Re: Toyota Runaway Cause: Electronic Throttle/Cruise Control?

 

wrote:


The shift level does NOT rest in the Neutral position.  If yours does,
you should get it repaired.  To shift to neutral, just move the lever
to the left and let go.  This action is just like going into drive or
reverse without the down or up part of the motion.

 



I just returned from my car where I tried what you describe.  My
spring-loaded shift lever *always* returns to a dot just to the right of the
"N."  I started the car and shifted to "D".  The lever returned to the dot
just to the right of "N" but the display indicator correctly showed it was
in "D."  I followed your suggestion, moving the stick from the at-rest dot
to "N" several times.  Nothing happens.  The car remains in "D."  To get it
to "N" I had to first move it to "D" (or P or R) and then back to "N."

I have a 2010 IV.  Will someone else with a 2010 please verify what I found?

 



I'm not absolutely positive I'm following correctly, but... think I am, &
tried it today since I'd not yet had the need to shift to neutral.

Had the car on (but stationary) and in D - & of course the shifter was in
its "home" spot (the dot), then shifted to N & let go. Of course the shifter
immediately reverted to its "home" spot again, but the dash display did
confirm that it was then in neutral.  (IOW, I didn't need to shift it to the
D or B or R location before going to N, it just went into neutral when I
shifted it to N.)

As a tangent to this (use of gears): The salesman said he didn't know why
they bothered with the "B" gear and that I'd prob. never use it, but I've
used it twice so far, when coming down steep hills. Used it as I would've
before, when I would've down-shifted to help w. the braking.  OTOH, the "EV"
mode - unless I run out of gas someday, within half a mile of a gas
station.... at this point I don't really see myself using that little gizmo
mode.

Cathy

 



Thanks for trying this Cathy.  I learned in another group that to get it in
neutral it has to be held in the N position for two seconds.  I tried that
and it does work.  I was just moving it to N and releasing.  By moving into
the other positions I was, apparently, dwelling on the N position long
enough.

It was nice to learn this alone in my parked car and not careening wildly
down the road with my passengers screaming in terror.  The lesson:  Pull the
knob to the left and hold it there with the brake fully and continuously
engaged.

 

On 11/9/09 9:30 AM, in article
hJadnXIdqY48qGXXnZ2dnUVZ_qSdnZ2d@earthlink.com, "Mr Ed"


And that was the essence of it.  It was a very small car (by 1970's
standards) and because of the placement & design of the gas tank, if they
were rear-ended, they could & did blow up.  To call it a "fuel fire" really
doesn't connote the actual problem.

Paranoia at the time smeared across all Fords and for a while, all you could
find in the used car lots were used Fords as people dumped them for anything
else.  I got a really nice '70 Torino wagon for $150 at the height of the
craziness.  Drove it for 6 months until things settled down & sold it for
$500.