THIS WEEK'S CONTEST
Do you know the make, model and specific version of the 2010 car above (for example, Ford Pinto GT)? If you do, call (706) 823-3419 or e-mail glynn.moore@augustachronicle.com.
We need your first and last names (please spell them clearly), telephone number, and city or community.
Pass along any personal comments you might have about this vehicle. Your deadline is noon Wednesday. A winner will be chosen randomly. Thank you.
The photo last week showed a 2005 Toyota Prius, one that had met an unfortunate fate -- and a stone wall -- in Harrison, N.Y.
The accident took place March 9 when the car accelerated on its own, lurched down a driveway and sped across the road and into the wall, according to its driver.
This week, Toyota and the U.S. government inspected the car to see whether a black boxlike device or its wreckage could expose problems with the accelerator or brakes.
Because of all the news coverage of Toyotas, perhaps, a great many readers guessed correctly. Some scoffed at the idea of unintended acceleration, while others accepted it in light of all the reports.
We also had guesses of other Toyota models, Hondas and even "a Chevrolet Celebrity and it got that way by attempting to run over the cow in Blythe," but that's another column.
Chosen randomly from the correct readers was the name of Hevil Shah, of Augusta, who wrote: "It was a 2005 Toyota Prius. Unfortunately for that car, the recall was a little too late."
Shah wins a gift from The Augusta Chronicle. Other readers identifying the vehicle were:
AIKEN: Bob Hardt wrote: "It was a Toyota Prius. It shows how bad of shape Toyota is in now when you can do an Internet search -- 'Toyota woes' -- and get several hits. 'Runaway Prius cases add to Toyota's woes.' '8.5 million recalls in the last bout for Toyota.'
"Every car company has recalls, but the recent multiple ones for Toyota between the brakes and unintended acceleration are unreal. No way they will be No. 1 in sales this year. There is no such thing as the perfect car, Toyota proves this, and their value is dropping.
"The terrible thing is that there are reports that Toyota officials knew of their problems and hid them from the buying public. The really horrible events have been the lives lost from accidents involving their cars. I hope the news media continue publishing what to do articles if your Toyota or car does this. Also thankful there is not a Toyota in my garage."
AUGUSTA: Brian Roberts wrote: "It's a Toyota Prius and, let's see, the gas pedal got stuck!!!!?? Inspired!"
Robbin MacNeil wrote: "My wife and I have a 2008 Prius that is a fantastic car. It's a neat little car, and I fill up every other week for $22."
Michael Mann wrote: "This is the 2005 Toyota Prius that crashed into a stone wall after it apparently accelerated unexpectedly."
Brian Baldowski wrote: "Gas pedal stuck, causing it to collide only moments after. No wild adventure for this Prius; once the pedal stuck, the car must have struck something soon afterward because it doesn't appear to be damaged enough to have struck anything at a speed of over 50 mph."
Chris Theodosakis wrote: "The picture is of a 2005 Toyota Prius whose driver claimed its accelerator stuck and it crashed into a brick wall in suburban New York. I have a 2009 Prius that, so far, knock on wood, has not had any problems."
Lowell Fritsche said: "It has run into something very flat, maybe the back of a semi, and possibly it was one of the stuck accelerators or whatever caused them to go." Also: Samantha Powell, Justin Flournoy, Jamar Johnson, Janis Campbell, Mike Griffin and Carolyn Ogles.
BELVEDERE: Steve Redd's response was reminiscent of a recent song about sagging pants: "Pedal on the ground. Pedal on the ground. Looking like a fool with yo pedal on the ground. Can't stop with yo pedal on the ground. Front end smashed, hat sideways. Looking like a fool with yo pedal on the ground."
CANTON, GA.: David T. Anderson wrote: "We would all have to have been under a rock for the last couple of weeks to not know that is a now-mangled 2005 Toyota Prius. If I remember the story on this one, it was the family housekeeper that could not stop the car, and it careened down the family's long driveway into a brick wall.
"The whole Toyota story is both sad and funny because we are seeing exactly the same hysteria and media frenzy seen decades ago with the Chevy Corvair and more recently with the Ford Explorer/Firestone tires incidents.
"Every incident involving a Toyota is because of unexplained, rapid acceleration and/or the brakes not really applying the brakes. Not a single one is attributable to driver error because they are all perfect drivers that would never do any such thing. Yeah, right!
"Hey, I am not saying that there is not a real problem here, because I think there is. I do believe that the so-called fix is not the root cause of Toyota's problems. I feel that the accelerator pedal "fix" is a PR effort to minimize the blunder: 'See, all we did wrong was leave out a minor spacer that only rarely causes a problem, and look how fast we responded to the issue!'
"I think that the problem has been known to exist for longer than Toyota and (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) are admitting and that it goes far deeper into the very basics of the car's electronics. Bottom line is that what we are seeing is that a Big Corporation is a Big Corporation, no matter on which continent the company's headquarters is located.
"The primary goal is to turn a profit, and anything that potentially impacts that profit is downplayed, minimized and even covered up. The corporation's intentions may not always be in the best interest of the customer."
CUMMING, GA.: Chris Rhodes wrote: "The Prius is but one of at least 10 Toyota models currently subject to one or more manufacturer recalls for various components. The recalls that involve primarily passenger cars fall into three broad categories; brakes, gas pedals and steering components. In addition to these well-publicized recalls, there are at least two recalls on Toyota trucks that pertain to frame and brake line corrosion.
"I am waiting to study the entire issue before drawing any final conclusions; however, one point appears to be growing more evident as this drama unfolds: Toyota's reputation for producing automobiles with fewer 'problems' than other manufacturers is taking a hit.
