scariest moment of my life

5139 Views 18 Replies 14 Participants Last post by Bulls23337, Oct 9, 2009

Louisiana_snake

Discussion Starter · Oct 4, 2009

Well, I decided I was completely sick of how dirty my car had been looking after a long road trip up Louisiana and thought a car wash was in order. Took it to the local car wash and got it vacuumed, washed, and waxed. Stopped at a red light I decided that I missed the roar the F makes. Making sure to look around for cops, saw it was clear, waited for green and punched it. Somewhere around 4th gear I noticed that the gas pedal wasn't letting up. As I took my foot off the pedal, it didn't follow my foot and the car kept going faster and faster. It immediately hit me that my pedal was stuck and it was the all weather floor mats that kept it there. I shot my hand down and start yanking on the mat as I watched my car hit 120 in a 35 heading straight for a cargo truck and a school bus driving side by side. After what seemed like 10 minutes I freed the mat and was able to start downshifting and easing on my brake.
Thank god I realized what had happened or I know I would not be here right now. Seems like the car wash attendants didn't clip the mats back to the floor and left them further to the pedals then they should have been.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/29/news/companies/toyota_lexus_floor_mats/?postversion=2009093007

I read that article earlier in the week and laughed at what kind of idiot that would happen to.......guess that idiot was me

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

beatlepd

· #2 · Oct 4, 2009

Louisiana_snake said:
Well, I decided I was completely sick of how dirty my car had been looking after a long road trip up Louisiana and thought a car wash was in order. Took it to the local car wash and got it vacuumed, washed, and waxed. Stopped at a red light I decided that I missed the roar the F makes. Making sure to look around for cops, saw it was clear, waited for green and punched it. Somewhere around 4th gear I noticed that the gas pedal wasn't letting up. As I took my foot off the pedal, it didn't follow my foot and the car kept going faster and faster. It immediately hit me that my pedal was stuck and it was the all weather floor mats that kept it there. I shot my hand down and start yanking on the mat as I watched my car hit 120 in a 35 heading straight for a cargo truck and a school bus driving side by side. After what seemed like 10 minutes I freed the mat and was able to start downshifting and easing on my brake.
Thank god I realized what had happened or I know I would not be here right now. Seems like the car wash attendants didn't clip the mats back to the floor and left them further to the pedals then they should have been.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/29/news/companies/toyota_lexus_floor_mats/?postversion=2009093007

I read that article earlier in the week and laughed at what kind of idiot that would happen to.......guess that idiot was me

Glad it turned out okay. I know you mentioned the all-weather mats, and just want to confirm that the recall doesn't apply to regular mats in the F. Am I correct?

lowrider

· #3 · Oct 4, 2009

beatlepd said:
Glad it turned out okay. I know you mentioned the all-weather mats, and just want to confirm that the recall doesn't apply to regular mats in the F. Am I correct?

No. See attached. IMHO, it's not a problem, if the mats are installed properly.

Ya know, this forum is becoming a royal pain with the small sizes allowed for attachments. I paid money to be a Premium Member, and everytime I try to attach something it's too darn big. The file size limitation here is ridicules.

I have a one page PDF issued by Lexus with information and instructions on this problem, and I can't post it. BAH HUMBUG

Lou

doublexl

· #4 · Oct 4, 2009

very, very scary indeed. one could resort into popping the car into neutral.....i have noticed that while driving, if you pop it in neutral to give it a rev as your rolling up somewhere, the car will not allow it to go over i think 4000rpm. i did this rolling out of a car meet, people on the sides were giving the "light em up" sign...but i didnt feel like going fast with people standing so close.

another reason i dont let anyone do anything to my car. the smallest thing could have horrible results.

p.whitelock

· #5 · Oct 4, 2009

Wow, close moment! I had a similar thing happen to me in a previous car. The plate in the throttle body got stuck (old grease) and when i floored the car the pedal stuck to the floor. I had to do the same and reach down and pull it up to stop accelerating.
After stripping air intake down and regreasing and cleaning up the throttle body it was fine.
Glad to see you didnt crash the ISF though.

phootdr

· #6 · Oct 4, 2009

a similar incident happened to me many years ago. my uncle had a 3000GT VR-4, and itook it to get a tire changed for him in hoboken. for those of you that have never driven in hoboken.....narrow streets, lined by cars on both sides.

so anyway the peddle gets stuck in the mat while i am blasting away in second gear.
everything happened in slow motion. i was going like 60ish, popped the stick out of gear and it kept revving high. i thought i was going to blow the engine. i slowed down a bit and turned the engine off, stopped and fixed the problem.

the best part is that i told my uncle what happened (shaking the whole time) and he was really nonchalant. he is like "yeah, that happens to me once in a while too". what a dick.

IsFly168

· #7 · Oct 5, 2009

Y'all ppl dont believe in putting the shifter into Neutral and let it bounce off the rev limiter, stopping the car and then going down for the mats? Also, the all weather mats have 2 holes that are held by the 2 clips, again, dunno how you ppl can get the pedal stuck on the mats. Might as well let a bottle of spring water roll around and hopefully it rolls right behind your brake pedal right?

Flipside909

· #8 · Oct 5, 2009

lowrider said:
No. See attached. IMHO, it's not a problem, if the mats are installed properly.

Ya know, this forum is becoming a royal pain with the small sizes allowed for attachments. I paid money to be a Premium Member, and everytime I try to attach something it's too darn big. The file size limitation here is ridicules.

