LexFather

CR would **** their pants seeing how the GX, Prado, Montero, Pajero, Xtrail, Petrol, etc are driven overseas.

I know I did. Never was a fan of the GX/Prado until I visited Jamrock and I was in utter amazement how people drove these SUVs with 7 people in them on awful roads and in the mountains.

Hell they drift buses and trucks filled with people. It was utterly amazing to watch quite frankly.

I have yet to drive the 460 but if I did I wouldn't really push it at all here. The ones I've seen so far have been at the mall.

To me its just beat up Toyota or save Toyota (like MT placing the Camry first last month).

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

Does the GX have available active roll stabilization?

mmarshall

This is what used to be called drop-throttle snap-oversteer. It was a problem on older rear-engined Porsches, but was generally cured with better tires, suspension design, and electronic traction aids.

Part of the problem with the GX470 and 4Runner (though it is not necessarily linked to the stability-control problem described in the thread topic), is the extremely high stance of the vehicle in comparison to its width. This is clearly illustrated here, very well, on the 2007 model, although the 2010 is also quite high in relation to its width. A general design like this makes for a very high center-of-gravity, an inherent tendency to be tipsy on corners, and in severe cases, to roll over. I have commented about this on the GX470 a number of times when people have asked about it.



Suzuki found out, years ago, with the Samurai, that width, in relation to height, is critical for stability. Fortunately, the 4Runner/GX was never as unstable as th Samurai.

IS-SV

Ok, now we have all kinds of trivia and the usual internet stuff posted, lol. Yes, no kidding it has a high center of gravity, not unlike many SUVs that behave better. Programming fixes to the vehicle stability management system can easily rectify this behavior.

The stability control systems should intervene more aggressively to minimize this kind of oversteer. Some sports and pony cars allow a certain measured degree of oversteer (less aggressive stability management up to a point), but that's not the kind of behavior that's preferred on a SUV or truck.

Of course nobody should drive at excessive speeds on a racetrack with this kind of vehicle. But the point here is that at typical highway speeds in an emergency evasive the vehicle might exhibit marginally dangerous behavior. SUV's and trucks that tend to get sideways often "trip" on objects such as curbs and soft shoulders resulting in rollovers.

IS-SV

Certainly not good handling behavior.

What 3 SUVs were these (year/model)?


Note: I see you deleted the post. So should I not expect an answer?

oohpapi44

iTrader: (1)

The article isn't talking about the vehicle rolling over by itself and this is the danger in the article as consumer will overreact and think the vehicle is some deathtrap when it isn't.

The oversteer is a problem. But by itself, means very little. The 'danger' they are talking about is while oversteering either you hit the curb edge and that causes the vehicle to roll over (which can happen in any car but easier done in tall vehicles) OR while oversteering you run out of road and then roll over as a result.

Either way, each scenario is UNLIKELY to happen. If you choose to speed on a narrow off/on ramp where this event potentially could happen, you deserve the results accordingly.

venom21

Bah, more bad press. When will it end?

On another note Lexus should get rid of the GX. Let Toyota keep the car for themselves, it is a signature model for them.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

sigh, another bad press on toyota, they definitely need to get things together...

this is not about how a car is driven, it's about how the car reacts when it's likely to be driven not the way it should be, ie an accident situation. it's all about how toyota tunes the system and activate the stability control. they can definitely activate the system earlier (if needed) and take control on the car, rather than letting it continue to slide.

toyota has even more work to do

rominl

iTrader: (4)

the way you say it then no cars need stability control at all, coz' all drivers deserve the consequences from the way they drive.

this is exactly about safety and how the stability control should take over the car and prevent accidents from happening right? it's not about why a driver in the gx460 will take a turn like that, that's not the focus. it's about how the system could take control and "save" the car

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

I have a neighbor who flipped her 4runner when bending down to pick up her sandwich after she was making a left turn

sheesh

they have the optional KDSS

IS-SV

I agree. This is easily fixable. But your point about Toyota and bad press is noted.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yup, keep in mind i am not saying if this is a real issue or not, i don't have enough expertise to say about that. but i am just saying that toyota should do more study, maybe compare to other vehicles, and see if it makes more sense to make the system more "sensitive" or not.

if anything, this is a period where toyota needs to be extremely careful. presses like these can easily be magnified unnecessarily because of their recent problems.

IS-SV

I know somebody that got into a head-on crash while she reached into the backseat to smack her kids, but I'm not sure how that is relevant.

oohpapi44

iTrader: (1)

I never said it wasn't an issue, it is and needs to be fixed ('save' the car sooner) but 'safety risk' needs to quantified with an actual number of likelihood to occur. .

What speed would initiate a large enough oversteer to cause a slide?
What speed would initiate a roll over if an object was bumped during the slide (if it occurs)
Is either a real life driving situation?

IS-SV

The answer is yes in some cases, as Consumers reports happens to point out, and secondly based on the number of well-documented SUV single-vehicle rollovers (regardless of brand/model).