how safe are we in our lexus?
03-04-10, 07:09 AM
#16
Nobody can beat the RX's safety record.
03-04-10, 11:23 AM
#17
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People really need to step back for a second. The news media is running this scared tactics with the sudden acceleration (electronically) without having any real conclusive engineering evidence. Anyone can accuse anybody of anything, but without facts, accusations are meaningless.
Right now Toyota is looking like a goto whipping boy with the recalls on the sticky pedal (CTS), the all weather floor mats, and slight reprogramming of the brakes for some of the new hybrid models. With the help of the poor economy, every Tom, **** and Harry will blame on the supposily 'sudden acceleration' in every accident and up in arm for sueing.
I'm not really a Toyota fanboy (Normally Honda as preference), but just happened to be stuck with 3 Toyotas currently. All 3 of my Toyotas have the 'drive by wire' technology that is suppose to be in questions about the 'Sudden acceleration' electronically, but I have yet experience any of it. To me the chances of that you will get the sudden acceleration issue on a Toyota (electronically) is the same as any other manufacturer out there until some conclusive engineering facts are shown otherwise. So the question to the OP is YES, you are as SAFE on your RX as any car are out there. Maybe not as safe as a HUMMER - that thing just run over everything
Right now Toyota is looking like a goto whipping boy with the recalls on the sticky pedal (CTS), the all weather floor mats, and slight reprogramming of the brakes for some of the new hybrid models. With the help of the poor economy, every Tom, **** and Harry will blame on the supposily 'sudden acceleration' in every accident and up in arm for sueing.
I'm not really a Toyota fanboy (Normally Honda as preference), but just happened to be stuck with 3 Toyotas currently. All 3 of my Toyotas have the 'drive by wire' technology that is suppose to be in questions about the 'Sudden acceleration' electronically, but I have yet experience any of it. To me the chances of that you will get the sudden acceleration issue on a Toyota (electronically) is the same as any other manufacturer out there until some conclusive engineering facts are shown otherwise. So the question to the OP is YES, you are as SAFE on your RX as any car are out there. Maybe not as safe as a HUMMER - that thing just run over everything
03-05-10, 09:45 PM
#20
Moderator
Salim
03-06-10, 07:09 AM
#21
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTfLm_Jj1uk
Its simple if you just remember the song!
Apparently there is a youtube video out there showing that you can cause the sudden acceleration by shorting two of the accelerator pedal wires together! Have not found it yet. If true, that would be a serious problem, as wiring short circuits are relatively common!
Its simple if you just remember the song!
Apparently there is a youtube video out there showing that you can cause the sudden acceleration by shorting two of the accelerator pedal wires together! Have not found it yet. If true, that would be a serious problem, as wiring short circuits are relatively common!
03-06-10, 08:23 AM
#23
Moderator
Right biff44, one can put a brick on the old (non-drive by wire) system and claim sudden acceleration. There are cases even in the old system where the engine mount would break and the throttle cable would be pulled. Granted giving priority to brake over gas pedal makes logical sense, but if any one thinks it is the panacea for unintended acceleration, they are wrong.
Dont take my word or what was shown (or skipped). On an open road (safe environment) just try hitting your brakes with your foot on the gas pedal**. Dont do it repeatedly and dont softly ride on brakes as they may heat up. With the same token dont wait till you are doing 120mph. Drive at your normal driving speed and give it a bit more gas [once you are comfortable with a few tests you can go wot] and then hit the brakes. You can slowly delay the brake application time to a reasonable reaction time. Nothing is more reassuring then having your own vehicle as the test object.
** Caution: The brakes are soo strong that you may bump your face. Any one who switches from manual to automatic has surely experienced this.
[Note: Credibility was lost when the tech pulled out an OBDII reader.]
In case of two system failure [throttle and brakes] you have gear and ignition. The driver need to know how to react.
*Please do not think I am trying to defend Toyota/Lexus. I felt the same way when it was Audi.
Dont take my word or what was shown (or skipped). On an open road (safe environment) just try hitting your brakes with your foot on the gas pedal**. Dont do it repeatedly and dont softly ride on brakes as they may heat up. With the same token dont wait till you are doing 120mph. Drive at your normal driving speed and give it a bit more gas [once you are comfortable with a few tests you can go wot] and then hit the brakes. You can slowly delay the brake application time to a reasonable reaction time. Nothing is more reassuring then having your own vehicle as the test object.
** Caution: The brakes are soo strong that you may bump your face. Any one who switches from manual to automatic has surely experienced this.
[Note: Credibility was lost when the tech pulled out an OBDII reader.]
In case of two system failure [throttle and brakes] you have gear and ignition. The driver need to know how to react.
*Please do not think I am trying to defend Toyota/Lexus. I felt the same way when it was Audi.
