You're goin down Toyota!!!!

Kaneman · 02-04-2010, 09:56 AM

Is it just me or does it seem like Fed Gov is out to destroy its competition now? Jesus Christ...

BTW, my step-dad is a 20 year Toyota mechanic. He worked a frickin 16 hour shift yesterday doing the gas pedals.
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Toyota cites design flaw with Prius brakes
Automaker says it corrected system in cars that were sold since January
The Associated Press
updated 7:13 a.m. CT, Thurs., Feb. 4, 2010

TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp. acknowledged design problems with the brakes in its prized Prius, adding to the catalog of woes for the Japanese automaker as it reels from massive gas-pedal recalls around the world.

Toyota said Thursday it found design problems with the antilock brake system and corrected them for Prius models sold since late January, including those being shipped overseas.

But the company said it was still investigating how to inform customers who had bought them earlier. Nothing was decided on that front for Prius gas-electric hybrids sold outside Japan, according to Toyota.

Complaints about braking problems in the Prius — the world's top-selling hybrid — have been reported in the U.S. and Japan, combining to some 180, and come amid a global recall of nearly 4.5 million vehicles for faulty gas pedals.

"We are investigating whether there are defects in the Prius," Toyota executive Hiroyuki Yokoyama told reporters at the automaker's Tokyo headquarters.

When the car moves on a bumpy or slippery surface, a driver can feel a pause in the braking when the vehicle switches between the traditional hydraulic brakes and the electronically operated braking system, said Paul Nolasco, a company spokesman. He credited that pause to the two systems in a gas-electric hybrid — the gas-engine and the electric motor.

The brakes start to work if the driver keeps pushing the pedal, but the driver may momentarily feel they aren't working, he said. Fixing that included a software programming change, he said.

Company mulling Prius recall
Whether a recall was in the works for the Prius is still undecided, according to Toyota.

A major Toyota dealership in Tokyo said the automaker had informed dealers that Prius brakes can sometimes fail to work for less than a second but it had not told owners.

"It is disappointing because the Prius was receiving such rave reviews," said Hiroyuki Naito, a manager at the dealership. The latest model Prius hit showrooms last May and is only made in Japan.

In recent weeks, the automaker had answered questions about its overseas recalls for gas pedals with assurances that problems didn't extend to Japanese vehicles, implying it was doing a better job with quality control in Japan.

'I plan to drive very carefully'
But Prius owners were worried.

Akira Suzuki, 25, who makes surf boards and teaches surfing, was excited about the high mileage his recently purchased hybrid offers — but concerned about its possible problems.

"I'm not sure how safe it is. I plan to drive very carefully," said Suzuki, who lives in a Tokyo suburb.

Earlier in Washington, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood startled the public with a comment, which he later retracted, that Americans should park their recalled Toyotas unless driving to dealers for accelerator repairs.

The Prius was not part of the recall spanning the U.S., Europe and China over sticking gas pedals in eight top-selling models including the Camry. That recall involved 2.3 million cars in the U.S. alone.

Toyota senior managing director Takahiko Ijichi defended the automaker's quality standards.

"We have not sacrificed the quality for the sake of saving costs," he said. "Quality is our lifeline. We want our customers to feel safe and regain their trust as soon as possible."

Toyota for the first time gave an estimate of the costs of the global gas-pedal recall. The $2 billion total represents $1.1 billion for repairs and $770 million to $880 million in lost sales.

Toyota is expecting to lose 100,000 in vehicle sales because of the recall fallout — 80,000 of them in North America.

The tarnishing of the Prius nameplate is also a serious setback for Toyota's recovery from the global auto slump.

"It's very unclear what the future will bring," said Mamoru Katou, auto analyst with Tokai Tokyo Research. "Toyota's image as a leader in hybrids has been hurt."

The automaker has received 77 complaints in Japan about braking problems for the Prius. Separately, the Japanese government confirmed 14 complaints. About 100 complaints over Prius brakes have been filed in the U.S.

At least one accident has been reported in Japan suspected of being linked to faulty braking. In that accident, in July 2009, a Prius crashed head on into another car, slightly injuring two people, according to the transport ministry.

Toyota had looked into that accident and concluded there were no problems with the Prius.

Dealers start receiving parts
In the U.S., harried dealers began receiving parts to repair defective gas pedals in millions of vehicles and said they'd be extending their hours deep into the night to try and catch up. Toyota said that would solve the problem — which it said was extremely rare — of cars unaccountably accelerating.