"Many perceptions regarding Toyota's quality are being questioned. And, this revelation that Toyota is, indeed, subject to human error is coinciding with a resurgent Ford Motor Co. eager and ready to recapture its former glory. Having survived its own trial by fire during the Explorer/Firestone tire disaster, Ford has righted the ship and, by avoiding slopping at the government bailout trough, endeared itself to the consumer. ...
"While this frontal impact damage may have been caused by a 'brake failure,' it is also possible that it was caused by a 'failure to brake' in time to avoid striking either a fixed object or a vehicle stopped ahead."
EVANS: Chelsea Davis perhaps spoke for many of us when she wrote: "It is probably in this condition because people insist on passing you at the last minute on Furys Ferry next to Blackstone Camp Road."
Wayne Wilke identified it as the Prius, "or should I say Pry-us, as in pry us away from that car we just rear-ended? The triangle of glass in front of the outside mirror and the steep angle of the windshield are really the only distinguishing features in the photo."
David Strohman wrote: "It is a 2005 Toyota Prius that suffered this damage after uncontrolled acceleration." Paul Ackerman wrote: "Probably hit a gas tank." Also: Chuck King and Terence van Arkel.
GROVETOWN: Wei Li wrote: "Better to crash the car and get $$ from insurance to get a car other than Toyota." Ryan Bennett wrote: "Someone slow me down. I can't stop."
HEPHZIBAH: Jason Wright wrote: "This week's photo is the remains of a 2005 Toyota Prius. I feel for it. Far away from its New York home it still flies its EZ Pass hoping someday to hit 95 North. Unfortunately the next stop is probably Pull-a-Part."
MARTINEZ: Kevin Hebert wrote: "It's a Toyota Prius whose owner doesn't know how to shift a car into neutral." Also, Jeff Williams.
NORTH AUGUSTA: Matt Clements identified it as the Prius sitting outside the police station in Harrison, N.Y.: "It was reported to have sped out of control, went down a driveway and hit a wall." Also, Matthew Bean.
SYLVANIA, GA.: Karen Boyd wrote: "The answer to the puzzle is a wrecked Toyota Prius due to unintended acceleration reports."
WATKINSVILLE, GA.: Joe Arp
WARRENTON, GA.: Jennifer Padgett wrote: "Looks like it hit the rear end of a bus!"
WARRENVILLE: John Howell wrote: "This looks like a Toyota Prius to me. Since the front bumper is mostly intact, it apparently has rear-ended an SUV or a truck."
NO CITY LISTED: John Rushing wrote: "It's a Toyota prius that crashed into a wall." Tabitha Williams wrote: "This picture was a 2005 Toyota Prius, and it looks this way because of some recent recalls due to acceleration problems causing unforeseen accidents that could have caused some to lose loved ones." Justin Price wrote: "It looks as though it hit a truck or SUV with a higher rear end." R.Z. Craig wrote: "Another stuck accelerator." Russell Williamson wrote: "I believe it looks like that because of floor-mat problem. I also believe that Toyota will get away with just a slap on the wrist." Also: Joey Morton, Phillip Shackelford and Erin Shaw.
The Associated Press carried this story Friday about the investigation into this Prius crash:
HARRISON, N.Y. -- Computer data from a Toyota Prius that crashed in suburban New York City show that at the time of the accident the throttle was open and the driver was not applying the brakes, U.S. safety officials said Thursday.
The disclosure prompted an angry response from the police captain investigating the cause of the accident. He said his probe was not over and driver error had not been established.
“For any agency to release data and to draw conclusions without consulting with the law enforcement agency that brought this to light could be self-serving,” said Capt. Anthony Marraccini of the Harrison, N.Y., force.
A housekeeper driving the car on March 9 told police that it sped up on its own down a driveway, despite her braking, and crashed into a stone wall across the street. She was not seriously hurt.
The accident set off an intense investigation because Toyota has recalled more than 8 million cars since last fall over gas pedals that could become stuck or be held down by floor mats.
The Prius hasn’t been recalled for sticky accelerators. However, the car involved in the accident under investigation had been repaired for the floor mat problem. An Associated Press analysis of government data found more than 100 reports of repaired cars continuing to accelerate on their own.
Technicians from Toyota and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the police department’s own consultants examined the wrecked 2005 Prius outside police headquarters in Harrison on Wednesday. Marraccini said NHTSA also interviewed the driver.
On Thursday, NHTSA said information from the car’s computer systems indicated there was no application of the brakes and the throttle was fully open. It did not elaborate.
The Prius is equipped with an event data recorder, or “black box” designed to record the state of the car at the moment of the impact.
Marraccini cautioned that even if NHTSA’s disclosure is accurate, “This is a snapshot. This is not the total investigation.”
He said the Harrison police have not closed their investigation or examined all data that was retrieved.
Earlier, the captain also criticized Toyota for announcing the evidence was “conclusive” and for providing him with data from the recorder but not the software he needed to read it.
“You can’t open it, you can’t read it, you can’t do anything with it,” Marraccini said.
Toyota spokesman Wade Hoyt said later that the company was arranging for the police to get temporary access to the needed software “at a reduced cost.” He said it typically costs about $7,000 but is also available on a temporary basis for $50.
In a report earlier this month, The Associated Press found that for years, Toyota has blocked access to data stored in the “black boxes” that could explain crashes blamed on sudden unintended acceleration.
Marraccini said police would be meeting again Friday with Toyota and he believed the company would cooperate fully.
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