03-06-10, 03:55 PM
#24
Sorry, your rant makes no technical sense to me. The video states that if you induce a short between two of the electronic accelerator pedal wires, the computer system goes haywire and forces 100% wide open throttle. It is relatively easy to cause a short circuit. If there are any sharp spots anywhere, such as where the wires go thru the fiewall, and if the proper rubber grommeting was not applied (as in some yokel on the production line not really caring), and then you have a recipe for disaster.
Are you a sales man for lexus or something?
Are you a sales man for lexus or something?
03-06-10, 06:20 PM
#25
There is no need to make personal comments...with regards to the video, the jury is out on that. Autoblog notes that the real-world applicability of the test is in question, in particular because the video does not disclose the method used to induce the short circuit:
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/23/a...oyota-drivers/
Also, it's been uncovered that ABC News manipulated the footage of the test:
http://content.usatoday.com/communit...toyota-tests/1
And, it turns out that the 'professor' who did this demo is being paid by a firm who earns its income from lawsuits vs. Toyota, as the Autoblog article uncovered.
Toyota is going to conduct a demonstration about the electronic test on Monday, with media coverage. They hired Exponent Inc. to do technical evaluation. Also a Stanford University professor who was not paid for his evaluation has been critical of the demo:
http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...ectronics.html
It could be that there is an issue with the electronics, but thus far there are parties on both sides arguing it out, we have to wait and see. Overall however, the overall statistics show that the safety record of Lexus vehicles is good; with a caveat thus far being that the ES 350 is particularly vulnerable to floor mat incursion, and has the most unintended acceleration complaints of any Lexus. However, as NHTSA themselves have stated, Toyota and Lexus vehicles do not have a higher rate of complaints than other makes. They do sell more models so any complaints get more coverage though.
At this time, no, but shifting to neutral will have the same effect as the brake override, namely cutting off acceleration even if the gas pedal is fully pressed.
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/23/a...oyota-drivers/
Also, it's been uncovered that ABC News manipulated the footage of the test:
http://content.usatoday.com/communit...toyota-tests/1
And, it turns out that the 'professor' who did this demo is being paid by a firm who earns its income from lawsuits vs. Toyota, as the Autoblog article uncovered.
Toyota is going to conduct a demonstration about the electronic test on Monday, with media coverage. They hired Exponent Inc. to do technical evaluation. Also a Stanford University professor who was not paid for his evaluation has been critical of the demo:
http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...ectronics.html
It could be that there is an issue with the electronics, but thus far there are parties on both sides arguing it out, we have to wait and see. Overall however, the overall statistics show that the safety record of Lexus vehicles is good; with a caveat thus far being that the ES 350 is particularly vulnerable to floor mat incursion, and has the most unintended acceleration complaints of any Lexus. However, as NHTSA themselves have stated, Toyota and Lexus vehicles do not have a higher rate of complaints than other makes. They do sell more models so any complaints get more coverage though.
At this time, no, but shifting to neutral will have the same effect as the brake override, namely cutting off acceleration even if the gas pedal is fully pressed.
Last edited by encore888; 03-06-10 at 06:29 PM.
03-06-10, 06:22 PM
#26
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i own a 2004 RX330. i'm not scared or feel unsafe driving it...but i do worry whenever my wife or any family members drive it, as i cannot be as confident that they will know what to do if the suv goes out of control. bec. of that, i gave them a little lesson on what to do if something like that ever happens.
03-06-10, 06:28 PM
#27
i own a 2004 RX330. i'm not scared or feel unsafe driving it...but i do worry whenever my wife or any family members drive it, as i cannot be as confident that they will know what to do if the suv goes out of control. bec. of that, i gave them a little lesson on what to do if something like that ever happens.
That's a very good idea. Shifting to neutral and braking firmly are the best steps, and this is a good opportunity to remind loved ones of this safety procedure.
03-07-10, 08:08 AM
#28
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No, you're wrong, and don't start making up phrases for what I'm asking!
I had Brake override control logic installed on my ES350 by the dealer, when you press the brake pedal while the car is under power the power will be cut back to idle. Does the RX have this system already or will the factory add it to the ECU? Simple question - looking for a simple answer, thanks in advance.
03-07-10, 09:57 AM
#29
Moderator
No, you're wrong, and don't start making up phrases for what I'm asking! I had Brake override control logic installed on my ES350 by the dealer, when you press the brake pedal while the car is under power the power will be cut back to idle. Does the RX have this system already or will the factory add it to the ECU? Simple question - looking for a simple answer, thanks in advance.
I had Brake override control logic installed on my ES350 by the dealer, when you press the brake pedal while the car is under power the power will be cut back to idle. Does the RX have this system already or will the factory add it to the ECU? Simple question - looking for a simple answer, thanks in advance.Hopefully some one can and if not the dealer/manufacturer is always the official/authoritative answer.
Salim
03-07-10, 02:00 PM
#30
I am missing the lively discussions!