Toyota is set to face additional questioning from U.S. congressional and other government investigators. Toyota has shut down several new vehicle assembly lines and is rushing parts to dealers to fix problems with the accelerators, trying to preserve a reputation of building safe, durable vehicles.

The latest recall involves 2009-10 RAV4 crossovers, 2009-10 Corollas, 2009-10 Matrix hatchbacks, 2005-10 Avalons, 2007-10 Camrys, 2010 Highlander crossovers, 2007-10 Tundra pickups and 2008-10 Sequoia SUVs.

U.S. lawmakers who are now digging into the recalls say they would look into the Prius.

Many consumer groups have questioned whether Toyota's gas pedal fix will work and have asserted it could be connected to problems with the electronic throttle control systems.

Yasuaki Iwamoto, auto analyst with Okasan Securities in Tokyo, said the big challenge for Toyota was rebuilding its damaged brand, especially in overseas markets.

"For all people who own Toyota cars, for all people with jobs related to Toyota, this huge sense of uncertainty simply isn't going away," he said.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35214248/ns/business-autos/

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BobTheBiker · 02-04-2010, 10:09 AM

yeah, it really does seem like the govt is trying to demolish the reputation Toyota spent the better part of the last like, 25+ years establishing.

then again, its also true that toyota really has let themselves slide a little on the quality front.

wildchild · 02-04-2010, 10:30 AM

i am doing my happy happy dance.

i hate toyota!!!!

Kaneman · 02-04-2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildchild

i am doing my happy happy dance.

i hate toyota!!!!

Yea, I hate reliable vehicles too! RUBBLE RUBBLE!

More than that though, its just an expansion of government that is a bit scary. Fed Gov needs to stick to lesser things, like mandating the volume of commercials.

askmrjesus · 02-04-2010, 10:58 AM

Every idiot on the hill will be chiming in on this.

Bart Stupak was on CNN last night, promising more hearings on the matter.

Who the fuck is Bart Stupak? Democratic Representative from the Great State of....wait for it.....Michigan.

Surprise, surprise...

JC

azoomm · 02-04-2010, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by askmrjesus

Every idiot on the hill will be chiming in on this.

Bart Stupak was on CNN last night, promising more hearings on the matter.

Who the fuck is Bart Stupak? Democratic Representative from the Great State of....wait for it.....Michigan.

Surprise, surprise...

JC

Yeah, big shocker there. It's sad when a company doesn't take government assistance pays for not failing.

6doublefive321 · 02-04-2010, 01:25 PM

Obama Motors sez Toyota bad!

Seriously, Toyota brought some of this crap on themselves. Certain things such as throttle control and brakes should not be controlled by a microprocessor. When the permanent fix for a brake issue is a computer reprogram, some ting wong.

wildchild · 02-04-2010, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaneman

Yea, I hate reliable vehicles too! RUBBLE RUBBLE!

More than that though, its just an expansion of government that is a bit scary. Fed Gov needs to stick to lesser things, like mandating the volume of commercials.

yep mine was reliable as hell. especially when the steering column starting falling out, transfer case would not shift into 4x4, windows would not defrost, seats would not operate properly. yep she was a gem. bought it brand new and left it on their lot 6 months later. took the repo on it and paid the bank back the difference after they auctioned it.
i wouldn't trade my 9 yr old ford even up for a brand new toyota truck if offered, and i sure as hell would never spend money on one again. some people love them and i'm happy for them that they feel they are reliable. my personal experience with them is that they are garbage.
I had two other toyotas with very similar results to the first.

Dave · 02-04-2010, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6doublefive321

Obama Motors sez Toyota bad!

Seriously, Toyota brought some of this crap on themselves. Certain things such as throttle control and brakes should not be controlled by a microprocessor. When the permanent fix for a brake issue is a computer reprogram, some ting wong.

emissions and economy standards forced the E-throttle on us. The brakes theres no excuse for

Bluestreak · 02-04-2010, 01:35 PM

I'm not a big toyota fan so it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside to see them "loosing face".

I had a 2000 Toyota that ate a cylinder. The dealer insisted that I shifted my 6 speed tranny from 6th to 2nd and blew the motor. They eventually fixed it for me but it was a complete hassle. They said that their regional rep didn't want to work with me at all, and I never bothered to find someone to yell at. Even after I brought in the witness that I had in the car with me to inform them that I was indeed UPSHIFTING while accelerating, they voided my warranty.

