Toyota Offers Preliminary Findings From Technical Field Examination of Alleged 'Runaway Prius' in San Diego

SAN DIEGO, Calif., March 15, 2010---At a press conference today, Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. offered key preliminary findings of technical field examination and testing that were performed on March 10 and 11 regarding an alleged “runaway Prius” event dramatically covered by national news media.

Toyota engineers completed an investigation of the 2008 Prius driven by Mr. James Sikes that was the subject of a 911 emergency call on Monday, March 8. The driver reported that the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed, the accelerator pedal was stuck, and that the vehicle was out of control and could not be stopped. The emergency operator repeatedly instructed the driver to shift the car into neutral and turn off the power button.

A California Highway Patrol officer intercepted the vehicle and instructed the driver to press firmly on the brakes, apply the emergency brake and turn off the car, at which time the Prius came to a safe stop.

While a final report is not yet complete, there are strong indications that the driver's account of the event is inconsistent with the findings of the preliminary analysis.

Toyota engineers employed data download/analysis, static and dynamic testing as well as thorough inspections of all relative components. In addition, they retraced the reported driving route taking into account driving time and accounts from the 911 recording.

The investigation revealed the following initial findings:

• The accelerator pedal was tested and found to be working normally with no mechanical binding or friction. It should be noted that the Prius is not subject to a recall for sticking accelerator pedals and the Prius component is made by a different supplier than the one recalled.

• The front brakes showed severe wear and damage from overheating. The rear brakes and parking brake were in good condition and functional.

• A Toyota carpeted floor mat of the correct type for the vehicle was installed but not secured to the retention hooks. It was not found to be interfering or even touching the accelerator pedal.

• The pushbutton power switch worked normally and shut the vehicle off when depressed for 3 seconds as the 911 operator advised Mr. Sikes to do.

• The shift lever also worked normally and neutral could be selected. The neutral position is clearly marked and can be easily engaged by moving the lever left to the “N” marking.

• There were no diagnostic trouble codes found in the power management computer, nor was the dashboard malfunction indicator light activated. The hybrid self-diagnostic system did show evidence of numerous, rapidly repeated on-and- off applications of both the accelerator and the brake pedals.

• After examination of individual components, the front brakes were replaced and the vehicle was test driven, during which the vehicle was observed to be functioning normally.

• During testing, the brakes were purposely abused by continuous light application in order to overheat them. The vehicle could be safely stopped by means of the brake pedal, even when overheated.

The Prius braking system uses both conventional hydraulic friction brakes and a regenerative braking system which switches the electric drive motors into brakes to generate electricity.

The system features a sophisticated self- protection function which cuts engine power if moderate brake pedal pressure is applied and the accelerator pedal is depressed more than approximately 50 percent, in effect providing a form of “brake override.”

This function, which is intended to protect the system from overload and possible damage, was found to be functioning normally during the preliminary field examination.

Toyota engineers believe that it would be extremely difficult for the Prius to be driven at a continuous high speed with more than light brake-pedal pressure, and that the assertion that the vehicle could not be stopped with the brakes is fundamentally inconsistent with basic vehicle design and the investigation observations.

These findings suggest that there should be further examination of Mr. Sikes account of the events of March 8.

NHTSA investigators were present during Toyota’s examination, and are conducting their own investigation of the vehicle and its performance. Toyota’s examination was also observed by a congressional staff member.

Toyota Prius Vehicle Throttle and Brake Systems: Myth VS. Fact

Myth: The start/stop button on the dash will not turn off my Prius while it’s running.

Fact: On early to 2010 models with a push-button smart key system, pushing and holding the button on the dash for about three seconds will shut off the ignition system on the vehicle – even if it’s in gear and moving along the roadway. Newer models may have different control logic – you only have to press the button briefly to shut down the vehicle. Check your Owner’s Manual for details on your vehicle’s system.

Myth: The brake system on my Toyota Prius is not able to stop the car at speed with a wide-open throttle condition.

Fact: The brake system on each Toyota model is capable of overpowering the driveline to stop the vehicle – even with the throttle in a wide-open condition. See Car and Driver's article at: http://www.caranddriver.com/features/09q4/how_to_deal_with_unintended_acceleration-tech_dept for more information. Apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal – use two feet if needed, to bring the vehicle to a halt. Do not pump the brakes in these conditions, as this may overheat the system, causing a reduction in brake performance. Prius is equipped with a combination of hydraulic and electric regenerative brake systems. All Prius vehicles have a brake system program that reduces gasoline engine power if both the throttle and brake pedals are depressed at the same time. This feature helps reduce the chance of damage to the hybrid system transmission in the event of simultaneous brake and throttle pedal application by the driver, and also helps to slow the vehicle under these circumstances. The regenerative braking via the main electric motor will continue to function to help slow the vehicle

Myth: In the event you encounter a runaway vehicle, the first thing you should do is to turn off the ignition.

