Toyota's Woes

**davewindsor** · January-28-10, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

I wonder if Lexus is having the same problem?

In the class action lawsuit from November link I posted above, the fatality involving the California Highway Patrolman as a driver who called 911 was in a "Lexus ES 350 sedan on Highway 125, when the vehicle inexplicably accelerated to speeds exceeding 100 mph. According to a 911 call of the incident, Saylor was unable to stop the Lexus before it crashed and burst into flames, killing him, his wife, daughter and brother-in-law. This, however, is not the only fatal crash resulting from sudden unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus models. Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies, Inc., has reported at least 16 fatalities and 243 injuries in crashes."

And did they halt production of the Lexus line? Nope.

**bailey** · January-28-10, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by davewindsor

In the class action lawsuit from November link I posted above, the fatality involving the California Highway Patrolman as a driver who called 911 was in a "Lexus ES 350 sedan on Highway 125, when the vehicle inexplicably accelerated to speeds exceeding 100 mph. According to a 911 call of the incident, Saylor was unable to stop the Lexus before it crashed and burst into flames, killing him, his wife, daughter and brother-in-law. This, however, is not the only fatal crash resulting from sudden unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus models. Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies, Inc., has reported at least 16 fatalities and 243 injuries in crashes."

And did they halt production of the Lexus line? Nope.

Has anyone explained why a CHiP could not figure out that shifting into neutral would have stopped the vehicle? I'm not looking to 'blame the victim"...however, I'm just speaking from my own personal view that if my brakes weren't doing the trick, the next move is to shift to neutral.

As to the MSMs hard on for all things japanese...what is the over under on the time it takes for the Dateline or 20/20..or whatever, exonerating toyota and placing total blame on the US parts manufacturer?

**RO_Resident** · January-29-10, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

Has anyone explained why a CHiP could not figure out that shifting into neutral would have stopped the vehicle? I'm not looking to 'blame the victim"...however, I'm just speaking from my own personal view that if my brakes weren't doing the trick, the next move is to shift to neutral.

From some reports, the gated shifter in the ES350 may have lead to some confusion.

**Zacha341** · January-28-10, 11:06 AM

No they did not. Thank you for restating that... I'd missed that info in the thread.

Originally Posted by davewindsor

In the class action lawsuit from November link I posted above, the fatality involving the California Highway Patrolman as a driver who called 911 was in a "Lexus ES 350 sedan on Highway 125, when the vehicle inexplicably accelerated to speeds exceeding 100 mph. According to a 911 call of the incident, Saylor was unable to stop the Lexus before it crashed and burst into flames, killing him, his wife, daughter and brother-in-law. This, however, is not the only fatal crash resulting from sudden unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus models. Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies, Inc., has reported at least 16 fatalities and 243 injuries in crashes."

And did they halt production of the Lexus line? Nope.

**Searay215** · January-28-10, 08:54 AM

Awwww poor Toyota, we should take up a collection like we did for Haiti.....oh thats right we already did its called our Jobs at the Big 3.....Screw them.
And the problem is not the gas peddle....its a fly by wire system. Meaning there is only an electrical connection to the ECM [[Engine control module) so its is either that connection or a software/hardware problem with the ECM. GM and others have had problems with ECM's in the past and Delphi the maker was able to figure it out. I guess the Japanese can't or won't do that....and now they are burned. Awwww toooo bad....bite me Toyota.

**Zacha341** · January-28-10, 09:35 AM

Well I think Ford will do well thru this as they already doing better and don't have the "stigma" of receiving the government bailout.

Originally Posted by Searay215

Awwww poor Toyota, we should take up a collection like we did for Haiti.....oh thats right we already did its called our Jobs at the Big 3.....Screw them.
And the problem is not the gas peddle....its a fly by wire system. Meaning there is only an electrical connection to the ECM [[Engine control module) so its is either that connection or a software/hardware problem with the ECM. GM and others have had problems with ECM's in the past and Delphi the maker was able to figure it out. I guess the Japanese can't or won't do that....and now they are burned. Awwww toooo bad....bite me Toyota.

**Danny** · January-28-10, 09:58 AM

So much for Japanese imports. Boy! those Toyota Japanese exces in Toyota, Japan are furious! Taking those jalopy-mobiles from their assembly lines and exported them out the free world. Lots of Toyota dealers can't clear out those yearly models and their are stuck in their lots.

NOW BUY AMERICAN CARS AND KEEP AMERICAN JOBS MOVING!

citylover · January-26-11, 01:14 PM

here is not surprising.It is sad but no surprise. There is an underlying tone of anti Asian racism that is very evident here.

The Toyota stuck throttle thing is going to go the way of the almost identical thing audi had some number of yrs ago................There has been no conclusive evidence that there is something faulty with equip on Toyota just as there was never any found with Audi............horror of horrors it likely is/was driver error.

