[ucodegen]

But it’s also interesting that Toyota suddenly displays this amazing ability to retrieve information from the engine computer when needed to cover its corporate behind … whereas similar data hasn’t been available in other alleged cases of sudden acceleration.

Actually it is not that amazing. Most cars that have OBD-II compliant computers can tattletale on you. There was a court case, don’t know the date, covering whether use of that data in a court w/o permission of the car owner could be considered violation of 5th amendment; specifically “nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself“.

If the car is burnt to the point that the ECU is toast, it is not likely that any info will be retrieved since it is stored within the ECU.

In terms of the acceleration due to the floor mat, the ECU would register that the gas pedal was all the way to the floor at the same time that brakes were applied. This is why the suggestion that it might be useful to cut the engine power when brakes are applied on cars with drive-by-wire.

[ucodegen]

But it’s also interesting that Toyota suddenly displays this amazing ability to retrieve information from the engine computer when needed to cover its corporate behind … whereas similar data hasn’t been available in other alleged cases of sudden acceleration.

Actually it is not that amazing. Most cars that have OBD-II compliant computers can tattletale on you. There was a court case, don’t know the date, covering whether use of that data in a court w/o permission of the car owner could be considered violation of 5th amendment; specifically “nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself“.

If the car is burnt to the point that the ECU is toast, it is not likely that any info will be retrieved since it is stored within the ECU.

In terms of the acceleration due to the floor mat, the ECU would register that the gas pedal was all the way to the floor at the same time that brakes were applied. This is why the suggestion that it might be useful to cut the engine power when brakes are applied on cars with drive-by-wire.

[ucodegen]

But it’s also interesting that Toyota suddenly displays this amazing ability to retrieve information from the engine computer when needed to cover its corporate behind … whereas similar data hasn’t been available in other alleged cases of sudden acceleration.

Actually it is not that amazing. Most cars that have OBD-II compliant computers can tattletale on you. There was a court case, don’t know the date, covering whether use of that data in a court w/o permission of the car owner could be considered violation of 5th amendment; specifically “nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself“.

If the car is burnt to the point that the ECU is toast, it is not likely that any info will be retrieved since it is stored within the ECU.

In terms of the acceleration due to the floor mat, the ECU would register that the gas pedal was all the way to the floor at the same time that brakes were applied. This is why the suggestion that it might be useful to cut the engine power when brakes are applied on cars with drive-by-wire.

[ucodegen]

More on the Prius issue:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100315/ap_on_bi_ge/us_runaway_prius

I like paragraph 7,8. It looks like he may have been trying to make it look like there is a problem.

A self-diagnostic system did show evidence of repeated applications of the accelerator and brake pedals, Toyota said.

“The data from the diagnostics test indicated that the accelerator and the brake had been rapidly pressed, alternately back and forth, 250 times,” Mike Michels, vice president of corporate communications for Toyota Motor Sales USA, told a press conference.

I took the liberty of highlighting a critical word. Looks like the cars ‘computer’ told on him.

The Prius gets good gas mileage because it uses regenerative braking, which is quite different than braking on a normal car. With regenerative braking, the electric motor segment that is attached to the gas engine effectively switches polarity, trying to drive the shaft in the opposite direction. To prevent binding, you need to reduce power on the gas engine (otherwise the gas engine will try to drive the shaft forwards and the electric motor will try to drive it backwards – resulting in not much movement and a moderate amount of gas consumption)

More info and partially OT:
The strength of the regenerative braking is determined by the strength of the field coil within the electric motor segment. Current generated by forcing the motor backwards is dumped into the lithium ion batteries for re-use when accelerating later. This is why hybrids tend to get better city gas mileage than highway. Traditional cars get better highway mileage than city.

[ucodegen]

More on the Prius issue:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100315/ap_on_bi_ge/us_runaway_prius

I like paragraph 7,8. It looks like he may have been trying to make it look like there is a problem.

A self-diagnostic system did show evidence of repeated applications of the accelerator and brake pedals, Toyota said.

“The data from the diagnostics test indicated that the accelerator and the brake had been rapidly pressed, alternately back and forth, 250 times,” Mike Michels, vice president of corporate communications for Toyota Motor Sales USA, told a press conference.

I took the liberty of highlighting a critical word. Looks like the cars ‘computer’ told on him.

The Prius gets good gas mileage because it uses regenerative braking, which is quite different than braking on a normal car. With regenerative braking, the electric motor segment that is attached to the gas engine effectively switches polarity, trying to drive the shaft in the opposite direction. To prevent binding, you need to reduce power on the gas engine (otherwise the gas engine will try to drive the shaft forwards and the electric motor will try to drive it backwards – resulting in not much movement and a moderate amount of gas consumption)

More info and partially OT:
The strength of the regenerative braking is determined by the strength of the field coil within the electric motor segment. Current generated by forcing the motor backwards is dumped into the lithium ion batteries for re-use when accelerating later. This is why hybrids tend to get better city gas mileage than highway. Traditional cars get better highway mileage than city.