Fact: Although turning off the ignition is a possible course of action, the first thing a driver should do is to put the transmission in Neutral. This separates the driveline from the wheels, and gives the driver instant speed control over the vehicle, and allows the driver time to assess what is happening. This also allows continued use of the power steering and brake systems for an easier stopping operation. Pressing the start/stop button to turn off the ignition can be done as a next step. This will shut down power assist to the brakes and steering system – reducing their performance, but the driver can still brake and steer the vehicle manually in this condition. The steering column on Prius will not lock up when the ignition is turned off while the vehicle is moving – allowing the driver steering control. Traditional key type ignitions systems can be turned off while the vehicle is moving without locking the steering column – as long as the key is left in the ignition. Removal of the key may result in a locked steering column, and hamper driver steering control. After placing the transmission in Neutral, and the vehicle is brought to a stop at the side of the road, the final step should be to turn of the ignition.

Myth: The parking brake is effective in stopping a vehicle at speed.

Fact: The parking brake may be helpful in that it can provide some additional brakeforce. However, the amount of brakeforce the parking brake applies will be negligible in a vehicle that is running at anything over paring lot speeds. Placing the transmission in Neutral and using firm steady pressure on the brake pedal will be the best way to bring the vehicle to a stop.

Myth: The transmission would not go into Neutral when an attempt was made to put it in Neutral.

Fact: Prius does have an electronic link between the shift lever and the transmission. The driver should place the Prius in Neutral by moving the shift lever to the “N” position – to the left side of the shift gate, and hold it there for a second – this will put the Prius transmission in Neutral. Firm application of the brakes will slow the vehicle down. Pressing and holding the start/stop button can be used as a final action to stop the vehicle if needed.

Myth: The harder I pressed on the brake pedal, the more the vehicle accelerated.

Fact: In a situation where it appears to the driver that the brake pedal has been depressed, but acceleration results, the driver should stay calm and take immediate action by moving the transmission shift lever to Neutral, use a firm and steady application of the brakes, then get to the side of the road and assess the situation. Neutral allows the driver to gain immediate control, and provides the driver with time to evaluate what is happening to the vehicle.

Myth: Prius has an electronically controlled brake system, and I don’t believe it is as reliable as regular hydraulic brakes.

Fact: Prius does have an electronically controlled brake system which is as reliable as hydraulic brakes. This system utilizes both electric motor regenerative braking and hydraulic braking to stop the vehicle. The Prius system is able to recognize a fault in the regenerative braking system, and will send the driver’s brake input to the hydraulic brakes to stop the vehicle. Prius can also detect a fault in the hydraulic brake system booster, and allow all of the driver’s brake force to be directly sent to the two front brake calipers for maximum stopping power under a “no-boost” condition.

Myth: If I have a throttle stuck in the wide open position, and I put the vehicle in Neutral to help gain control of the vehicle, the engine will over rev, and be damaged.

Fact: If you place your vehicle in Neutral with a wide open throttle, you will hear a lot of engine noise, but don’t be overly concerned by this. All Toyota gasoline engines have a rev limiter function as a part of the engine control program that will prevent over revving of the engine by cutting the fuel supply at a predetermined RPM. This RPM limit varies – depending on the engine type.

Myth: The Brake Override System will make it difficult to start my vehicle on a hill.

Fact: The Brake Override System is designed to stop your vehicle when the brake pedal is firmly pressed in cases where there is acceleration caused by mechanical interference with the throttle pedal. For practical reasons – the Brake Override System will not operate when the brake pedal is depressed first – to allow for uphill starts, while limiting the vehicle’s tendency to roll backwards. When engaged, the Brake Override System will disengage when the brake pedal is released. It will also not function at vehicle speeds of less than 5 mph, as at this point, the vehicle can be stopped safely.

Comprehensive Analysis Raises Concerns About Gilbert Congressional Testimony, ABC News Segment

Today, during a live webcast, Toyota raised serious concerns about the validity, methodology and credibility of a demonstration of alleged “unintended acceleration” in a Toyota Avalon by Professor David Gilbert of Southern Illinois University and depicted in ABC News broadcasts and on-line segments.

A comprehensive analysis conducted by a world renowned engineering group, as well as testing by Toyota, has concluded the following about Professor Gilbert’s demonstration:

• The vehicle’s electronics were rewired and reengineered in multiple ways, in a specific sequence, and under conditions that are virtually impossible to occur in real-world conditions without visible evidence • Toyota vehicle electronic systems were actively manipulated to mimic a valid full-throttle condition• Substantially similar results were successfully created in vehicles made by other manufacturers.

