Floor Mats, and Sticky Pedals Could Be Just the Beginning for Toyota

Forget the floor mats, or stick pedals.  Three West Virginia residents claim in a civil complaint their Toyota’s unexpectedly accelerated without ever TOUCHING the gas pedal.   In a November 13th lawsuit, Michael Graves, Michael C. Graves, and Jeff Mullins claim a problem exists with the electronic module that controls speed in Toyota vehicles.  It’s called the electronic throttle control system known as the ETCS-I. 

The suit states: “Vehicles equipped with ETCS-I have a dangerous propensity to suddenly accelerate without driver input and against the intentions of the driver. This increased propensity for runaway acceleration stems in part from the ETCS-I’s vulnerability to electronic confusion in the ETCS-I sensors and electronics processors.”

It raises the potential Toyota has not one, but three potential problems, and solutions to its problem.   Toyota’s unintended acceleration complaints started in 2002, the same year the current ETCS-I sensors and processors were installed, according to the suit.   It goes on to allege Toyota knew of the issues but continued to mislead federal investigators, the media, and by extension its customers, about the extent of the problem. 

The current recalls cover only the floor mat issue, and the rare cases where some accelerators stick after years of wear.    There has been speculation the ETCS-I may be to blame but investigators are unable to identify defects in the hardware or software leading to the throttle sticking in the open position.  It could be something as elusive as one line of computer code, triggering the reaction only under rare circumstances. 

There is another suit filed in Federal District Court in Los Angeles making similar allegations.  Plaintiffs say Toyota fails to acknowledge the problem and have not provided failsafe systems that will override or disengage the Electronic Throttle System when it malfunctions.  Plaintiffs claim a mechanical linkage, redundant system was discontinued in 2001.    Federal investigations were requested by complainants last fall but as Bloomberg News reported then:

“The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Oct. 30 declined a request to investigate Lexus ES models for possible flaws related to vehicle electronics that may also cause unintended acceleration.  

The agency said that denying the petition “does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.”

I believe NHTSA has already looked at the modules, but is unable to find the bug.

Again, these are rare and isolated cases.  But if my wife, teen, or loved one was driving any Toyota product made since 2004—I’d tell them to park it, or practice emergency shifting to neutral–so that unexpected acceleration can be safely met with well-rehearsed solutions.