I will state for the record before I even begin. I have NEVER owned a Toyota. I do not work for Toyota nor do I have any association wtih them and the following is my opinion and my opinion alone.
For eight years I drove a Geo Metro Convertible LSI in white. This is not my car, I have only film copies of me and my sweet ride and they are in Apples room and she is asleep. This photo is courtesy of Wikipedia .
As much as I loved my sweet convertible and the fact that it only cost me $15 in gas for two weeks worth of driving, it wasn’t without it’s faults. For a three cylinder I quite often found myself driving on only two. The locks would freeze up for most of the winter, causing me to have to crawl in through my trunk to unlock the doors. But, in the summer when the roof was down and I was tanned and loving my ride all the winter faults were long forgotten.
With all the recent talk about Toyota and their stuck gas pedals, I feel that I should come out and share my experience with stuck gas pedals. It used to happen to me with my Geo, all the time. Yes, ALL THE TIME. Mostly in the wintertime when the throttle would get frozen. But, there is a safe way to get yourself out of this situation. Turn your car off. It didn’t matter if I was still in the driveway or on the highway when my gas pedal would get stuck and the engine would redline, I would turn the car off, coast to safety and put on my hazards. I am not saying this is fool proof, but when your car is speeding out of control, instead of going into panic mode and trying to beat red lights, just cut the gas to the engine and coast yourself to safety as best you can.
Too many drivers these days don’t know how to get themselves out of situations. I am not sure if it is because they grew up driving new cars or what but, my Dad always had beaters and us kids learned how to drive in them. Over the course of the last 23 years of driving I have had my share of strange situations. Stuck gas pedals are just a small part of it. I have had to change my alternator on the side of the highway, too many flat tires to count, open the hood to spark the starter, timing belt blow out on the 416, power steering cut out on me, clutch cable snapping (Downtown in Winnipeg and yes, my Dad can drive without a clutch) and many more that I am sure I am forgetting. Back in High School my Sister and I were known for the beaters we would show up with, but it never stopped anyone from asking for or taking a ride. Just remember not to panic and you can usually get yourself out of a situation.
So be gentle on Toyota if you own or were thinking of owning one of their cars. And remember that the company that makes those apparently faulty gas pedals?? They don’t just make them for Toyota.