The interesting thing here is that although the U.S. co' s have more than there share of recalls and have had them historically I don't read the rabid venomous posts about it as I do with Japenese co's. Why is that? Regardless the Toyota's and Honda's are here to stay.

http://www.mycarstats.com/reports/recalls.aspx

**ndavies** · January-26-11, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by citylover

here is not surprising.It is sad but no surprise. There is an underlying tone of anti Asian racism that is very evident here.

The Toyota stuck throttle thing is going to go the way of the almost identical thing audi had some number of yrs ago................There has been no conclusive evidence that there is something faulty with equip on Toyota just as there was never any found with Audi............horror of horrors it likely is/was driver error.

The interesting thing here is that although the U.S. co' s have more than there share of recalls and have had them historically I don't read the rabid venomous posts about it as I do with Japenese co's. Why is that? Regardless the Toyota's and Honda's are here to stay.

http://www.mycarstats.com/reports/recalls.aspx

Really citylover, You neeed to do a little more research. The Toyota throttle recall was real. They had to replace/repair the throttle peddles in millions of vehicles including some Pontiac models. The peddles were built by an Indiana supplier, CTS. NHTSA, a branch of the US government, hit toyota with the largest fine ever over their attempt to hide the recall. NHTSA was not Asian bashing. They were forcing an Asian manufacturer to live up to it's responsibility.

**DetroitPlanner** · January-28-10, 12:11 PM

Fort has stopped production of the Transit in China because they use the Elkhart, IN based CTS accellerators. This is getting ugly... FAST.

**davewindsor** · January-28-10, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Fort has stopped production of the Transit in China because they use the Elkhart, IN based CTS accellerators. This is getting ugly... FAST.

OK, let's put this into perspective here. The Transit Classic involves less than 2,000 buses in China and there's no issues reported with it to date. They're just playing it safe like any responsible automaker should do.

http://www.cbc.ca/fp/story/2010/01/28/2494252.html

**Sstashmoo** · January-28-10, 01:55 PM

Rupert Murdoch must have sold his Toyota shares.

**jtf1972** · January-28-10, 07:29 PM

New slogans:

Toyota. Go FASTER!

Toyota. Full Speed Ahead!

Whoa, What a Feeling... Whoa... WHOA!

**pffft** · January-28-10, 08:03 PM

Now, when I see a Camry or Corolla zooming up in my rear view mirror, I get the hell out of that lane...

**Fury13** · January-28-10, 09:14 PM

2009-2010 Pontiac Vibes affected, as well:

http://www.4wheelsnews.com/pontiac-v...-accelerators/

**davewindsor** · January-28-10, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by pffft

Now, when I see a Camry or Corolla zooming up in my rear view mirror, I get the hell out of that lane...

Yeah, they should change the name from Toyota Camry to Toyota Kamikaze.

**rb336** · January-29-10, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by jtf1972

New slogans:

Toyota. Go FASTER!

Toyota. Full Speed Ahead!

Whoa, What a Feeling... Whoa... WHOA!

i vote for the third

and yes, Schadenfreude is perfect for this thread, but after seeing US cars kicked around by people who still though GM was selling Novas and Chrysler still had the K-cars, it is well deserved.

**Detroitej72** · January-29-10, 10:22 AM

I can't wait for Senator Shelby to offer his apologist views on the automaker that received a public bailout, in the form of huge tax breaks from his state. I bet that wont be as public as his admonishment of GM and Chrysler.

**Lowell** · January-28-10, 11:26 PM

This is has to be the ultimate Detroit Schadenfreude thread.

**East Detroit** · January-29-10, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

This is has to be the ultimate Detroit Schadenfreude thread.

Meanwhile, the thread about Ford posting an annual profit is tumbleweed heaven.

The negative threads always seem to be the most popular here.

Buy American · January-29-10, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

This is has to be the ultimate Detroit Schadenfreude thread.

That is an understatement Lowell, at least from my viewpoint.

WHAT YOU DRIVE DRIVES AMERICA!
OUT OF A JOB YET? KEEP BUYING FOREIGN.

lilpup · January-29-10, 01:31 AM

Toyota still has plenty of apologists in high profile places. One major news outlet did their best to excuse the issue.

**jtf1972** · January-29-10, 03:19 AM

Originally Posted by lilpup

Toyota still has plenty of apologists in high profile places. One major news outlet did their best to excuse the issue.

Can you imagine the reaction if this was GM?

**rid0617** · January-29-10, 04:57 AM

All this talk about American cars and how unemployment is the fault of the foreign car owner, I guess I have to ask the obvious. Which car is my American made car? My Grand Marquis made in Canada or my Kia made in Georgia?

lilpup · January-29-10, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by rid0617

All this talk about American cars and how unemployment is the fault of the foreign car owner, I guess I have to ask the obvious. Which car is my American made car? My Grand Marquis made in Canada or my Kia made in Georgia?

Overall, your Grand Marquis made in Canada is more favorable to the US than the asset draining practices and trade policies of Kia's home nation. Our trade with Canada is stable and on a pretty even keel. Korea [[as well as most of the Asian nations) is much more predatory and damaging.