Sticky accelerator 'caused Toyota crash'

Daniel Zatz was driving his two-year-old Toyota Aygo when he approached a junction near his home in Greater Manchester. The 34-year-old took his foot off the accelerator to allow the car to slow down.

 

When Toyota Aygo owner Daniel Zatz took his foot off the accelerator it didn't slow down

 

 

 

By David Harrison

 

"But it didn't slow down," he told his mother June. "It continued to accelerate."

Alarmed by what was happening, Mr Zatz tried to steer the car to safety. But he was unable to regain control and it crashed into the kerb where it came to a halt.

Mrs Zatz said: "It was really worrying. The main thing is that Daniel was not injured but his car needed a new tyre and rim and it could have been much worse."

Mr Zatz, a golf course green-keeper from Bury, called Toyota who said the problem was probably being caused by the 2007-registered car's floor mat catching the accelerator.

Reassured by the manufacturer, Mr Zatz adjusted the mat and carried on driving to work and back, a round trip of over 20 miles.

 

That was four weeks ago. But two weeks later the same thing happened.

 

This time Mr Zatz was able to bring the car to a halt without hitting anything, by applying the brakes and putting the car into neutral.

 

He called the RAC. The mechanic who examined the car said he thought the problem had been caused by dirty on the accelerator. He removed the part, cleaned it and said Mr Zatz could carry on driving the car.

 

He thought the problem had been solved. But last week, when he heard the news that Toyota was recalling 180,00 of its British-registered cars, including Toyota Aygos, because of concerns that the accelerators were "sticking", he became concerned

 

His mother June was even more worried and she called the Toyota helpline on the morning of Feb 4.

 

"They booked the car in for Feb 9," she said. "They want to check it first and said that the new parts are expected to arrive around Feb 10.

 

"Daniel is still driving it but very carefully. Toyota told him that if it happens again he should put it into neutral and use the brakes. He is worried but at least it is being dealt with and hopefully it will be sorted out properly."

 

Mr Katz's incident appears to contradict a claim by Miguel Fonseca, the company's UK managing director, who said on GMTV on the morning of Feb 5 that there had been "no accidents in the UK associated with this issue".

 

Today the company declined to comment on “individual cases” but said it stood by Mr Fonseca’s remarks.

 

A Toyota spokesman said: "Since November 2009 we have identified 20 cases where the sticky accelerator has been a problem but there have been no accidents as a result of this.

 

“Toyota has had no reports of any accidents in the UK caused by this sticky accelerator pedal issue.”

 

 

 

 

He added that “reports” referred to those made to the police or insurance companies.

 

The parts required for the recall are being air-freighted from Japan. Service centres in the UK will start the work by the middle of the week and will prioritise cases which may have a sticky pedal issue, the spokesman added.

 

Other Toyota drivers who have had problems, but no accidents, with the accelerator include Gavin Fogg, a 35-year-old photographer.

 

Mr Fogg, from Milton Keynes, Bucks was driving home form work at night three weeks ago when his 2007 Yaris started to accelerate. "I was in second gear as I'd just turned off a roundabout but it quickly went up to 45mph," he said.

 

"I was hitting the brakes but it wasn't slowing . It was really nerve-racking."

 

Fortunately Mr Fogg was on a straight, open road and the accelerator pedal came back up before he reached any other vehicles. "It might have been a lot more dangerous if I had been on a busy motorway or in town," he said.

 

Mechanics at a Toyota garage told him there was nothing wrong with the car which he bought in December for £7,300. But after the recall was announced they agreed to check the vehicle and he is waiting to book it in.

"I have to drive for my job but I am nervous about driving it until it is fixed," he said.

 

Another Toyota driver, Nicole James from Guildford, has an adapted Aygo, registered in 2007, said her car had "shot off the road" when the car's accelerator was "sticking."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7175795/Sticky-accelerator-caused-Toyota-crash.html