2.3M Toyotas recalled as new accelerator fault cited

[Bozita]

Source: Detroit Free Press

POSTED: 4:41 P.M. JAN. 21, 2010
2.3M Toyotas recalled as new accelerator fault cited
BY JUSTIN HYDE
FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF


WASHINGTON – Toyota said today it was recalling 2.3 million vehicles to fix accelerator pedals that could fail to spring back, raising the total number of Toyota models called back for possible uncontrolled acceleration to 4.8 million.

The move reignites questions surrounding sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles which have been linked to a dozen deaths and more than 100 complaints to federal regulators.

The Japanese automaker last year recalled 4.2 million Toyota and Lexus models over problems with floor mats causing stuck accelerator pedals.

Toyota said the new problem could occur without any floor mat in place. The automaker does not have a fix for the problem at the moment, and warns customers to hold down the brakes if their accelerator pedals become stuck.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20100121/BUSINESS01/100121055/1319/2.3M-Toyotas-recalled-as-new-accelerator-fault-cited

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. How about that?

They're actually going to come to grips with the problem...

About time.

They've been dodging it for some time, but maybe now they've seen the light.

Their arrogance must stop.

[blue_onyx]

5. I'm not so sure they are coming to grips with the problem

"Toyota says the recall of the "sticking gas pedals" covers Haggerty's problem, but he says his gas pedal was never stuck.

In its statements, Toyota does not claim the "sticking gas pedal" recall is a complete fix and says it will continue to investigate other incidents of unwanted acceleration, including those cited by ABC News. "

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/runaway-toyotas-problem-persists-recall/story?id=9618735&page=2

So the consumer says "his foot was not on the gas pedal" and that the pedal was never stuck. Yet Toyota refers to it as an issue with "sticking gas pedals" and says it's not a complete fix. I really hope they find a "complete fix" soon because people are being killed.

[Renew Deal]

2. I knew the "floor mat" excuse was BS.

It made no sense.

[alstephenson]

3. Ditto.

Owners reported the acceleration problem even when there WERE NO FLOOR MATS. I have a 2010 Toyota Camry, so I'm very interested in this issue. My 5th Camry and I've always been happy with Toyota until now. They really handled this poorly.

[barb162]

45. especially when owners took mats out of some cars. n/t

[frazzled]

4. You know, I haven't gotten a recall notice from Toyota

And our 2006 Prius is supposedly on the list of cars that have the potential problem.

Time to call them.

[emsimon33]

9. I have a 2007 Prius and I have not received a recall notice yet either

If they don't have a fix for this other than holding down on the break or holding the off button until the car stops, what will they do with a recall?

[wpsedgwick]

48. Recall notices...

And you won't receive one yet for at least a month or two according to a company spokesman.

[WriteDown]

6. What happened to blaming the consumers for installing the floor mats wrong?

This is all the fault of stupid American consumers. :eyes:

[golfguru]

7. I still have my 1977 Chevy Malibu

with 250,000 miles and no recalls and no major repairs !
Best car I ever had and won't let go.

[Omaha Steve]

11. I clunkered my 91 Caprice

I don't remember any recalls for it. Never had any major issues.

K+R!

[golfguru]

12. I thought about it but already have a 2007 Pontiac G5

which I bought new in 2008, and don't need another new car right now.
When I drove the G5 out of the dealer lot, it was the first time in my life
I felt guilty post-deal because of the incredible deal I got.

[emsimon33]

8. This happened in my 2007 Prius

I knew that it wasn't the floor mat. I was coming down a mountain on I-5 between Oregon and California. I could not slow down and ended up coming down at about 100 mph. I was lucky that I didn't fly off the mountain and kill myself. If there had been any traffic, I would have been killed and I would have killed whomever I hit. It was very scary. Once I got down the mountain and slowed down, I held the off button until the car stopped. I was in the middle of nowhere and was afraid to start back up. The accelerator pedal once I stopped had come back up, but I crawled the rest of the way to San Jose, afraid to accelerate beyond about 45 mph and even less on the mountains.

This is very dangerous and, having been a long-time Toyota owner, I am very disappointed. I am especially disappointed that they at first tried to say that the cause was the mats.

