Tag Archives: unintended acceleration

Toyota Settles Lawsuits for $1.1 Billion and Will Modify Millions of Vehicles with Electronically Controlled Gas Pedals to Stop Runaways

Posted on 27 December 2012 by Ken Zino

In an engineering lapse of monumental consequences that included several deaths, the computer programming on affected vehicles when confronted with both brake and accelerator inputs did not favor the brake input for its electronic engine controls. Such over-ride software is in widespread use at other automakers. Continue reading →

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More than 640,000 Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute SUVs Recalled for Unintended Acceleration after NHTSA Opens Defect Probe

Posted on 31 July 2012 by Ken Zino

Ford and Mazda are recalling Escape and Tribute SUVs from the 2001 up to the 2008 model year because a cruise control cable can stick and cause unintended acceleration. Since repair parts are not available, dealers will disconnect the cruise control as an interim measure for the safety defect.

The recall was forced when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration two weeks ago opened an unintended acceleration investigation on 2001 through 2004 Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute SUVs after receiving 99 reports of unintended acceleration from owners. At least one fatality and nine injures are alleged in multiple accidents. Sixty-eight stuck throttle reports are from Ford Escape owners; thirty-one reports are from owners of Mazda Tributes. Continue reading →

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Unintended Acceleration on 730,000 Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute SUVs under NHTSA Scrutiny in New Preliminary Investigation

Posted on 18 July 2012 by Ken Zino

The Center for Auto Safety had petitioned NHTSA last week to open defect investigations on the V6 Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute models equipped with cruise control. NHTSA opened its own investigation instead, in a move that was required given the seriousness of the allegations that were about to become public.

In a defensive bureaucratic move, NHTSA also denied a CAS request for potentially embarrassing public hearings about the safety agency’s, as well as Ford Motor’s and Mazda’s lack of corrective action thus far. To make matters more complicated and potentially more image damaging for all involved, it is possible that an earlier safety recall resulted in more unintended acceleration accidents on the models involved. Continue reading →

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Toyota Recall Study Finds Adversarial Relationship with NHTSA

Posted on 24 May 2011 by Ken Zino

The Quality Report, since it was paid for by Toyota, has already come under attack for bias from organizations linked to product liability lawyers. Nonetheless, the Report describes Toyota’s attitude toward federal safety regulators as “adversarial.” Unintended acceleration or stuck gas pedal problems are implicated in thousands of incidents and more than 90 alleged deaths. Continue reading →

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Accelerator Pedal Recall Causes More Lexus and Toyota Recalls! Technicians Did Not Correctly Replace the Carpeting. Original Recall Now Expanded to Include More Toyota Vehicles

Posted on 25 February 2011 by Ken Zino

Why owners should trust technicians to correctly perform a second modification is a question that will surely be debated. Continue reading →

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DOT Releases Long Delayed Toyota Unintended Acceleration Report, Exonerates Self, Claiming It Was Right All Along

Posted on 8 February 2011 by Ken Zino

The self conducted NHTSA study if it found problems, of course, would make DOT – with a staggering $79 billion budget vulnerable to Congressional dictated reforms, as well as budget and staff cuts as the deficit debate heats up on Capital Hill. Continue reading →

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