[Vwdiesel] Age, Diesel History, and Bonus TDI Tragedy

[brian gochnauer]

I'd agree with the Toyota 'uncommanded acceleration' issue was very likely a
car mat problem until I saw on the news one night a couple that had a
Highlander said they had their two kids in the car going across the Nevada
desert on a very long straight road and it happened to them, they already
new about the 'floor mat' issue and checked that and it finally 'just
corrected' itself after several miles and hitting over 100 mph.

As someone who has been writting software for 20+ years
including embedded controllers like an ECU.
I'm surprised these kinds of things don't happen more often. The average car
has 35 microprocessors in it.
Toyota is trying to save face by claiming floor mats, but on certain models
we'll also be updating the ECU code. (the real problem)
I personally think they should put some code in , that if they see
the accelerator maxed for more than 10 seconds do some sort of 'recheck' or
reset as sort of a 'watchdog' function for runaway problems. Or just include
a 'max' position sensor so the ECU can double check the 'max power' command
it thinks on sensor is giving it. too much eh.

On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 12:01 PM, <LBaird119 at aol.com> wrote:

>  A good friend that stayed at the dealer after I left.  He was there
> through the "unintended acceleration" issue that literally killed Audi
> in the US market for a time.  He said one time he was under the hood
> when the car suddenly, unexplainedly reved up to about 2,500 rpm
> for a couple seconds, then back.  In spite of that he still remained
> convinced that at least 99% of the problems experienced were from
> people mashing the throttle when they intended to mash the brake
> pedal.  He never figured out what happend that one time but it was
> unrelated to any of the pedals.
>  It's kind of like accidental, self inflicted gunshots.  Are you going to
> admit you were twirling your gun, being careless (well yeah) or such,
> or are you going to stick to the story that you were cleaning it and
> it went off?
>  My uncle slammed a Kubota RTV900 into a pear tree a year or so ago.
> Swears up and down he was "standing on the brake".  It split a 20
> year old tree into 3 leaders on the ground!  Those things auto brake
> when you let off the throttle.  He obviously had the throttle to the
> floor.  99% chance the Toyota issue is simply a bunched floor mat
> under the pedal.  I've noticed that every time I get in one of our
> cars after someone else has, they apparently got in feet first and
> pushed because the mats are always shoved in and up.
>  Oh, on oil.  Our dealer had one oil, Penzoil 10-40 which they used
> in the diesels as well.  Luckily I never did an oil change on a diesel
> or I'd have had to complain about it more than I already did question
> the apparent policy.
>    Loren
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