The Danger Of Pushbutton Start?

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

+1

btw the 'danger' / reality seems to have just got upgraded as about 100 instances have been documented / announced by toyota ... I don't get out from the hybrid section much ... but for those who do:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Toyota-to-re...738225.html?x=0

Please post the recall notice as it applies to Lexus as well

[RX400h]

I believe that our mats are securely "hooked" to the floor. In fact, my Corvette mats have a similar feature to prevent the driver's mat from sliding forward. As I may have mentioned previously, the same sort of incident happened to me when I had a 1968 Corvette. There was absolutely no way that the brakes could overcome the torque that the engine generated. I was somewhat lucky to have jumped a curb, which allowed the engine to stall. (The car had a manual transmission, which helped matters.)

It was a very scary ride and I have no doubt that Toyota is doing the right thing. However, I can't see why the RX400h would be recalled unless a non-OEM floor mat with no hooking feature was offered by the dealerships.

[NicLX470]

3.8 Million Toyota, Lexus Recalled Over Floor Mats

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration issued a wide-ranging recall late today for 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles. The recall stems from faulty floormats that can become stuck under the accelerator pedal causing unexpected acceleration. The defect is suspected to be the cause of one recent fatal accident.

The recall includes the following models:

2007-2010 Camry

2005-2010 Avalon

2004-2009 Prius

2005-2010 Tacoma

2007-2010 Tundra

2007-2010 ES 350

2006-2010 IS 250 and IS350

NHTSA suggests all owners remove the driver-side floormat from these cars immediately and not replace them with anything. Toyota has released a warning for owners including steps to take in case of an accelerator issue. We've posted the notice below.

Toyota Notice

Should the vehicle continue to accelerate rapidly after releasing the accelerator pedal, this could be an indication of floor mat interference. If this occurs, Toyota recommends the driver take the following actions:

First, if it is possible and safe to do so, pull back the floor mat and dislodge it from the accelerator pedal; then pull over and stop the vehicle.

If the floor mat cannot be dislodged, then firmly and steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet. Do NOT pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the effort required to slow the vehicle.

Shift the transmission gear selector to the Neutral (N) position and use the brakes to make a controlled stop at the side of the road and turn off the engine.

If unable to put the vehicle in Neutral, turn the engine OFF, or to ACC. This will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the power assist to these systems will be lost.

-If the vehicle is equipped with an Engine Start/Stop button, firmly and steadily push the button for at least three seconds to turn off the engine. Do NOT tap the Engine Start/Stop button.

-If the vehicle is equipped with a conventional key-ignition, turn the ignition key to the ACC position to turn off the engine. Do NOT remove the key from the ignition as this will lock the steering wheel.

In the event owners choose not to remove their floor mat, Toyota strongly recommends that they ensure that the correct floor mat is being used, that it is properly installed and secured, that it is not flipped over with bottom-side up, and that one floor mat is not stacked over another. Information on proper floor mat installation can be found on http://www.toyota.com and http://www.lexus.com.

Owners with questions or concerns, are asked to please contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center (1 800 331-4331) or Lexus Customer Assistance Center (1 800 255¬3987), or consult the information posted at http://www.toyota.com and http://www.lexus.com.

[smooth1]

So are they designing or offering a replacement floor mat then?

I have to say I'm a bit confused here. I think NHTSA is folding to some public demands for accountability. Don't we all know that floor mats that don't hook in slide up to the front of the foot wells? Are they recalling all the aftermarket floor mats that don't offer the hook in feature also? No matter what make or model? I know Toyota/Lexus is going to bear the heat for this no matter, I guess I just don't understand why they are recalling the floor mats in all those models. They can't all be the same floor mat that caused this accident? Are they saying the floor mat was hooked in and can easily unhook and slide to the front and under the accelerator? I really think this recall is going to cause even more issues as people who want floor mats in thier car are now going to take them out, and buy some aftermarket floor mats that are even more dangerous as they aren't "fitted" now. And for those who spend the money to get custom fitted floor mats are going to attach them the exact same way the mat that just came out was. How did that solve anything? It just seems like more politics then answer.

[RX400h]

I agree; we need more details. It does sound a bit rediculous to bring a car in, just so the dealership can check the floor mats........

[katzjamr]

it seems to me they need to make those hooks more user friendly, i have a feeling people are unhooking the oem mats for cleaning and just throwing them back, im no slouch and do my own wash and detail work, however i find those hooks a pain and i will bet money people are not using them. i would much rather see two posts that still hold the mat but allow much easier removal, AND INSURE PEOPLE WILL USE THEM

[SW03ES]

They've been using the hooks since the beginning though...that can't be the only problem...

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

I think I get it. It appears the issue is with "ALL WEATHER" oem mats. Some of these are rubber, and other are carpet material. People fail to follow these directions (see paragraph "B" in the link)

o Do not install another floor mat(s) on top of an existing driver's floor mat.

http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota/...nstructions.pdf

And another warning in paragraph 1. above that:

Warning: Do not stack the floor mats in any vehicle. The retaining hooks

(clips) are designed to accommodate only one floor mat at a time.

But folks don't read the directions ... and the all weather mats can sometimes slide forward. Seems to make more sense.