalling will prevail here in the United States. The automaker has been treated with kid gloves. These are records that they are once again attempting to sweep under the rug. In the United States we have not tolerated cost prevailing over life. Why suddenly are we treating this situation differently. Start the recall before one.... More

Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Nov 04 2009 at 7:01 AM EST

What then?

What will be Toyota's response in the next year when all floor mats have been removed and more deaths from run away are still occurring? "Oppps." I think expensive recalls would be preferred compared to the law suits that will come.

Add your comment

You can't fool Mother Nature
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.