How's your floormat?

On my 2001 Elantra they came uncoupled and rode up
near the accelerator pedal, a good clean out and rehooking secured them.
Toyota are having a recall over a similar type problem.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/29/news/companies/toyota_lexus_floor_mats/?postversion=2009093007

 

What amazes me is the stupidity of some of the drivers. They don't know
enough to turn off the engine or shift into neutral.

Many years ago I was taught to visualize what could go wrong and how to
prevent further damage or crash. Same as pilots do in training. I guess
you can't teach common sense.

 

I agree (I am also a pilot), however, how hard is it to design a floor
mat for crying out loud. I hope this costs Toyota a fortune.

Matt

 

Design is harder than you think. Every car I have had has a problem
with the floor mat riding up so I got used to hooking it down with my
heel years ago. The problem in low profile cars is there is a lot of
forward force from your heel to the mat.

And no, I don't use cheap light mats. ;-)

 

Design is harder than you think. Every car I have had has a problem

..
I have a 2003 Elantra and the OEM mats literally hook to the floor. They
have never moved. I added aftermarket mats to protect the originals and the
driver side mat did move a little. I eventually replaced it with a heavy
rubber mat that does not move or buckle. My point is Hyundai already has a
successful design regarding this issue and it isn't very complicated.

 

On my 2001 Elantra they came uncoupled and rode up

..
The training that pilots undergo results in them being exponentially more
aware of and responsible for their machines. You know that old joke about
someone asking the driver if he checked the oil and the driver said "oil,
there's oil?" Sad but true...<g>

 

I've always said that the only reason most people know they have to put gas
in a car is because it stops if they don't. A lot of people are so dumb I
don't know how they survive. I think most of them are going to kill
themselves off texting while driving. trouble is they will take some
innocent people with them when they do.

 

My 2001 Accord has a similar approach. There's a hook built into the
floor carpeting at the rear of the mat. The mat has a large,
reinforced grommet that goes over the mat. Never moves forward. And
I agree that it's a simple solution. And Toyota couldn't come up with
such a system? Hmmmm.....

 

Most amazing that one would wait 8 years to give the floorboards and
mats a cleaning.

 

On my 2001 Elantra they came uncoupled and rode up

..
Spoken like a real homemaker <g>. There's no clear implication though that
it was the FIRST time he cleaned the area.

 

A little humour is appreciated.

The incident happened after a recall to install new connectors to
the Airbag wiring, the connectors are located under the front seats,
worked done by the local Hyaundai dealer.

 

Well, I have design things for more than 26 years so I'm somewhat
familiar with the concept.

Many cars include studs at the rear that the mats hook over to avoid
movement. I believe my Sonata has those. My Chevy truck solution is
even simpler. The mats have lots of little prickly things (technical
term) on the back that hold the carper pretty ferociously and also the
mat extends well behind the accelerator so that the accelerator can't
get behind or under it.

Both are viable solutions, but the Hyundai solution is certainly the
more complicated of the two.

Matt