I CAME HOME AND TURNED MY IGNITION SWITCH OFF BUT MY 1998 TOYOTA VAN KEPT RUNNING.TURNING THE KEY ON AND OFF DID NOT TURN IT OFF. I TRIED SHUTTING IT DOWN WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. I TRIED TURNING IT OFF AGAIN WHILE MOVING THE GEAR SELECTOR LEVER BUT TO NO AVAIL. I BEGIN TO SMELL BURNING RUBBER. I LIFTED THE HOOD AND REALIZED THE ENGINE WAS BEING TURNED OVER BY THE STARTER WHICH WAS NOT DISENGAGING AND STARTING TO SMOKE. THEN TONS OF SMOKE BEGAN BOILING OFF THE STARTER. I DISCONNECTED THE POSITIVE BATTERY CONNECTION AND THE ENGAGED STARTER STOPPED CRANKING THE ENGINE. HEAVY SMOKE CONTINUED BOILING FROM THE STARTER FOR ABOUT A MINUTE LONGER. I WAS VERY GLAD I WAS NOT INSIDE THE GARAGE BECAUSE I THINK THE STARTER COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE OR THE SMOKE WOULD HAVE SMOTHERED ME. *TR
2013
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I TOOK A RIGHT TURN FROM JUPITAR RD. TO PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH FREEWAY - APPROXIMATELY 400 METERS BEFORE ENTERING THE TOLLWAY. THE TRAC OFF AND ENGINE FAULT LIGHT SWITCHED ON AND THE VAN COULDN'T GO BEYOND A MAXIMUM SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 20 OR 30 MPH. I WAS SHOCKED AND STUNNED AND COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS JUST HAPPENING AND HOW TO GET THE VAN TO A SIDE PATH AMID PASSING VEHICLES AT 60 TO 70 MPH BECAUSE THAT ROAD LEAD TO TOLL WAY ENTRANCE. FINALLY, AFTER LONG WAIT WITH A SHAKY HEART, I COULD MOVE THE VAN TO RIGHT LANE @ < 30 MPH AND STOPPED NEAR A RIGHT TURN. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND INSPECTED TYRE PRESSURE . IT WAS NORMAL. RESTARTED VEHICLE AND DID A TEST DRIVE ON NORMAL ROAD - EVERY THING SEEMED NORMAL. MY VEHICLE HAD AN ERROR CODE AND I FOUND AN EXACTLY SAME COMPLAINT IN INTERNET DATED BACK TO 2008. DEMANDED AN EXPLANATION FROM ASKTOYOTA AND THEY WERE DISMISSIVE ABOUT THE INTERNET REFERENCE AND ADVISED ME TO CONTACT DEALER. MY VAN IS WITH THEM SINCE LAST 4 DAYS AND STILL DON'T HAVE A STATUS. WHY THIS IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH ? 1. UNINTENDED SLOW DOWN TO MAXIMUM SPEED OF < 30 AND RANDOM OCCURRENCE OF THIS INCIDENT. IMAGINE, I AM JUST ENTERING THE TOLLWAY AT A MAXIMUM SPEED OF 30 OR I AM IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF A HIGHWAY AT SPEED OF 30MPH THIS IS SUDDEN DEATH CASE AND I DON'T THINK TOYOTA WILL ADMIT THIS UNLESS YOU GET INVOLVED. WHY THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW ? AT NO TIME - MACHINE SHOULD OVERRIDE MECHANICAL GAS PEDAL. *TR