[ucodegen]

More on the Prius issue:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100315/ap_on_bi_ge/us_runaway_prius

I like paragraph 7,8. It looks like he may have been trying to make it look like there is a problem.

A self-diagnostic system did show evidence of repeated applications of the accelerator and brake pedals, Toyota said.

“The data from the diagnostics test indicated that the accelerator and the brake had been rapidly pressed, alternately back and forth, 250 times,” Mike Michels, vice president of corporate communications for Toyota Motor Sales USA, told a press conference.

I took the liberty of highlighting a critical word. Looks like the cars ‘computer’ told on him.

The Prius gets good gas mileage because it uses regenerative braking, which is quite different than braking on a normal car. With regenerative braking, the electric motor segment that is attached to the gas engine effectively switches polarity, trying to drive the shaft in the opposite direction. To prevent binding, you need to reduce power on the gas engine (otherwise the gas engine will try to drive the shaft forwards and the electric motor will try to drive it backwards – resulting in not much movement and a moderate amount of gas consumption)

More info and partially OT:
The strength of the regenerative braking is determined by the strength of the field coil within the electric motor segment. Current generated by forcing the motor backwards is dumped into the lithium ion batteries for re-use when accelerating later. This is why hybrids tend to get better city gas mileage than highway. Traditional cars get better highway mileage than city.

[ucodegen]

More on the Prius issue:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100315/ap_on_bi_ge/us_runaway_prius

I like paragraph 7,8. It looks like he may have been trying to make it look like there is a problem.

A self-diagnostic system did show evidence of repeated applications of the accelerator and brake pedals, Toyota said.

“The data from the diagnostics test indicated that the accelerator and the brake had been rapidly pressed, alternately back and forth, 250 times,” Mike Michels, vice president of corporate communications for Toyota Motor Sales USA, told a press conference.

I took the liberty of highlighting a critical word. Looks like the cars ‘computer’ told on him.

The Prius gets good gas mileage because it uses regenerative braking, which is quite different than braking on a normal car. With regenerative braking, the electric motor segment that is attached to the gas engine effectively switches polarity, trying to drive the shaft in the opposite direction. To prevent binding, you need to reduce power on the gas engine (otherwise the gas engine will try to drive the shaft forwards and the electric motor will try to drive it backwards – resulting in not much movement and a moderate amount of gas consumption)

More info and partially OT:
The strength of the regenerative braking is determined by the strength of the field coil within the electric motor segment. Current generated by forcing the motor backwards is dumped into the lithium ion batteries for re-use when accelerating later. This is why hybrids tend to get better city gas mileage than highway. Traditional cars get better highway mileage than city.

[ucodegen]

More on the Prius issue:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100315/ap_on_bi_ge/us_runaway_prius

I like paragraph 7,8. It looks like he may have been trying to make it look like there is a problem.

A self-diagnostic system did show evidence of repeated applications of the accelerator and brake pedals, Toyota said.

“The data from the diagnostics test indicated that the accelerator and the brake had been rapidly pressed, alternately back and forth, 250 times,” Mike Michels, vice president of corporate communications for Toyota Motor Sales USA, told a press conference.

I took the liberty of highlighting a critical word. Looks like the cars ‘computer’ told on him.

The Prius gets good gas mileage because it uses regenerative braking, which is quite different than braking on a normal car. With regenerative braking, the electric motor segment that is attached to the gas engine effectively switches polarity, trying to drive the shaft in the opposite direction. To prevent binding, you need to reduce power on the gas engine (otherwise the gas engine will try to drive the shaft forwards and the electric motor will try to drive it backwards – resulting in not much movement and a moderate amount of gas consumption)

More info and partially OT:
The strength of the regenerative braking is determined by the strength of the field coil within the electric motor segment. Current generated by forcing the motor backwards is dumped into the lithium ion batteries for re-use when accelerating later. This is why hybrids tend to get better city gas mileage than highway. Traditional cars get better highway mileage than city.

[ucodegen]

I did my research on those and asked him and he said that they used the wrong form “by mistake”

Then it is his mistake. Any increases in cost may end up being his responsibility. Don’t sign anything new at this point. If it was the wrong forms, it may stop the transfer.

He also tried to discourage me from having a home inspection. I want to back out of the deal.

Make the home inspection a pre-requisite. Did you sign anything directly waiving the home inspection? (hope not). Things found during the home inspection can end the sale/purchase.

Now he says that the seller won’t sign the cancellation of contract document unless I sign an exclusive representation agreement with him.

This is strange and questionable, maybe even illegal. Sounds like the seller and the agent may be related or the same person. Which contract document is this? Do you have a form title/description?

I would think that he is legally required to send all communication about my deal to me.

Yes, definitely if requested.

