Loved Ones - Toyota

[CosmoAU]

Feb. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Count Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Wozniak among Toyota Motor Corp. car owners who say their vehicles accelerate unintentionally.

Wozniak痴 2010 Toyota Prius can unintentionally accelerate to as much as 97 miles (156 kilometers) per hour when he uses cruise control to increase his speed, he said in an interview yesterday. Toyota and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration haven稚 responded to his complaints in the past two months on what may be a software-related glitch, he said.


Toyota was ordered today by Japan痴 government to investigate brake-related problems in the latest Prius hybrid model. The Transport Ministry has received 14 complaints about the model痴 brakes since it was introduced in May, said Masaya Ota, an official in the ministry痴 recall division. The ministry contacted the company about the issue in August, said Shunsuke Miyaoka, who works in the same division.

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This is a real problem and people should recognize it as such.

It's tempting for some of us to dismiss the claims and i'll admit I've looked at these recalls somewhat skeptically too.

Just keep in mind how many of these vehicles there are out there and what would you do if you saw one coming at you head on.

A prius will do 97 mph? I woulda lost that bet.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Ask yourselves how many of you felt safe transporting your loved ones around in exploding Ford mavericks, or Chevy Pickups with tanks that rupture. Every maker has had their problems and scandals.

I have to agree. Remember the Jeeps Cherokee's that everyone had. They jumped out of gear into reverse. Toyota is doing what they can to fix the issue. Its only so wide spread because unlike the Big 3 they use this same part on nearly the entire fleet of vehicles unlike some others I have been around. Heck, one of my past trucks the parts guy had to know what color the interior was to get the right oil filter for it.

Chris

 

[Dutch445]

I agree - Your scenario is not far fetched ! and think about it Japan and Toyota also know the US Govt. is the largest shareholder of GM who stands to benefit handsomely from this as do other bailed out automakers..The case could be made that LaHood made is statement to enrich GM, a US govt. holding. and then as you say, when it hit the fan he was told to shut up !

I still say if I owned one I'd park it and I will be on the lookout when driving as much as possible for speeding Toyotas..

Who Killed the Electric Car?

 

[Diamondpilot]

" Just keep in mind how many of these vehicles there are out there and what would you do if you saw one coming at you head on." >

You make a real good point, there are sooooo many of these cars out there it will be like playing Russian Roulette wondering if one of them is going to accelerate into you or a family member.

This is the most significant recall I have ever heard of and if Toyota has know about this since 2000 as some have reported this could be the end for them...but in the meantime be careful out there..If I had one of them I would park it !

I guarantee you have a greater chance of getting run over in WalMart's parking lot by some 16 year old kid or a 85 year old blue hair than you do by a sticking gas pedal.

My local paper just did a story a few days ago and found that in the past 10 years there were 3 accidents where the drive claimed the gas pedal stuck and the vehicle struck something or someone. That they could prove. There were over 300 where the idiot driving was at fault end the end either texting, messing with the radio, eating, ect...

Chris

 

[Tig]

Anyway, remember the unintended acceleration problems that plagued
Audi 5000s back in the early 80s? No technical problem was ever found.

Harvard Medical Journal ran a tongue in cheek article on this around 1990. They suspected that most cases of SUA (sudden unintended acceleration) were related to cases of SUI (sudden unintelligent incident) among the demographic of Audi drivers.

 

[20 20]

I am seriously beginning to think this is a
witch-hunt by the Feds to help US automakers
regain some market share. EVERY manufacturer
has had recalls, millions of cars, and never have
they come out and said "stop driving your cars".
sounds fishy to me

I completely agree

 

[Deerlope]

For those that are not smart enough to deal with a sticky gas pedal then stay home, or better yet give up your drivers licsense. What do they think that N stands for ---nothing.

 

[20 20]

R stands for race

 

[Gator6x4]

Some newspaper accounts of the “Sticking Accelerator Pedals” reported the brake warning light came on and the driver was unable to shift the vehicle to neutral. I don’t know if any of the involved units were equipped with “No Key Needed” for start or not. I have a friend who owns such a vehicle and he had a problem one time of not being able to turn the engine off even after he inserted the key. He advised he was very uncomfortable trying to figure out how to stop the engine. He also advised he never used the feature again and always inserted the key in the ignition. Toyota makes good vehicles. I do not feel the problem currently being experienced is the demise of this company contrary to what some in the media are trying to predict.

 

[two_bit_score]

The possibility has been raised that LaHood's comments were White House payback to UAW interests who supported election of the current administration.

Doen't take away from the fact that a car with a stuck acc. pedal is a danger and should be treated seriously by the maufacturer.