Hybrid Auris Accelerator Issue?

[AurisVictim]

Driving in to work this morning my engine just revved wildly and the car accellerated very quickly.

I stamped on the brake but the engine just continued to rev highly. At first the car would not switch off but eventually did.

Took it in to the local centre they did a test drive and told me there was no problem.

Very worried this has happened to me twice twice now.

ABC news in America has a guy showing the exact same on a different model which can be caused by a short on the accellerator sensor.

Anyone heard of such problems?

[acetip]

If you have floor mats are they secured with clips.

But i would have thought the dealer checked this out.

should this happen again i would take it back to the dealer and refuse to accept there is nothing wrong and also inform Toyota,as the last thing they would want is any complaints about sticking accelerator pedals having replaced pedals with ones that have supposed to cure this problem many,many cars around the world.

but saying that yours being a hybrid it would have the latest mdified pedal from new.

Did you buy the car new,if not you could contact the first owner through the address in the reg document and ask if they had any trouble with tha accelerator.

[AurisVictim]

Thanks for that, the car was bought new and the mats are not clipped down they never have been. I did check on the position of the mat immediately after the event.

It wasn't like the peddle stuck down the engine came on after the electric phase and just surged, twice. I'm driving it like a nun now and giving everyone lots of space. It certainly takes the pleasure out of driving when you suspect the car is homicidal :) mind you I'm no boy racer in any case.

[Daveyonthemove]

his happened o me, and it was an issue with the mats.

They gradually move forward, and the bottom of the pedal catches under the edge of the mat.

Unless you push the pedal to the floor (with the engine off) using your hand and watch how close it gets to the mat, you probably won't notice it until it happens again.

If you can get some clips from the dealers, I would get a couple of sets, as they don't last long.

[acetip]

I am suprised the dealer did not notice the mats were not clipped.

are the mats genuine Toyota ones supplied by the dealer cos new ones come complete with the clips.

I brought rubber ones for my Auris off eBay (non Toyota) and puched holes in them so i could use clips.

Rubber mats dont tend to creep like ordinary mats and are harder wearing.

Used to get them pretty muddy etc when fishing and are soon washed down with water,and dry off pretty quick.

[baba_metca]

I have genuine toyota mats, and they are not clipped, never been for 6 years now. The mat on the drivers side will never go so far up, so that it could jam the pedal. The mat stops in the footrest and that is it. This is on Avensis T25, my wife's Auris is the same, there is just no way that the mat would go so far up. There is a really big cut around the accelerator pedal. I have checked and tried the mats on both cars to see is there any way to move or something so that they can jam the pedal. And there is, you have to roll the mat like you roll a newspaper. If you are that negligent about your car, well you asked for it.

'AurisVictim' for a start, check if your mat can jam the pedal in any way. If its easy enough then clip it. Other wise keep a recording device close so that you could film the event. If it happened once it could happen twice. If it happened twice, well... do the math.

[Lorna2]

The mats in my first Yaris (2003) weren't clipped down but they never moved. mats in my 2008 Yaris are clipped down and they never moved either.

[AurisVictim]

I'll double check the mats they are original Toyota that came new with the car. They've never been clipped but I may take it in and get some clips.

As for recording the event there is no time for that the car just shoots forward like greased lightning when it does it and everything is used the stop it, get flashers on and get safe if it happens again it goes back full stop if I survive.

There's something wrong the alarm keeps going off for no reason and the fuel gauge reads empty, yet when I fill it from empty I only get 35-37 liters in and it's a 45 liter tank.

[acetip]

Its a well known issue that mats have caused in some cases to interfere with the accelerato pedal.

TO LORNA

if your 2008 mats were clipped would you expect them to move,cos thats why the clips are fitted in the first place,to keep the mats in place.

[acetip]

After thinking a bt more on this subject its obvious any mat movement is caused by the movement of the feet when operating the pedals.people who have say longer legs and have the driving seat further back than say peope of shorter statue tend to push on the mat more causing it to move foreward.

some drivers when operating the clutch have their heel on the mat where others push directly onto the cluch pedal with their heels off the mat and these will not push at all on the carpet.

Just a thought.

[baba_metca]

Can you compare the acceleration to a fully depresed accelerator pedal? It' would be hard to compare but still.

About the other things.

An 8 to 10 liters is normal for the regular Auris and the T25 Avensis that we have. I think that it's done for a purpose, probbably so that it can assure 60miles of high consumption trip (like in winter conditions or rough terrain, driving in low gears).

The alarm could be another issue. Like strong, short bursts of wind or other events (we had a small cat stuck in the engine bay ), there could even be an alarm sensonr gone bad (by moist or ...).

Soon they have to put black boxes in cars too :) :) :)

[Daveyonthemove]

I have a theory on the alarm.

If your like me, then you unclip the belt, throw it over your shoulder and get out of the car. When you come back to the car, the buckle is on the floor because the belt twisted and didn't retract properly.

It may simply be the seatbelt retracting after the alarm has activated.

I could be wrong, but it might be worth checking the seatbelt so it can be ruled out if it happens again.

[cuius]

I'm surprised the mats are not clipped on a 2011 car.

In passing, the clips must be the worse design ever - most manufacturers use either a toggle-type or a press-stud. The hooks used in the Auris mean it is difficult to get the carpet off and put it back on. Also the hooks are not fully secure as they are only bedded on the sound deadening felt and not fixed to the metal below; consequently there is play in them. Surprised given the problem Toyota have had. Appears to be a last minute addition rather than part of the original design.

[Sandy52]

It is YOUR responsibility to ensure you have control of the car. If you have an accident due to the carpets being loose YOU will be the responsible party, not Toyota.

If your car mats are not secured then fix them.

There is provision to fix clips which do work.

If not use double sided carpet tape as a temporary measure. Its not the best but it helps till you get clips fitted.

[tidyboiler]

I have had problems with my Auris, when I am in 1st gear ready to go into 2nd, it sometimes revs up like I have the throttle full on; I have taken it to the garage and they have tried it and found nothing wrong. It doesn't happen all the time just intermittently. Someone told me there was a re-call from Toyota a few years ago about this problem?

[Lorna2]

Hi Tina, you can check if your car has had the work done here http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyota/bv/generic_editorial.jsp?navRoot=toyota_1024_root&nodiv=true&fullwidth=TRUE&noLeftMenu=true&forceText=%3Cnone%3E&edname=as_YourToyota&id=as_YourToyota&zone=Zone+Ownership&sr=Mall

[tidyboiler]

Hi Lorna, thanks very much for your reply. It seems I don't need to bother with any recalls, so I guess it's back to the drawing board, cheers anyway.

[Sandy52]

I have had my diesel Auris for some time and never encountered this problem.

If you are not happy with the car then have it independently inspected.

[tidyboiler]

Thanks, I will take it back and maybe go on a test drive with the mechanic.