Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Videos, Toyota

Click above to view the video after the jump​

Earlier today, ABC News released a report asserting that the cause of Toyota's unintended accelerations issues might not be a faulty accelerator mechanism, but an electronic flaw in the automaker's engine control unit - something that's been suspected, although never confirmed, for some time.

David Gilbert, an automotive technology professor at Souther Illinois University and ABC's primary source for the report, claims to be able to duplicate the effect by short-circuiting one of the controls, which could be caused by moisture, wear or a combination of factors in Toyota vehicles.

Although the report goes into specifics, seeing is believing, and ABC News has done just that, putting Brian Ross behind the wheel as Gilbert trips the switch. The results are rather shocking - particularly since the ECU doesn't record a fault. You can see it for yourself after the jump.

UPDATE: In response to the allegation that an electronic fault is the cause of the unintended acceleration issue, Toyota has released a statement saying that Gilbert talked with the automaker on the March 16 after wiring a Toyota Tundra in a similar manner and causing the acceleration. Make the jump for the release and draw your own conclusions.


Tired of Toyota recall news? Try out the recall-free version of Autoblog.Continue reading Video: Smoking Gun? ABC News expert recreates sudden acceleration without CPU error code *UPDATED w/Toyota response

Video: Smoking Gun? ABC News expert recreates sudden acceleration without CPU error code *UPDATED w/Toyota response originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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