I traded that car in on a truck the week after I got it back.

02-04-2010, 09:56 AM	#1
Kaneman AMA Supersport Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Odessa, TX Moto: 2000 Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird Posts: 4,931	You're goin down Toyota!!!! Is it just me or does it seem like Fed Gov is out to destroy its competition now? Jesus Christ... BTW, my step-dad is a 20 year Toyota mechanic. He worked a frickin 16 hour shift yesterday doing the gas pedals. MSN Tracking Image MSNBC.com Toyota cites design flaw with Prius brakes Automaker says it corrected system in cars that were sold since January The Associated Press updated 7:13 a.m. CT, Thurs., Feb. 4, 2010 TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp. acknowledged design problems with the brakes in its prized Prius, adding to the catalog of woes for the Japanese automaker as it reels from massive gas-pedal recalls around the world. Toyota said Thursday it found design problems with the antilock brake system and corrected them for Prius models sold since late January, including those being shipped overseas. But the company said it was still investigating how to inform customers who had bought them earlier. Nothing was decided on that front for Prius gas-electric hybrids sold outside Japan, according to Toyota. Complaints about braking problems in the Prius — the world's top-selling hybrid — have been reported in the U.S. and Japan, combining to some 180, and come amid a global recall of nearly 4.5 million vehicles for faulty gas pedals. "We are investigating whether there are defects in the Prius," Toyota executive Hiroyuki Yokoyama told reporters at the automaker's Tokyo headquarters. When the car moves on a bumpy or slippery surface, a driver can feel a pause in the braking when the vehicle switches between the traditional hydraulic brakes and the electronically operated braking system, said Paul Nolasco, a company spokesman. He credited that pause to the two systems in a gas-electric hybrid — the gas-engine and the electric motor. The brakes start to work if the driver keeps pushing the pedal, but the driver may momentarily feel they aren't working, he said. Fixing that included a software programming change, he said. Company mulling Prius recall Whether a recall was in the works for the Prius is still undecided, according to Toyota. A major Toyota dealership in Tokyo said the automaker had informed dealers that Prius brakes can sometimes fail to work for less than a second but it had not told owners. "It is disappointing because the Prius was receiving such rave reviews," said Hiroyuki Naito, a manager at the dealership. The latest model Prius hit showrooms last May and is only made in Japan. In recent weeks, the automaker had answered questions about its overseas recalls for gas pedals with assurances that problems didn't extend to Japanese vehicles, implying it was doing a better job with quality control in Japan. 'I plan to drive very carefully' But Prius owners were worried. Akira Suzuki, 25, who makes surf boards and teaches surfing, was excited about the high mileage his recently purchased hybrid offers — but concerned about its possible problems. "I'm not sure how safe it is. I plan to drive very carefully," said Suzuki, who lives in a Tokyo suburb. Earlier in Washington, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood startled the public with a comment, which he later retracted, that Americans should park their recalled Toyotas unless driving to dealers for accelerator repairs. The Prius was not part of the recall spanning the U.S., Europe and China over sticking gas pedals in eight top-selling models including the Camry. That recall involved 2.3 million cars in the U.S. alone. Toyota senior managing director Takahiko Ijichi defended the automaker's quality standards. "We have not sacrificed the quality for the sake of saving costs," he said. "Quality is our lifeline. We want our customers to feel safe and regain their trust as soon as possible." Toyota for the first time gave an estimate of the costs of the global gas-pedal recall. The $2 billion total represents $1.1 billion for repairs and $770 million to $880 million in lost sales. Toyota is expecting to lose 100,000 in vehicle sales because of the recall fallout — 80,000 of them in North America. The tarnishing of the Prius nameplate is also a serious setback for Toyota's recovery from the global auto slump. "It's very unclear what the future will bring," said Mamoru Katou, auto analyst with Tokai Tokyo Research. "Toyota's image as a leader in hybrids has been hurt." The automaker has received 77 complaints in Japan about braking problems for the Prius. Separately, the Japanese government confirmed 14 complaints. About 100 complaints over Prius brakes have been filed in the U.S. At least one accident has been reported in Japan suspected of being linked to faulty braking. In that accident, in July 2009, a Prius crashed head on into another car, slightly injuring two people, according to the transport ministry. Toyota had looked into that accident and concluded there were no problems with the Prius. Dealers start receiving parts In the U.S., harried dealers began receiving parts to repair defective gas pedals in millions of vehicles and said they'd be extending their hours deep into the night to try and catch up. Toyota said that would solve the problem — which it said was extremely rare — of cars unaccountably accelerating. Toyota is set to face additional questioning from U.S. congressional and other government investigators. Toyota has shut down several new vehicle assembly lines and is rushing parts to dealers to fix problems with the accelerators, trying to preserve a reputation of building safe, durable vehicles. The latest recall involves 2009-10 RAV4 crossovers, 2009-10 Corollas, 2009-10 Matrix hatchbacks, 2005-10 Avalons, 2007-10 Camrys, 2010 Highlander crossovers, 2007-10 Tundra pickups and 2008-10 Sequoia SUVs. U.S. lawmakers who are now digging into the recalls say they would look into the Prius. Many consumer groups have questioned whether Toyota's gas pedal fix will work and have asserted it could be connected to problems with the electronic throttle control systems. Yasuaki Iwamoto, auto analyst with Okasan Securities in Tokyo, said the big challenge for Toyota was rebuilding its damaged brand, especially in overseas markets. "For all people who own Toyota cars, for all people with jobs related to Toyota, this huge sense of uncertainty simply isn't going away," he said. © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35214248/ns/business-autos/ MSN Privacy . Legal © 2010 MSNBC.com __________________ 1982 Honda XR80 - blown motor, 1993 Kawasaki ZX6D - sold, 2001 Suzuki Bandit 1200S - sold, 1984 Honda Magna - sold, 2001 Kawasaki ZRX1200R - blown motor, 2007 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom - totalled, 2003 Yamaha FZ1 - sold, 1994 Honda Magna - sold, 2001 Honda CBR600F4i - sold, 1998 Suzuki DR350 - stolen, 1989 Honda Super Magna - sold, 2007 Yamaha Stratoliner, 2000 Honda CBR 1100XX Blackbird

