Hit the Brake
After Toyota’s recent brake snafu, comes one from Ford. If I were of the conspiratorial mindset, I’d note how it’s odd how we hear this for non-bailout, non-government owned companies.
That, or since this is for the hybrid Fusion and the other was the Prius, that maybe hybrid engines cause brake problems.
February 6th, 2010 at 10:45 am
The problem is with the algorithm that switches between regenerative and regular braking…And since the Volt isn’t being sold, they haven’t discovered it.
February 6th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Yep, similar problem to the Prius, which is that the brake system’s regenerative braking system ( which is designed to slow down the vehicle by using its speed to generate power to recharge the battery ) isn’t fully debugged yet.
In both the throttle pedal and the brake pedal issues, part of the problem is that these things are not really “connected” to the brakes/engine any longer in these designs. They are just inputs to the computer system. So there are more bugs possible.
February 6th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
My theory is that Toyota’s gas pedal problem is also a computer bug – not a physical pedal problem. The accelerator on most autos built in the last 5 years is electronically (computer) controlled where older vehicles were controlled by a cable connected between the gas pedal and the fuel system.
A 17 cent part is much cheaper than replacing or reprogramming the computer systems, provided you can find the code that is causing the glitch.
February 6th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
“The more complicated they make the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain.” — Montgomery “Scotty” Scott
February 6th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
The advantage of rolling out the floor mat recall, (which is totally not related to the), and the gas pedal friction retrofit is that once a fix is in place, you can continue to sell the car in dealerships.
It could take months to get new firmware out for all the drive-by-wire, but even that is cheaper than redesigning the throttle linkage such there is an actual plug you can pull, rather than a button you have to hold down for some seconds to let the computer know that it’s OK to shut things down.
While I share the concern that Government Mistak^H^H^H Motors may never do a recall like this because of a conflict of interest, it really looks like Toyota laid a rotten egg this time.
No one would ever allow a “brake-by-wire” system to go into production, maybe we need to look again at the throttle, even if it makes the car get another 1/2 a mile less per gallon.
February 6th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
I insist on being in control, with my hands and feet, of all the major functions of any vehicle I own. I will never own one of these new “everything by wire” cars. If I manage to live another 20 years, I will take my money and have an older model refurbished for my use rather than buying new.
I once investigated a boating accident where a large, modern yacht collided with a floating restaurant structure because of the failure of a shift-by-wire system. The owner quickly converted to my above viewpoint, and sold his multimillion modern disaster of a yacht.
February 6th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Fly by wire is fine … but you need to have a set of analog controls as a backup.
Put them at the far limits of the control’s movement range.
February 6th, 2010 at 7:19 pm
Part of the bail out program was the instillation of gremlins into each vehicle that did not except the bailout funds.
This was also a position started by the great rainbow stimulus package. Someone had to throw a live gremlin into each car. All wounds incurred thru the handling of the gremlins will be covered in the Health care reform bill soon to be pooped out by congress.
February 6th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Actually, I’ve wondered if it was an EMI issue. But then, predicting and preventing EMI is a large part of my job. . .
February 6th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
I seem to recall Ford licensing hybrid technology from Toyota a few years back. I don’t know if they still do. If they did, it wouldn’t surprise me if they shared software and, by extension, bugs.
February 7th, 2010 at 12:45 am
I’m with Rivrdog, and if I can get the funds, enough warm weather where I have nothing else more pressing and perhaps a few less health problems I am going to restore my 1950 model Ford two-door sedan and make it my daily driver. And yes, it is a two-door sedan, not a coupe.
February 7th, 2010 at 10:18 pm
Yeah, cuz it’s new technology and all. Diesel-electric trains have been using it for, oh 40 years or so.
February 8th, 2010 at 2:31 am
After you debug and virus-check your PC, tell me exactly how comfortable you are with having your brakes controlled by software. When your home computer locks up, it doesn’t crash into a bridge abutment.
February 8th, 2010 at 11:06 am
The Technophobia is surprising in here.