In the demonstration dramatized by ABC on February 22, Professor Gilbert, assisted by segment reporter Brian Ross, asserted that he had detected a “dangerous” flaw in the Toyota electronic control system that he alleged could lead to unintended acceleration.

The following day, Professor Gilbert offered a preliminary report of his findings in testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Engineers at Exponent, one of the country's leading engineering and scientific consulting firms, as well as Toyota engineers, have reviewed and recreated Gilbert’s demonstration with substantially similar results in representative vehicles of other makes.

Separately, at Toyota’s request, Dr. J. Christian Gerdes, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford University and the director of the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS), conducted an independent review of Professor Gilbert’s testimony and the preliminary report presented to Congress.

Their findings were demonstrated today at a news conference during which the accelerator circuitry of a Toyota Avalon, as well as a sampling of well-regarded and popular competitive makes, was rewired and manipulated as Gilbert did in his demonstration.

Kristen Tabar, general manager of electronics systems, Toyota Technical Center, summarizes three of the major concerns with the artificial nature of Professor Gilbert’s demonstration.

“First, an electrical circuit that has been reengineered and rewired will not behave as it was originally designed and engineered,” said Tabar.

“Second, no automaker can or should be expected to design detection strategies for artificially created events in the absence of any evidence that such an event can occur in the real world.

“Third, if the artificial condition created by Professor Gilbert had occurred in the real world, it would have left readily detectable fingerprints.”

Exponent and Toyota engineers have found no evidence to suggest that any of the steps of Professor Gilbert’s demonstration exists in the real world. Thus, the fact that the Toyota Avalon used by Professor Gilbert did not show a Diagnostic Trouble Code after his demonstration does not indicate an undetectable safety defect. The same is true of the representative vehicles of other manufacturers tested by Exponent and Toyota.

Professor Gilbert’s reengineering and rewiring of the vehicle’s electrical system involves the following manipulations in a specific sequence. First, the protective insulation on two separate wires that carry the accelerator pedal position signals to the Engine Control Module must be individually cut or breached. Next, these wires are connected to each other through a 200 Ohm resistor.

This contrivance, by itself, did not cause an increase in engine speed. To cause an increase in engine speed, it is necessary to cut the insulation on a third wire, the 5-volt power supply to the accelerator pedal, and force a low resistance connection between the power supply and the secondary signal wire.

The resulting increase in engine speed is a result of the subsequent artificial and sudden application of the 5-volt power supply to this signal line with the rewired circuit. When subjected to similar unrealistic reengineering and rewiring, the competitive vehicles evaluated by Exponent and Toyota achieved substantially similar results with varying levels of resistances.

This manipulation of electrical components and a power source created artificial voltages that the engine control module, or ECM, would interpret as valid accelerator pedal signals. In essence, this test created a virtual, remote control accelerator pedal that replicated the vehicle’s own normally functioning accelerator pedal.

Also contrary to statements made in the ABC News story, had short circuits of the kind artificially created by Professor Gilbert occurred in real-world driving conditions, they would have left visible evidence such as damage or deterioration of the wiring and components.

As revealed in their testimony before Congress, Professor Gilbert’s Preliminary Report was commissioned by Sean Kane, a paid advocate for trial lawyers involved in litigation against Toyota and other automakers. Mr. Kane also appeared on the ABC News broadcast in support of the claim that Professor Gilbert’s demonstration revealed a flaw in the electronic throttle control system that could lead to “runaway” Toyota and Lexus vehicles. The relationship between Mr. Kane, Professor Gilbert and the trial lawyers who support Mr. Kane’s advocacy was not revealed by ABC News during the newscast, nor was Toyota offered an opportunity to view the demonstration or given time to respond.

Toyota believes that the public and Congressional committees have been misled by Professor Gilbert’s demonstration and the dramatization of it by ABC News. This has cast unwarranted doubt on the safety of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Toyota remains confident in the integrity of the electronic throttle control system in its vehicles and there has been no reliable evidence of any kind to the contrary presented to the media or to Congress. Toyota’s electronic systems have multiple fail-safe mechanisms to shut off or reduce engine power in the event of a system failure. Extensive testing of this system by Toyota has not found any sign of a malfunction that could lead to unintended acceleration.

Toyota has commissioned Exponent to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the electronic throttle control systems in Toyota and Lexus vehicles. No limitations of any kind were imposed on Exponent by Toyota. This evaluation is ongoing. An interim report of Exponent’s findings has been provided to Congress and establishes the functionality of the electronic throttle control fail-safe systems. The final results of Exponent’s exhaustive analysis will be made public when completed. As with all such reliable engineering analyses, Exponent’s final results will provide the data and information necessary for others to validate Exponent’s conclusions.