02-04-2010, 10:58 AM	#5
askmrjesus Soul Man Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Everywhere, all the time. Moto: '0000 Custom Turbo Cross (with jet kit). Posts: 6,481	Every idiot on the hill will be chiming in on this. Bart Stupak was on CNN last night, promising more hearings on the matter. Who the fuck is Bart Stupak? Democratic Representative from the Great State of....wait for it.....Michigan. Surprise, surprise... JC __________________ The way things are going, they're gonna crucify me.

02-04-2010, 01:25 PM	#7
6doublefive321 Resident Droog Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Northern burbs, Atlanta Moto: 625 SMC, '08 Tuono R Posts: 471	Obama Motors sez Toyota bad! Seriously, Toyota brought some of this crap on themselves. Certain things such as throttle control and brakes should not be controlled by a microprocessor. When the permanent fix for a brake issue is a computer reprogram, some ting wong. __________________ I'm sick and tired of being bored.

02-04-2010, 01:35 PM	#10
Bluestreak What? Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Lancaster, PA Moto: Dirt Posts: 578	I'm not a big toyota fan so it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside to see them "loosing face". I had a 2000 Toyota that ate a cylinder. The dealer insisted that I shifted my 6 speed tranny from 6th to 2nd and blew the motor. They eventually fixed it for me but it was a complete hassle. They said that their regional rep didn't want to work with me at all, and I never bothered to find someone to yell at. Even after I brought in the witness that I had in the car with me to inform them that I was indeed UPSHIFTING while accelerating, they voided my warranty. I traded that car in on a truck the week after I got it back. __________________ Lean till you see sparks. If they are coming from your pegs you are doing good. If they are coming from you tank, you've just gained wisdom... Wisdom usually hurts.

02-04-2010, 10:09 AM	#2
BobTheBiker too much time on my hands Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: the northern district of god damn Moto: 01 ZX6R, looking for more now. Posts: 1,802	yeah, it really does seem like the govt is trying to demolish the reputation Toyota spent the better part of the last like, 25+ years establishing. then again, its also true that toyota really has let themselves slide a little on the quality front.

02-04-2010, 10:30 AM	#3
wildchild cruiser Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: on the run Moto: '09 HD superglide, 16 Yamaha FZ 09 Posts: 2,749	i am doing my happy happy dance. i hate toyota!!!!