Pol: Runaway Prius Story May Not be True

Harrison's runway Prius (AP/Seth Wenig)

Toyota investigators haven’t been able to replicate the high-speed ride that so terrified a San Diego Prius owner, leading one official to question whether it really happened. According to a spokesman for California Rep. Darrell Issa, the top Republican on the oversight committee, the car company’s results put “the credibility” of the story into question, but Patty Sikes, wife to the “runaway Toyota” driver is enraged by the suggestion. "We're just fed up with all of it," she said. "Our careers are ruined and life is just not good anymore." Meanwhile, an alleged local victim of pedal acceleration will get a visit from a company engineer.

The probe into the California Prius—which was covered under floor mat recalls but not supposed to have acceleration defects—revealed that a “backup mechanism that shuts off the engine when the brake and gas pedals are floored" worked properly during tests,” according to USA Today. Test drivers were unable to take the car on any kind of uncontrolled ride, let alone a 23 minute sprint like the one described by the car’s owner. Another recent investigation focused on Jim Sikes’s finances, turning up a 2008 bankruptcy filing. “Everyone can just leave us alone," said his defensive wife. "Jim didn't get hurt. There's no intent at all to sue Toyota. If any good can come out of this, maybe they can find out what happened so other people don't get killed."

In Harrison, NY an engineer will seek answers for a Prius owner whose car allegedly flew across two lanes of traffic, stopped only by a stone wall, reports LoHud.com. Like Sikes, her 2005 hybrid was recalled for faulty floor mats, but shouldn’t have had pedal problems. In recent weeks, Toyota has faced increased criticism for putting off recalls, and in doing so, endangering the public.

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By Sabrina Jaszi in News on March 14, 2010 1:20 PM

Comments [rss]

slny

So, can I go buy a Toyota, crash the shit out of it, blame it on the gas pedal and then sue Toyota for millions?

That sounds like a good idea. Anyone need money?

Rocknrope

Right, because Toyota has nothing to gain by saying it was the fault of the driver, and the company has been so upstanding about this whole situation thus far.

Professor_X

It sure is a good thing that it's just the *Toyotas* that are unsafe right?

It sure would be a bummer if GM cars were as unsafe as Toyotas. Especially since the govt. bailout. Would really suck if they had spent our money bailing out a loser company. Like Toyota. Because they are bad.

Everyone got that?

longacre

No shit it's not true. The chances of all those systems failing at the same time is near nil.

cucarachita

It was pretty obvious from the beginning that it was crap. It was just too flamboyant. We're gonna see a lot of Munchausen Toyota Drivers coming out of the woodwork.

nicemarmot

The more I read about these the more I think it's crap. Every story talks about how the person didn't turn off the car. How are these people not turning off their cars? Are these electronic ignitions really that difficult to turn off when the car's moving? I admit, I've never had an electronic ignition, so I'm not sure, but jesus. It's not like cars have never lost their brakes or had a stuck gas pedal before. How would these people have reacted if they were in an old style car? Hell, when I was only 17 the brakes went out on my car on a main road in rush hour traffic. I tried the parking brake but it barely slowed me, so I threw the shifter into neutral, steered to the shoulder, and turned the key! Miraculously the car stopped! And it's not like I had years of driving experience like these middle aged people. I strongly suspect they're just so used to a key ignition that when they panic they forget all about it.