[Shop-talk] Toyota Pedal Brouhaha

[Mark Andy]

Howdy,

On Tue, 2 Feb 2010, Michael Porter wrote:
>>    Stomp the brakes, pull over, and don't release 'em until you get the 
>> motor shut off or out of gear.  Why doesn't this work?
>
> Umm, that little thing known as kinetic energy? If you're going sixty, 
> the brakes can dissipate that energy reasonably quickly as heat--as long 
> as there's no additional energy being added.  However, if that engine is 
> going full chat and producing near peak horsepower, adding to the 
> kinetic energy of the vehicle as the brakes are trying to subtract from 
> it, it's a losing proposition. Physics wins.
>
> e_sub_k=m * v-squared

I have no idea if the equation is right or applies, but I can 100% say 
that the brakes will overpower the engine at WOT, since that's recently 
been tested in response to this issue:

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/09q4/how_to_deal_with_unintended_acceleration-tech_dept

Of course, this is in cars with brakes in good working condition.  Nobody 
(afaik) has tested what happens if you don't apply the brakes hard enough 
to overpower the engine and allow them to overheat.

Mark