# Capricious Truck Trying To Rear End Somebody! **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 7, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225 "2015-03-07T00:05:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gudenteit](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/gudenteit/32/3004_2.png) [@gudenteit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gudenteit)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/1 "2015-03-07T00:05:46Z")
I was a passenger in a pickup truck that seemed to have the accelerator stick as he came to a stop, and it tried to lurch forward suddenly and rear end the guy ahead of us. Truck is a 2005 Toyota Tacoma automatic trans. with the big 4 cylinder engine. It only has happened to him infrequently. Might someone know if this is a common problem with this particular vehicle? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/2 "2015-03-07T01:14:59Z")
The problem might be with the Idle Air Control valve going to the wrong position while stopping causing the engine to race. I knew a co-worker who had this happen to their vehicle while pulling into a gas station. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to react quickly enough when the vehicle accelerated and the vehicle took out two gas pumps. Tester ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 4:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/3 "2015-03-07T04:43:34Z")
Check to make sure the carpet or floor pad isn’t bunching up and interfering with the gas pedal. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 5:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/4 "2015-03-07T05:49:02Z")
Other than agreeing about the IAC valve and carpet possibilities another one could be a throttle plate trying to stick a little. This is where induction system cleaning comes in and at roughly 10 years of age could be due. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 6:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/5 "2015-03-07T06:17:25Z")
Did your friend receive a recall notice from Toyota for unintended acceleration and return the truck to the dealer for the fix? If not, go to [safercar.gov](http://safercar.gov) and look up the recall. ---
**Author:** ![SteveC76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SteveC76](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveC76)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 11:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/6 "2015-03-07T11:04:06Z")
The idle is controlled by the throttle body, this truck with the 2.7 engine is drive by wire and has no iac valve. As far as sudden acceleration ensure you are using only a Toyota floor mat that is properly installed. The problem is most often caused by floor mat entrapment. The campaigns were designed to prevent this issue by modifying the gas pedal to help eliminate entrapment issues. I would also look at the drivers foot position, a driver who brakes with the right edge of the brake pedal may also inadvertently hit the gas pedal with the side of their shoe. ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/7 "2015-03-07T16:50:13Z")
The floor mat entrapment issue was a red herring. Basically, they couldn’t find a programming flaw, and had to come up with something. Yes, floor mat entrapment can happen, but that was a ‘Hail Mary’ campaign to try and explain the sudden acceleration problem. Currently, they added a new programming patch that cancels acceleration if the brake is pressed. Toyota calls it ‘Safe Stop’, and it’s part of the recall effort @jtsanders mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/8 "2015-03-07T22:05:35Z")
I agree with Busted, however Toyota did eventually determine the root cause of the acceleration problems. It turned out to be a mechanical problem in the accelerator module. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 10:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/9 "2015-03-07T22:11:59Z")
> **The floor mat entrapment issue was a red herring. Basically, they couldn't find a programming flaw, and had to come up with something. Yes, floor mat entrapment can happen, but that was a 'Hail Mary' campaign to try and explain the sudden acceleration problem** And there were floor mats get stuck. The floor mats have little hooks to keep them from creeping forward. Many people can’t be bothered with them. My wifes Lexus - are a pain to use…so many just didn’t use them…and the floor mat crept under and interfered with the gas pedal. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/10 "2015-03-08T00:42:36Z")
Typical of a dirty intake tract. My TB exhibits similar behavior when it’s ready for a throttle body cleaning. The plate sticks on the carbon deposits. This causes a low idle coming to a stop. The computer responds by bumping it up and the truck lurches forward. IAC, TB… Depends on how this function is implemented on your vehicle… ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 2:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/11 "2015-03-08T02:50:05Z")
Here’s somthing to practice in your mind…so it’s ready to go. — put it in neutral — You won’t smash into anything and you can deal with the revs later. This mindset is essential when driving my 79 pickup in snow. THAT is the only way to come to a stop on slippery roads or the rears continue to spin as the fronts are locked. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 5:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/12 "2015-03-08T05:14:38Z")
Some of the gas pedals on Toyota products also wore in a way that allow the pedal mechanism to stick. If the Tacoma uses this pedal and it was not replaced earlier inthe recall, that might be the culprit. ---
**Author:** ![SteveC76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SteveC76](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveC76)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 6:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/13 "2015-03-08T06:05:53Z")
The A0A is for the gas pedals wearing and sticking, and did not apply to the Tacoma. The 2 recalls that do apply were 90L for modifying the gas pedal to prevent entrapment of floor mats and BST which changes the software to where if the brake and gas pedals are depressed at the same time engine power will be reduced to idle. Even NHSTA and nasa agreed that it was not possible for the cars software to cause unintended acceleration. [http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/DOT-16-11](http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/DOT-16-11) ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/capricious-truck-trying-to-rear-end-somebody/89225/14 "2015-03-08T22:07:34Z")
> "...changes the software to where if the brake and gas pedals are depressed at the same time engine power will be reduced to idle." Some “two-foot” drivers will have to reprogram their feet. I’ve been with some that obviously have both pedals depressed while maneuvering at slow speed.