Toyota Prius: Speed Racer?

Not more bad press for Toyota!

Ah, the Toyota Prius.  It has long been the darling automobile for green consumers.  It practically screams “eco-friendly.”

Unless the people inside are screaming!

Earlier this week, reports of another harrowing incident involving a Toyota left people shaking their heads once again.  A 61-year old man in California called 911 on Monday when his 2008 Prius accelerated on a San Diego highway and he couldn’t get the vehicle to slow down.  This time, the vehicle was not a model that had been subject to recall.

Since late 2009, the Toyota recall has involved the following vehicles:

2007-2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Tundra, 2007-2010 ES 350, 2006-2010 IS 250, and 2006-2010 IS 350.  On January 27, 2010, Toyota expanded the campaign to include the 2008-2010 Highlander, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Venza, 2009-2010 Matrix and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe.

Toyota has asked consumers to bring back their vehicles for what appears to be a relatively simple, inexpensive fix.  In recent weeks, the car manufacturer has been working to reshape both the floor mats and gas pedals to prevent the accelerator stick issue that has resulted in a number of accidents, injuries and fatalities.

Although the Toyota Prius has been the butt of jokes (common to hybrids and other electric vehicles) for its gutless performance, you certainly don’t want to be involved in a sudden Prius acceleration.  Speculation arose this week that the Toyota recall would be broadened to include Prius hybrids from 2004-2009 to address the issue.  But the Toyota website states that the Wall Street Journal and other news outlets that reported the story are wrong.  There is no recall of any model of Toyota Prius.

On a much lighter note, the idea of a Toyota Prius as speed racer seems beyond comprehension.  While researching this story, we came across this humorous video from “Funny or Die,” called Hybrid Power!

Think safety in your Toyota Prius

Sure, most hybrid vehicles rarely reach speeds above 90 miles per hour.  But if the accelerator is stuck, you don’t care what make or model you’re in!

Toyota acceleration is hardly a laughing matter any longer.  If you have concerns about the safety of your Prius, be sure to remove any floor mats on the drivers’ side, and do not replace them.  Should you be involved in a situation where the accelerator sticks, take the following steps:

• Apply the brake pedal with both feet and use firm, steady pressure – do NOT pump the brakes
• Shift into Neutral (N) and attempt a controlled stop at the side of the road
• Turn off the engine if you cannot get the car into Neutral

Per the Toyota website:

Owners who have further questions are asked to visit www.toyota.com or www.lexus.com or contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus Customer Assistance at 1-800-255-3987.