Toyota's Woes

[Zacha341]

Agreed. When a company tries to hide a major flaw and it comes out this way it's worse... And not amount of "damage control" will fix it. Recall the big Audi accelerator issue that broke the media in the 80s or was that the 70s?

I wonder if Lexus is having the same problem?

Drivers shouldn't have to be constantly ready to put their Toyota in neutral to not die.

They knew about this since 2004 and did nothing except try to blame the floormats when people started dying.

Even the idiots on the Today show said today that its a floor mat issue, so I guess the big lie is working for them.

[Zacha341]

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.

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]

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!

[davewindsor]

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.

[lilpup]

Anybody know if the supplier is US based or a Japanese transplant. Thats who is going to reimburse Toyota for the cost of the recall. If it is a Japanese transplant the executives have probably already been sent back to Japan in disgrace.

Hopefully its not a US company

Toyota is pointing the finger at CTS Corporation of Elkhart, IN. Toyota claims that the Denso supplied gas pedals used in Japan don't have this problem [[Denso is part of the Toyota group of companies), but their explanation of the condition is a design issue, not a manufacturing issue, so CTS is going to end up taking one for Toyota.

Toyota's explanation as given in Tuesday's USA Today:

Due to the manner in which the friction lever interacts with the sliding surface of the accelerator pedal inside the pedal sensor assembly, the sliding surface of the lever may become smooth during vehicle operation.

In this condition, if condensation occurs on the surface, as may occur from heater operation [[without A/C) when the pedal assembly is cold, the friction when the accelerator pedal is operated may increase, which may result in the accelerator pedal becoming harder to depress, slower to return, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position.

In addition, some of the affected vehicles' pedals were manufactured with friction levers made of a different material [[stuff called "PA46"), which may be susceptible to humidity when parked for a long period in hot temperatures. In this condition, the friction when the accelerator pedal is operated may increase, which may result in the accelerator pedal movement becoming rough or slow to return. In light of the similarity with one of the symptoms described above that are associated with the PPS material, Toyota has decided to include these vehicles in the defect determination.

[bailey]

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?

[Zacha341]

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

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.

[DetroitPlanner]

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

[Sstashmoo]

Rupert Murdoch must have sold his Toyota shares.

[davewindsor]

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

[jtf1972]

New slogans:

Toyota. Go FASTER!

Toyota. Full Speed Ahead!

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

[pffft]

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

[Fury13]

2009-2010 Pontiac Vibes affected, as well:

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

[davewindsor]

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.

[Lowell]

This is has to be the ultimate Detroit Schadenfreude thread.

[lilpup]

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

[jtf1972]

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]

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]

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.

[East Detroit]

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.

[East Detroit]

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?

Its about more than where the blue collar workers are.

My Ford Mustang and my Ford Focus are the American cars.
Engineering in Michigan, Built in Michigan, Profits to Michigan.

[bailey]

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.

No matter how 'favorable' our trade is with Canada, building the Grand Marquis in Canada still put the workers in Wixom out of a job. It may be 'favorable' for FoMoCo and the US trade balance sheet, but not for Michigan's unemployment rate.

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

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

Of course FoMoCo is profitable, it's designing and building more and more cars over seas.

Designed and developed in Europe for sale across Ford’s global markets,[and will be built in CHINA and MEXICO] the new Fiesta is the first in a series of fuel efficient new small cars developed through Ford’s global product development process. Its stylish and dynamic flair combines with all the traditional Ford small car strengths to create a confident, contemporary introduction to the next chapter of the Fiesta story.
....
Ford’s plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico, will build the new Fiesta for the United States and other North American markets. Construction of the integrated stamping facility and retooling of the assembly plant is underway

[Supersport]

Not solely. Ford, GM, and Chrysler ARE Detroit-related.

The auto industry as a whole no longer = Detroit.

Wow, so the fact that Toyota built a $150 million research/proving ground on 700 acres near Ann Arbor doesn't give them any local ties? How about Isuzu's design facility in Ann Arbor? They don't count either? How about the Mazda plant downriver, which Ford only owns 13% of now? How about Fisker automotive opening up shop up in Pontiac? You also seem to be forgetting the large number of japanese suppliers in the metro Detroit region. Detroit STILL is the automotive capital of the world, though you seem to have a very difficult time accepting that.

Perhaps it's because you drive a Toyota? No fear, I'm sure your 30 hp Yaris could be stopped by opening your driver side door and dropping your foot to the ground.

[Bearinabox]

No matter how 'favorable' our trade is with Canada, building the Grand Marquis in Canada still put the workers in Wixom out of a job. It may be 'favorable' for FoMoCo and the US trade balance sheet, but not for Michigan's unemployment rate.

What does building Kias in Georgia do for Michigan's unemployment rate?

[bailey]

What does building Kias in Georgia do for Michigan's unemployment rate?

Nothing. But neither does Ford designing and building Fiestas in China, Europe and Mexico.