Useful info:
http://homebuying.about.com/od/offersnegotiations/qt/cancelcontract.htm

[ucodegen]

I did my research on those and asked him and he said that they used the wrong form “by mistake”

Then it is his mistake. Any increases in cost may end up being his responsibility. Don’t sign anything new at this point. If it was the wrong forms, it may stop the transfer.

He also tried to discourage me from having a home inspection. I want to back out of the deal.

Make the home inspection a pre-requisite. Did you sign anything directly waiving the home inspection? (hope not). Things found during the home inspection can end the sale/purchase.

Now he says that the seller won’t sign the cancellation of contract document unless I sign an exclusive representation agreement with him.

This is strange and questionable, maybe even illegal. Sounds like the seller and the agent may be related or the same person. Which contract document is this? Do you have a form title/description?

I would think that he is legally required to send all communication about my deal to me.

Yes, definitely if requested.

Useful info:
http://homebuying.about.com/od/offersnegotiations/qt/cancelcontract.htm

[ucodegen]

I did my research on those and asked him and he said that they used the wrong form “by mistake”

Then it is his mistake. Any increases in cost may end up being his responsibility. Don’t sign anything new at this point. If it was the wrong forms, it may stop the transfer.

He also tried to discourage me from having a home inspection. I want to back out of the deal.

Make the home inspection a pre-requisite. Did you sign anything directly waiving the home inspection? (hope not). Things found during the home inspection can end the sale/purchase.

Now he says that the seller won’t sign the cancellation of contract document unless I sign an exclusive representation agreement with him.

This is strange and questionable, maybe even illegal. Sounds like the seller and the agent may be related or the same person. Which contract document is this? Do you have a form title/description?

I would think that he is legally required to send all communication about my deal to me.

Yes, definitely if requested.

Useful info:
http://homebuying.about.com/od/offersnegotiations/qt/cancelcontract.htm

[ucodegen]

I did my research on those and asked him and he said that they used the wrong form “by mistake”

Then it is his mistake. Any increases in cost may end up being his responsibility. Don’t sign anything new at this point. If it was the wrong forms, it may stop the transfer.

He also tried to discourage me from having a home inspection. I want to back out of the deal.

Make the home inspection a pre-requisite. Did you sign anything directly waiving the home inspection? (hope not). Things found during the home inspection can end the sale/purchase.

Now he says that the seller won’t sign the cancellation of contract document unless I sign an exclusive representation agreement with him.

This is strange and questionable, maybe even illegal. Sounds like the seller and the agent may be related or the same person. Which contract document is this? Do you have a form title/description?

I would think that he is legally required to send all communication about my deal to me.

Yes, definitely if requested.

Useful info:
http://homebuying.about.com/od/offersnegotiations/qt/cancelcontract.htm

[ucodegen]

I did my research on those and asked him and he said that they used the wrong form “by mistake”

Then it is his mistake. Any increases in cost may end up being his responsibility. Don’t sign anything new at this point. If it was the wrong forms, it may stop the transfer.

He also tried to discourage me from having a home inspection. I want to back out of the deal.

Make the home inspection a pre-requisite. Did you sign anything directly waiving the home inspection? (hope not). Things found during the home inspection can end the sale/purchase.

Now he says that the seller won’t sign the cancellation of contract document unless I sign an exclusive representation agreement with him.

This is strange and questionable, maybe even illegal. Sounds like the seller and the agent may be related or the same person. Which contract document is this? Do you have a form title/description?

I would think that he is legally required to send all communication about my deal to me.

Yes, definitely if requested.

Useful info:
http://homebuying.about.com/od/offersnegotiations/qt/cancelcontract.htm

[ucodegen]

We have conservatives here who like to argue the government f—- everything it touches.

But when it comes to propping up housing prices? Surprise!! Government action works!!!

Who said that propping up housing prices is not f——- what it touches. I guess it could depend upon what side of the house transaction one is.

If you already bought at the peak, it may help rescue you from the bad decision that you made by ‘following the crowd’. This would be at the expense of a new buyer or the taxpayers in general.

If you are a new buyer, it will force you to rent or pay an inflated price for shelter. That inflated price may lock you into a location for years.

If you are a bank, it may rescue you from a bad loan that you made.. but at the expense to the taxpayers.

It all depends upon the ‘point of view’.

[ucodegen]

We have conservatives here who like to argue the government f—- everything it touches.

But when it comes to propping up housing prices? Surprise!! Government action works!!!

Who said that propping up housing prices is not f——- what it touches. I guess it could depend upon what side of the house transaction one is.

If you already bought at the peak, it may help rescue you from the bad decision that you made by ‘following the crowd’. This would be at the expense of a new buyer or the taxpayers in general.

If you are a new buyer, it will force you to rent or pay an inflated price for shelter. That inflated price may lock you into a location for years.

If you are a bank, it may rescue you from a bad loan that you made.. but at the expense to the taxpayers.

It all depends upon the ‘point of view’.

[Author]

Posts