Toyota #1 Volkswagen #2 GM #3 The New Order

[murphy1244]

15 Million fine for failure to recall vehicles with a potential slipping floor mat ?

Boy are they grabbing at straws. A letter to tell owners if they don't like the floor mats buy some from Wallmart is in order. Huge safety problem there. Owner can't keep the floor mats from shifting on the carpet. Last I seen they had tiny rubber points that held them in place.
How do they decide the fine amount.... how much money the company has ??????
Most of us wish we had the money to buy a lexus SUV.


VW # 2 in what ?? Certainly not in electrical systems, sales, or design. ( pay closer attention to the newscasts ! )

For a company the size of Toyota, the fine was less than a parking ticket. They made 3.2 billion last year.

 

[oldnslo]

15 Million fine for failure to recall vehicles with a potential slipping floor mat ?

Boy are they grabbing at straws. A letter to tell owners if they don't like the floor mats buy some from Wallmart is in order. Huge safety problem there. Owner can't keep the floor mats from shifting on the carpet. Last I seen they had tiny rubber points that held them in place.

I happen to own two of the Toyota models with the potential slipping floor mat issue. I have received a minimum of two recall notices on each vehicle about with an explanation on what to do prior to visiting the dealer to address this repair. Pretty simple fix. If you have Toyota installed rubber mats remove them until the dealer can install them properly.

I have found Toyota to be very good company to deal with compared to another Detroit brand I had problems with 16 years ago. They wouldn't admit there was a problem even when the vehicle would not run...

my $02 cents

 

[BIG DOOLEY]

For a company the size of Toyota, the fine was less than a parking ticket. They made 3.2 billion last year.

Not $3.2 Billion -for the year
$3.2 Billion for the third quarter
The fine, announced Tuesday, is a tiny fraction of Toyota's earnings. The company, which this year regained its position as the world's biggest automaker, posted a $3.2 billion profit in the third quarter alone.
The fine from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the agency that monitors vehicle safety, is the maximum allowed by law.
$17.4 Million
Next year, the maximum fine NHTSA can assess will double to $35 million.

 

[Car Doc]

We all know or at least those of us who have owned Toyota's for many years that Toyota has had plastic hooks installed in the carpet that fit into a hole at the left rear corner of the mats forever that prevent slipping. I dont see any of the big 3 doing that. Anyone that vacuums one of these vehicles can be the culprit that fails to re hook the mats properly it isn't Toyota's fault.

fwtw I see more cars in my shop of other brands of all kinds with strange problems related to simply floor mats jammed under the pedals. Especially clutches that wont disengage causing hard shifting that are related to floor mats jammed up under the pedals its not even a joke it can be dangerous.

edit: The clutch pedal jamb also causes cars that wont start that is probably as common as hard shifting fwtw.

I have even seen Toyota's come in and Honda's with it if the mats are not secured and jammed under the pedals also but at least they have the hooks to lock the mats in place as long as they are used. IMO that cant be said about very many other manufacturers. my .002

 

[murphy1244]

Car Doc, Toyota has had plastic hooks installed in the carpet that fit into a hole at the left rear corner of the mats forever that prevent slipping. I dont see any of the big 3 doing that?
My 2001 Ford truck had it. So did my Focus

 

[Car Doc]

Car Doc, Toyota has had plastic hooks installed in the carpet that fit into a hole at the left rear corner of the mats forever that prevent slipping. I dont see any of the big 3 doing that?
My 2001 Ford truck had it. So did my Focus

Here ya go read this... Government intensifies probe into Ford floormats - latimes.com

 

[murphy1244]

Here ya go read this... Government intensifies probe into Ford floormats - latimes.com

Whats that got to do with anything? You posted the big three had not put hooks on. I'm telling you they did... I had them on that truck and have them on my 08 Focus and 09 Merc.

The article states "The accelerator pedal may fail to return to idle due to interference created by unsecured or double-stacked floor mats in the driver's foot-well. Read UNSECURED! not in the hooks like they are supposed to be.

 

[Car Doc]

I think at least that part is a little exaggerated. There was a time when American cars were the best on the road, hands down. Nobody came close... today may be a different story.

I will throw this out so anyone can make their own comparisons. I have no idea who has sold more to be honest but I have been working on them and driving them a long time fwtw. Toyota - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[TripleR]

We have two Toyota and one GMC, no repairs on the Toyotas, but the transmission in the GMC went out at 28K. FIL always bought GMC for his business and personal use and traded every two years, he liked their dependability, not hard if you keep them two years.

I do think from discussing it with others and looking at them that Ford and GM products have vastly improved over the years and may well match or exceed Toyota, Honda etc.

BMW and Mercedes use to be the pinnacle of quality but my daughter had both and had problems with them, now drives a Toyota.

 

[Car Doc]

Whats that got to do with anything? You posted the big three had not put hooks on. I'm telling you they did... I had them on that truck and have them on my 08 Focus and 09 Merc.

The article states "The accelerator pedal may fail to return to idle due to interference created by unsecured or double-stacked floor mats in the driver's foot-well. Read UNSECURED! not in the hooks like they are supposed to be.

Does this ring a bell? "Toyota fined again for the same thing. U.S. fines Toyota again for delayed safety reports | cleveland.com" Btw how long has Ford been putting hooks in? I bet nowhere near as many years as Toyota has wonder where they picked the idea up hummm?

edit: And to correct you the statement I made was "I dont see any of the big 3..." that is a true statement fyi. I DONT see them I work on mostly Asian vehicles not US and of the US cars I work on that come in I cant say when I have seen a mat hook if ever.

Guys like you that are quick to throw rocks should look in their own mirror before hand just sayin.