Prius Fixed Under Recall Still Speeds Out of Control

James Sikes was driving his 2008 Toyota Prius last week when unintended acceleration hit. Before calling 911, he reached down to pull up his stuck accelerator pedal, but it didn't move.

"My car can't slow down," he began when a California Highway Patrol dispatcher answered his call.

Dispatcher Leighann Parks, repeatedly told him to throw the car into neutral but got no answers, later found out he had to set the phone on the seat next to him in order to apply both hands to the wheel.

Finally, Todd Neibert, the CHP officer caught up with him and gave instructions to Sikes over a loudspeaker as they went east on mountainous Interstate 8 in San Diego County Monday afternoon, stating he smelled burning brakes when he caught up with the Prius.

Neibert told Sikes to shift into neutral but the driver shook his head no, later telling reporters he was afraid his car would flip. Sikes did, however apply his brake; straightening his body and lifting off the seat in order to press it down fully and applied the emergency brake.

Both cars maneuvered around two trucks going uphill to a clear, open road giving Neibert about 15 miles to stop the Prius before a steep downgrade and even considered spike strips to puncture the tires as a last resort.

The wild ride lasted 23 minutes, and finally, the Prius rolled to a stop.

Ironically, James Sikes' Prius was one of the vehicles serviced in the recall for floor mats.

Toyota has recalled around 8.5 million vehicles worldwide (over 6 million in the U.S. alone) due to acceleration problems in multiple models and for braking issues in the Prius. Regulators link 52 deaths to crashes caused by accelerator problems. And there are over 60 more reports of sudden acceleration in cars "fixed" under the recall.