Runaway Lexus kills 4 in San Diego - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JordaanDMC-12 · #1 10-18-2009, 01:58 PM

http://www.justicenewsflash.com/2009/09/01/runaway-lexus-kills-4_200909012035.html

http://www.sandiegopersonalinjuryblog.com/2009/08/31/chp-officer-and-his-family-killed-in-tragic-weekend-accident/

Quote:

According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), a loaner 2009 Lexus ES 350 driven by CHP Officer Mark Saylor, and three family members experienced a serious malfunction, which caused the accelerator to stick. Someone reportedly dialed 911 around 6:30 p.m. to report the cars accelerator was stuck, and the car could not be stopped while traveling nearly 100 miles per hour. The out-of-control car careened through the intersection of Route 125 and Mission Gorge Road and collided with a Ford Explorer. The Lexus then jumped a curb, plowed through a fence, and then slammed into an embankment before going airborne. The luxury car reportedly overturned several times before it came to a stop and burst into flames in the San Diego River basin. The CHP officer Mark Saylor, 45; his wife, Cleofe, 45; Saylor’s daughter, Mahala, 13; and his brother-in-law, Chris Lastrella were all tragically killed at the scene of the horrific crash.

There was a thread here a little while ago about a recall with Toyota about mats that could cause sticky accelerators. There thinking this could have been the reason. Pretty sad how they all didn't make it..

MTI · #2 10-18-2009, 02:10 PM

Actually, there are a few reports of cars, not just Toyota, that have "drive by wire" electronic throttles having runaway issues.

JordaanDMC-12 · #3 10-18-2009, 02:18 PM

That's pretty scary.... The car must of been very uncontrollable because this was a CHP officer and I'm pretty sure knew how to drive. What do you do in a situation like that other than ride the hell out of the brakes and try to shift to neutral?

Hatterasguy · #4 10-18-2009, 02:22 PM

He paniced and didn't think, he just had to take it out of gear.

JordaanDMC-12 · #5 10-18-2009, 02:34 PM

I dunno, he was a highway patrol I doubt he would just "panic" and not know what to do.. They released the 911 call, and the dispatcher is told they have no brakes..

http://www.10news.com/news/20831532/detail.html#

Quote:

Lastrella: "We're on North 125 and our accelerator is stuck."
911 Dispatcher: "I'm sorry?"
Lastrella: "Our accelerator is stuck. We're on 125."
911 Dispatcher: "Northbound 125. What are you passing?"
Lastrella: "We're going 120. Mission Gorge. We're in trouble. We can't … there is no brakes. End freeway half mile."
911 dispatcher: "You can't do anything like turn off your engine?"
Lastrella: "We're approaching the intersection. We're approaching the intersection. We're approaching the intersection."
Others in the care are heard saying "hold on" and "pray."

Stoney · #6 10-18-2009, 03:08 PM

I had a similar thing happen 10 years ago when I picked up a car (Toyota) from the shop to return it to my Mom in Law.

When I pulled onto the Expressway and accelerated, the gas pedal remained down and would not release. I turned the key off and steered to the right lane and went onto the shoulder.

Upon opening the hood, I found a pair of Channel Lock pliers that had been left on top of the Engine had slid down by the intake jmanifold and become wedged blocking the accellerator pulley assembly in the wide open position.

Turn off the Key and you have No Spark, No Power, No Go. Very simple thing to do.

I am very surprised a TRAINED PROFESSIONAL DRIVER (CHP) panicked and killed himself and his kids and seriously injured bystanders.

This was one of the FIRST things I was taught by my Dad and it was reinterated in Drivers Ed, if the pedal sticks, kill the ignition and use the brakes and coast to the shoulder.

Drive By Wire is still governed by the KEY being in the ON position...
No Ignition, No Power, No Go.

TylerH860 · #7 10-18-2009, 03:18 PM

It may have had keyless go, and he was unfamiliar with the car.

They're making those cars so counter-intuitive and over-designed its not surprising that someone would panic. Same goes for new MBs and BMWs.

Skippy · #8 10-18-2009, 03:27 PM

Would that have prevented shifting into neutral and letting the motor bounce off the rev limiter while he pulled over?

kerry · #9 10-18-2009, 03:36 PM

Wow. It does seem that options were available. I'm surprised someone else in the car didn't realize these options even if the driver was panicked.

TylerH860 · #10 10-18-2009, 03:36 PM

Depends on whether it had a traditional shifter or one of those dinky little electronic push button ones.

Brandon_SLC · #11 10-18-2009, 03:40 PM

Having the freeway end, at the bottom of a long hill, then forcing you to make a hard right, hard left or stop at a signal is a flawed design.

I think the guy panicked. The car will go into neutral, if you move the shift lever. The engine will then bump up against the rev limiter.

Since first reading about this accident, I have experimented with my Camry and my Mother's Lexus. My Camry has the same Start/Stop button as the ES350. Even at high speed the engine shuts down if you depress the switch and hold it for 3 seconds. If you know this simple fact, it's actually a safer system than a key, if your car is running away. My Mom's RX330 uses the antiquated key system, turning the key while the car is going 120 could be very dangerous. If you turn the key a little bit too far, you can lock the steering wheel and lose all steering.

There needs to be a warning label added to inform people of the 3 second hold feature.

IMO there's enough blame to go around to all parties. The state of California, for not finishing the transition from Cal. hwy 125 to hwy 52 in Santee, the Lexus dealer/Toyota for not informing the driver, or putting a faulty/incorrect mat in the car, and the driver.

IMO, no matter how well trained CHP officers are supposed to be, the driver is most at fault because he was the only one with actual control of the car. It was a mistake for him to use his cell phone, rather than maintain his faculties to figure out how to move the gear lever into neutral, or otherwise stop the car.

Skippy · #12 10-18-2009, 03:41 PM

Eeek! Sounds like a good reason to stay with manual transmissions. If all else fails, you can still push in the clutch.

Fulcrum525 · #13 10-18-2009, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerH860

It may have had keyless go, and he was unfamiliar with the car.

They're making those cars so counter-intuitive and over-designed its not surprising that someone would panic. Same goes for new MBs and BMWs.

At first I thought this was another thread relating to the floor mat flaw.

I've been in a number of newer Mercedes with the key less go system. On most its actually just a transceiver that plugs into the normal key slot. Just push the button and the engine will turn off. You could actually remove that button if you wanted to and just use the normal key.

I saw a BMW system once that I don't understand....first you insert the key into a slot and then push a button to start it....

(Why not just have a normal key slot instead of trying to just look cool in front of your friends

)

Hatterasguy · #14 10-18-2009, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skippy

Would that have prevented shifting into neutral and letting the motor bounce off the rev limiter while he pulled over?

Nothing he paniced.

The ES350 is a Camry, its not that complicated.

I had something like this happen to me in my sisters Olds. The floor mat jammed the pedal down. But I don't panic so a quick sharp yank at the back of the mat solved the problem before I built up to much speed.

Keyless go should still have an override, to shut it off, and besides you can always take it out of gear. I bet even on the new totaly electronic shifting Mercedes you can take it out of gear.

catmandoo62 · #15 10-18-2009, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon_SLC

. My Mom's RX330 uses the antiquated key system, turning the key while the car is going 120 could be very dangerous. If you turn the key a little bit too far, you can lock the steering wheel and lose all steering.

that won't happen.all cars i know of have to be in park for the key to turn clear back to the point of removal.and this is where the steering will lock.now as for the keyless system that could be a different story.