I have a one page PDF issued by Lexus with information and instructions on this problem, and I can't post it. BAH HUMBUG

Lou

Lou,

I hope you do realize posting up Lexus copyrighted documents is illegal. This includes all Toyota/Lexus TSIB PDF files.

Thanks,
Ryan

FChampOH

· #9 · Oct 5, 2009

In case you didn't know...on the IS-F push button start you can shut the engine down while the car is in motion by pressing and holding the start button down for approx. 4 seconds.
To restart it while in motion, simply move the gear selector to Neutral, place your foot on the brake pedal and push the start button again. I verified this personally today. I thought this might be a good idea to post with all the talk of gas pedal interference.

Also, always check for any sort of gas or brake pedal interference in any car.

lowrider

· #10 · Oct 5, 2009 (Edited)

Flipside909 said:
Lou,

I hope you do realize posting up Lexus copyrighted documents is illegal. This includes all Toyota/Lexus TSIB PDF files.

Thanks,
Ryan

Ryan

These are posted up on other sites with no recrimination. Why the big deal here

I got the PDF from the Lexus website, and there was no warning or admonishment about not forwarding to other interested folks or posting on the web. As I said, it contains specific information on PNs and instructions on what owner's should do. This is a Safety Issue for gosh sakes, and your asking me to withhold vital information. What kind of site is this? I think your wrong. Also, on another forum, a Lexus employee commented that it was, in fact, the latest Lexus bulletin on the subject.

You did however, completely ignore my complaint on the small file sizes allowed as attachments here. Would you address that issue please?

Your post makes me wonder what I'm doing here

Lou

RickeyK

· #11 · Oct 6, 2009

Flipside909 said:
Lou,

I hope you do realize posting up Lexus copyrighted documents is illegal. This includes all Toyota/Lexus TSIB PDF files.

Thanks,
Ryan

I have to agree with LOWRIDER on this one! As this can be a life or Death situation!! TOYOTA / LEXUS has issued a recall affecting approx 3.8 Million vehicles due to this potential unsafe condition. For those who are not aware a family of four was killed in a loaner ES350 from a LEXUS dealer due to the floor mat issue. I think TOYOTA would adulate you for disseminating this vital information to all who could be a victim of this recall!!! After all what good is a Forum if not alive to use it?????

Administrator

· #12 · Oct 7, 2009

lowrider said:
No. See attached. IMHO, it's not a problem, if the mats are installed properly.

Ya know, this forum is becoming a royal pain with the small sizes allowed for attachments. I paid money to be a Premium Member, and everytime I try to attach something it's too darn big. The file size limitation here is ridicules.

I have a one page PDF issued by Lexus with information and instructions on this problem, and I can't post it. BAH HUMBUG

Lou

I checked the attachment size and it is set up as all our other forums. How big was the PDF? It may have been an actual size limitation meaning the screen size that would be taken up by the PDF. Send me the file at [email protected] so I can try and see what is up. All looks good in the background for actual file size. Thanks for your support!

Nadeem

lowrider

· #13 · Oct 7, 2009

^^^^PDF file sent. BTW, I posted it in other forums with no problems. This forum allows 19.5kb per attachment. Other forums allow 100kb. That's a heckofa difference.

Lou

Molson

· #14 · Oct 8, 2009

Just read the 3.8M recall repair.... Zip ties is the solution? lol.

Nothing like stepping into a lexus and see zip ties on your mats attached to the seat rail. Cheap solution makes me laugh. But I guess they have to do it for those that do not know how to install floor mats.

For those that do know how use their floor mats no need for the 5 cent zip ties... still makes me laugh regarding the 'solution'.

RickeyK

· #15 · Oct 8, 2009

Can't agree with you more! The problem is that when an all weather mat is laid over the carpet mats they do not snap into the hooks. The second mat takes up just enough space to interfere with the accelerator pedal. So the simple solution is to only have one mat in place and make sure it's secured. Should not be that difficult I agree however when ignored it can and has resulted in death.

lowrider

· #16 · Oct 8, 2009

Molson said:
Just read the 3.8M recall repair.... Zip ties is the solution? lol.

Where did you see this? BTW, the forum attachment sizes have now been increased. So, the Lexus PDF document outlining the problem and giving the mat PNs is now attached.

Lou

isflojo

· #17 · Oct 8, 2009

Thanks for the info Lou. I had the carpet and all-weather floor mats on at the same time, until today, and had no issues with the pedal getting stuck. However, I took the carpet mats off just to make sure I never run into this situation. Better safe than sorry.

Bulls23337

· #18 · Oct 9, 2009

RickeyK said:
Can't agree with you more! The problem is that when an all weather mat is laid over the carpet mats they do not snap into the hooks. The second mat takes up just enough space to interfere with the accelerator pedal. So the simple solution is to only have one mat in place and make sure it's secured. Should not be that difficult I agree however when ignored it can and has resulted in death.

The floor mats in the first place are designed to be installed independent of one another. I don't know where the idea to lay the carpet floor mats on top of the all-weather mats or vice-versa came from?

Bulls23337

· #19 · Oct 9, 2009

To the OP, I would go back to that place you got the car washed and talk to their manager and explain the situation. It will help prevent the same incident from happening to others in the future. I'm truly glad to hear you are safe though!

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

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