[tomm2thumbs]

10. that sounds like a horrible experience

thanks for sharing it so we understand how real the problem can be in any circumstances

[Paulie]

14. You were using the "B" on the shifter going down the mountain, yes?

[Lionel Mandrake]

13. Toyota needs to fix its software.

When the driver pushes hard on the brake pedal, the software should slow the car down, not speed it up, regardless of the signal from the gas pedal.

How difficult is that?

[Lionel Mandrake]

15. Today's LA Times has more details

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-nutoyota-recall22-2010jan22,0,6915909.story

On page 2, referring to the previous recall (the one involving floor mats), the article states:

"In that recall, the automaker is replacing or modifying pedals, swapping out floor mats, altering interior carpeting and installing software so that the brake overrides the throttle."

I emphasized the last phrase because I think the software fix is all-important. It would save lives!

When I took my 2005 Prius in to the dealer for routine maintenance, the service writer said he didn't think anything was wrong with Toyotas and that drivers were stepping on the gas pedal by mistake. He was angry at the LA Times for what he considered was an unwarranted attack on Toyota.

I think on the contrary that Ken Bensinger should get a Pulitzer for his articles on sudden acceleration in Toyotas.

[boppers]

49. I was about to respond to your brake over-ride post..

and then saw you had done so yourself. ;)

[Heddi]

16. .

[Heddi]

17. .

[wpsedgwick]

18. Toyota hit with another massive recall: Is your car on the list?

Source: Green Technology Daily

After announcing the largest auto recall in US history last fall to fix sudden acceleration problems, Toyota announced an additional recall of some 2.3 million vehicles. The announcement was made after ABC News told the Japanese automaker that it was going to air a report about more Toyota sudden-acceleration problems.

The issue of sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles has been linked to 19 deaths and several hundred complaints to federal regulators. Last year, the Japanese automaker recalled 4.2 million Toyota and Lexus models over problems with stuck accelerator pedals, which Toyota has attributed to floor mats. Some 1.7 million Toyotas are subject to both recalls.





Read more: http://www.greentechnologydaily.com/auto/613-toyota-hit-with-another-massive-recall

[FormerDittoHead]

19. Thanks. People, here's the list...

• 2009-10 RAV4
• 2009-10 Corolla
• 2009-10 Matrix
• 2005-10 Avalon
• 2007-10 Camry
• 2010 Highlander
• 2007-10 Tundra
• 2008-10 Sequoia

It happens that BOTH of our Toyotas are on the list...

on edit: It pisses me off to see these teaser headlines, "top 10 ways to improve your life forever" and then have to click through 11 pages to find out what the things are.

This website, however, actually has the list on the top page. Kudos.

[Rhiannon12866]

42. There was a commercial on for the Toyota Tundra as I read this...

:crazy:

[rusty_parts2001]

20. Sorry, can't afford em anymore

[madmom]

21. NOPE, don't do foreign cars.

[wpsedgwick]

23. Not really a foreign car anymore...

People have to realize that car companies like Toyota and Honda, for example, are no longer considered "foreign" car companies, but instead referred to as "foreign-domestic" companies. The reason being that these companies not only make their cars in the U.S., employ our people, and contribute millions of dollars into local economies, but the companies that supply the car manufacturers with parts also produce their products in the U.S.

[notadmblnd]

26. The money goes back to Japan and that's what matters

whether you want to call the cars foreign or not, the money would be put to better use in this country.

[wpsedgwick]

28. Referencing "the money"...

You're talking complicated accounting here when referencing sales and this particular company, which has bled dollars/yen this past year. What IS important is the jobs it provides here in the U.S. Companies like Toyota, whether or not they're headquarted in another country, provide an enormous fiscal impact on the U.S. economy. To say "screw you Toyota" would be like saying, "screw you American jobs."

[demosincebirth]

29. Try and sell American cars in Japan and see how far we get. They have a closed...

market that makes American car makers virtually impossible to sell cars there. Fair trade? I don't think so.

[swilton]

31. American cars might sell in other countries if we manufactured

something that they wanted. American made cars do not even meet China's standards for fuel emissions.

[WriteDown]

35. Not in Japan....

Japanese cars sell in Japan due to fierce Japanese nationalism.

[demosincebirth]

41. We're not talking about China, its Japan. By the way, do you think China has

fuel emission standards? Think twice. FYI, Buick is one of the top selling cars in China. Did you know that?

[notadmblnd]

30. you mean like the people said to GM and Chrysler?