Toyota Announces March Sales Event

TORRANCE, Calif., March 2, 2010 – Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. today announced plans to launch the company’s most far-reaching sales program in its history.

Starting today, through April 5, 2010, the national marketing program includes financing, leasing and customer loyalty offers. Highlights of the program include:

• 0% APR financing for up to 60 months on 2010 Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Highlander, Matrix, RAV4, Tundra and Yaris, for qualifying buyers.
• Low lease rates on 2010 Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Highlander, Matrix, Prius, RAV4, Tundra and Venza, for qualifying buyers. Examples include a Corolla lease for $179 a month and a Camry lease for $199 a month, although offers may vary regionally.
• Complimentary two-year premium maintenance program for customers who purchase or lease a new vehicle and provide proof of a Toyota, Lexus or Scion vehicle already registered in household, with applicable conditions.

“We launched this program to expand the focus on our customers, and thank them for their loyalty by adding value to our products,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of Toyota Division for Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. “We are standing behind our customers and our vehicles. It’s a great time to buy a Toyota.”

The marketing program will be supported by a television ad campaign from Toyota’s advertising agencies Saatchi & Saatchi and Conill LA.

The March Sales Event television ads will begin airing on March 2, and will highlight the special 0% financing for 60 months offer. In addition, the ads will feature discussions with customers who recently purchased Toyota vehicles and reflect their feedback. Other commercials feature Toyota dealership associates, including salespeople, customer service representatives, technicians and others, thanking customers for their support and loyalty to Toyota.

2010 Toyota Corolla and Scion xB Earn Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 'Top Safety Pick' Award

March 2, 2010 - - The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced that for the second consecutive year the Toyota Corolla compact sedan and Scion xB have each earned “Top Safety Pick” awards.

The “Top Safety Pick” is the highest safety designation awarded by the IIHS. To qualify for the award, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of “good” in the IIHS’ front, side, rollover, and rear impact tests and be equipped with electronic stability control. The IIHS testing was made more stringent in 2010 with the addition of the rollover test, but it did not stop the Corolla and xB from capturing their second consecutive “Top Safety Pick.”

"’Top Safety Pick’ recognizes the vehicles that afford buyers the best overall protection in common crashes," says IIIHS president Adrian Lund. "With more top performers, there's no reason to buy a small car with less than stellar crash test ratings."

The IIHS is an independent non-profit research and communications organization funded by auto insurance companies.

To earn a “good” rollover rating, a roof must be able to support the equivalent of four times the vehicle’s weight compared with the current federal standard of 1.5. In the IIHS testing, the xB’s roof withstood a force equal to 6.8 times its vehicle weight. The Corolla’s weight withstood 5.1 times its vehicle weight.

All Toyota and Scion models meet or exceed the safety requirements of the federal government and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Toyota Statement on the Visit Between Toyota President Akio Toyoda and Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood

President Akio Toyoda met this morning with Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. They had a cordial and open discussion. Mr. Toyoda promised to take the initiative to advance safety to the next level. He reiterated his focus on putting customers first and making sure that going forward the company will do all it can to further improve communications and work more closely with the Department.

MotorWeek 2010 Drivers' Choice Awards Names Toyota Prius Best Vehicle of the Year

MotorWeek, television’s longest running automotive series, announced today the Toyota Prius has won the top honor of “Best of the Year” in its 2010 Drivers’ Choice Awards “for making improvements on virtually every front including, fuel efficiency, power and versatility.” Prius was a double winner as it also won MotorWeeks Drivers’ Choice Award for “Best Eco-Friendly” vehicle.

“If you can only buy one car for your family, the 2010 Prius is the one,” said MotorWeek host and executive producer John Davis. “The Prius is a no-compromise vehicle that offers impressive efficiency, cutting edge technology, smart packaging and truly iconic styling.”

“The Prius winning the prestigious MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Best of the Year and Best Eco-Friendly awards is truly an honor that reflects how far hybrid technology in the U.S. has come in one short decade,” said Bob Carter, Toyota Division group vice president and general manager. “Since it was introduced in 2000, the Prius has been an icon for positive change. Now, with over 800,000 currently on American roads, Prius has helped change the way people think about transportation, the roles cars play in the environment, and what people could expect from their cars in the future.”

MotorWeek’s Drivers’ Choice Awards have been widely acknowledged as one of the auto industry’s top honors for more than 25 years. The Drivers’ Choice Awards are chosen by the MotorWeek editorial staff by test-driving vehicles using a broad range of evaluation factors that are most important to consumers – performance, technology, practicality and value.

The Prius will be featured as the “Best of the Year” and “Best Eco-Friendly” vehicle on MotorWeek beginning February 13 on PBS.