2006 V6 Throttle LAG - REPORT TO NHTSA

[joebxr]

I have been fighting with the throttle lag since I got the car. TSB's don't apply....complaints go ignored....now it seems to have gotten worse.

Has anyone else with 06 felt theirs has worsened? Are any 07 owners seeing same thing? Seems when I decelerate to a "rolling stop" and then apply gas, the lag is several seconds. This has now become a definate safety issue as far as I'm concerned, and a personal campaign to get Toyota to fix it.

I stopped at the Dealer's on Friday and told them to setup an appointment with the Regional rep. I plan on letting them know how unhappy I am...that there are many people on the web that are unhappy with same issue...and if Toyota refuses to recognize there is a problem and provide assistance to resolve the issue, that a web campaign, multiple complaints to the NHTSA and invlovement of the media, might be the only solution they leave us with.

Anyone have thoughts on this?

[Somedude]

some people feel that due to the extreme rise in profits that Toyota is making, the quality that they put in designing and making their vehicles are declining.

I'be honest with you my 4 cylinder has the lag too, not that it has no power but sometimes I floor it and it takes one or two seconds for the car to go. The 95 Civic with the automatic transmission that my family used to own does not do this.

[TW85]

Trust me, even if they did apply the throttle/transmission TSB to your car, it would make very little difference (technically, I think it is already applied to 05+ models at the factory). The lag on my '04 is almost as bad with the TSB applied as it was without. The lag is one of the many reasons I am going to sell my car toward the end of the year, and unfortunately, until Toyota is no longer so frickin' arrogant, it is the only solution unless you're willing to get into a battle.

[ProRally Codriver]

Don't know if its related to your problem, but the throttle response in my Mitshu drasticaly improved after I removed the cruise control garbage. it also took some slop out of the pedal feel.

[TW85]

Don't know if its related to your problem, but the throttle response in my Mitshu drasticaly improved after I removed the cruise control garbage. it also took some slop out of the pedal feel.

Then I imagine that means your Mitsubishi has a cabled throttle. The 2nd gen. Solara is drive-by-wire.

[PXLpainter]

No - you're definitely NOT alone!

Check out these threads... this topic has been exhaustively discussed here...

http://solaraguy.org/viewtopic.php?t=28010

...and it's not just the accel - it's the sloppy tranny...

http://solaraguy.org/viewtopic.php?t=27618

Our only recourse at this point is to call this number and open a complaint case:

Call The Toyota Customer Experience Center 800-331-4331 and complain about the issue and state that its actually dangerous!!

I don't know about you, but pulling out onto PCH (50mph Hwy) from a side street is very dangerous with a 1.5-2 second lag!!

[solaris]

that's the reason why my next car would definitely be not a toyota....

[joebxr]

I would encourage everyone that has issue with this problem to file a complaint with the NHTSA at this site:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

If enough people complain, then the Government will move on Toyota to find a solution. I had this experience once before with faulty ABS system, and Honda had to come up with a fix or replace the vehicle...they fixed the problem.

Here is the body of text on the complaint I filed:

THROTTLE LAG AT LOW SPEED AND FROM STOP IS INCONSISTANT AND HAS BEEN THE CAUSE FOR SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED; DEALER INVESTIGATED; STATES THIS IS NORMAL AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE, THAT LAG IS "ACCEPTABLE". SOME INSTANCES HAVE BEEN SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE ACTUAL THROTTLE RESPONSE. DRIVER HAS TO USE HARDER ACCELERATION TO COMPENSATE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS IS A SAFTEY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF BUT DECLINES TO ADMIT IT IS A PROBLEM. DRIVER IS VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS ISSUE WILL BE CAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT.

[Sebas007]

You don't think until there they will fix the problem....I would bet on the YES !!

that's the reason why my next car would definitely be not a toyota....

[PXLpainter]

I would encourage everyone that has issue with this problem to file a complaint with the NHTSA at this site:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

If enough people complain, then the Government will move on Toyota to find a solution. I had this experience once before with faulty ABS system, and Honda had to come up with a fix or replace the vehicle...they fixed the problem.

Here is the body of text on the complaint I filed:

THROTTLE LAG AT LOW SPEED AND FROM STOP IS INCONSISTANT AND HAS BEEN THE CAUSE FOR SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED; DEALER INVESTIGATED; STATES THIS IS NORMAL AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE, THAT LAG IS "ACCEPTABLE". SOME INSTANCES HAVE BEEN SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE ACTUAL THROTTLE RESPONSE. DRIVER HAS TO USE HARDER ACCELERATION TO COMPENSATE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS IS A SAFTEY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF BUT DECLINES TO ADMIT IT IS A PROBLEM. DRIVER IS VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS ISSUE WILL BE CAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT.

Hey Joe -

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that link!!

I will definitely spread the word on this... because I have personally felt in danger more than a couple times because of it!!!

If enough of us follow through with both this and calling Toyota Customer Satisfaction, it will at least be on record that they were warned after a few people are killed from it and we'll have grounds for a class-action suit.

I know some people don't experience it a bad - and they may think we're blowing this way out of proportion, but I tell you, when it happens to you at the worst possible time, you'll be a believer!!

[Biggi_e]

this is a problem. many people have had issues with this and close calls of getting into accidents. i myself almost got in a couple of close calls because of this. i got the ecu reflash done and it has gotten somewhat better but still have the issue. even if your car does lag or not i think we should still make a complaint for safety for not just ourselves but others also.

[joebxr]

Thanks for the support and we do all need to get it on record, or nothing will ever get done.

[onefiend]

I feel for you gen2 Solara owners... I've read from Edmunds and TN that almost everyone with the snap ring tranny issue with the 2007 V6 Camry's are getting offers of 3 choices:
1) a new replacement car
2) brand new transmission and free extended warranty with zero deductable or
3) your money back

Sux you guys didn't get the same acknowledgement for a potentially serious problem that may get worse in the long run.

[cklinh]

Thanks for the link... got mine on record.

[FLUXEMAG]

Added mine too...

The second generation Toyota Solara uses "drive by wire" technology instead of a throttle cable. My car experiences a lag between the time when I press the gas pedal and when the car actually starts to move. This happens in a specific scenario where the car is decelerating, but then the driver resumes accelerating. The lag can last up to 2 seconds and presents a critical safety issue which has led to three near miss accidents in intersections for me. This feels like it would if your car stalled in the middle of the intersection and then the light changed. A Technical Service Bulletin was issued for certain VIN Solaras which reflashed the ECU to a new program in an effort to reduce the lag. This was not an effective corrective action. Toyota has no solution at this time and this puts my safety at risk.