Those were union jobs paying a good living wage and benefits. Why do you think these factories settle in the south? Cheap Labor is the answer. But you go ahead and be loyal while Toyota says, screw you with low wages, and products that are proving to be no better than the 3 domestic makers along with the money going back to Japan.

[madmom]

32. So how is that different from walmart? They provide plenty of Americans jobs as well.....

Double standards abound here.

[depakid]

40. LOL- Walmart is the quitessential american company!

[JoeyT]

38. Not all of it.

Most of the foreign car makers have at least one huge plant in the South.
Remember all the histrionics over bailing out the American car makers that was led by southern Republicans? Yeah, that's what that was about. Anyway, some of it does come back to us in jobs.

Edited to add: Nevermind, I see you were aware of that. ;) And I agree, their wages do tend to suck compared to union jobs.

[wilt the stilt]

33. I call Bullshit

on that. Who is the president of the company? who gains in the profits. Where is the stock listed? where is headquarters. Hired workforce doesn't make it "hybrid"

[madokie]

34. They might not be foreign anymore but they are some tinny, cheap plastic

pieces of shit. Neighbor has a camry and while he's pulling maintenance on it I go over and critique it and man o man you couldn't give me one of them on a bet. This thing is something like every bit of 3 maybe 4 years old and the seats show wear where they get in and out, the weather stripping for the door is in shreds where they drag across it I guess when they get in and out. Piece of, you got it, shit.
We have two '98 fords and they are both just like they were when new except for a scratch or two in the paint. My f150 went through a 2 inch hail storm and was beat up pretty badly but I left it setting out in the sun a few days while I was working and guess what, yep the dents all popped back out except for one on the very top of the cab where the metal has a sharp bend in it, that little ding is still there but you have to be in the bed looking down on the top to even see it. guarantee you there aren't any TOYotas that can do that. Buy a ford and be happy is my advice to everyone. no one else builds as good of a vehicle, none I've seen anyway.

[JoeyT]

39. Really?

Camrys (Or Camries, whatever the plural is.) used to be pretty good cars. A friend of mine has one with close to 500k miles on it.
My Honda has 350k on it. Course my Chevy has about that too. The next one (When I can afford it) will be a Ford.
Ford's actually made huge strides in quality...They're probably the best out there right now.

[RedEarth]

22. Consumer Reports.... Putting a car in Neutral might save your life

October 19, 2009
Putting a car in Neutral might save your life
More than a few readers were surprised when our tests proved that a car’s brakes may not be enough to stop a car with a stuck throttle while traveling at highway speeds. A horrific fatal crash in Southern California last August drew attention to the possibility that a misplaced floor-mat could jam a car’s throttle down. Other culprits can cause the same problem, including a stuck cable or linkage or malfunctioning throttle body. Whatever the cause of runaway acceleration, there’s a simple solution that could save your life.

Here’s all you have to do:

Move the transmission to Neutral.
Use the brakes to come to a stop safely on the side (or off) the road
Shut off the engine with the transmission in Neutral
Put the car into Park
Most people who own cars with an automatic transmission have never had a reason to select Neutral, and some modern gear selectors are unconventional enough to cause confusion. (Try it with a new BMW or Mercedes-Benz!) A life-or-death situation might not be the best time to figure out how to do it.

Learn how
In a large empty parking lot or other safe area, practice sliding your gear lever into Neutral while driving at a low speed. That way, you will know how to handle a stuck-throttle emergency if one should ever arise. If the police officer whose Lexus ran out of control and burned last August had thought to slip the transmission into Neutral, the chances are that he and his family would have survived.

Engine shut-down is a worse choice
Shutting off the engine during an uncontrollable acceleration is another option, but we recommend against that. First, killing the engine will not allow you to slow down any sooner than shifting to Neutral will. Second, you can lose power steering assist, making the car difficult to control. And finally, if you should manage to turn the key all the way off, that could lock the steering wheel mechanism, making a safe stop all but impossible.

Bottom line
By practicing how to shift into Neutral and even how to make a panic, ABS-actuating stop, you will be better prepared for a scenario you will hopefully never face. But if you do, hopefully you can remain calm and stop the vehicle safely.

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/10/putting-a-car-in-neutral-might-save-your-life.html

[sulphurdunn]

25. Get a manual transmission

[WriteDown]

36. A lot of cars don't have manual transmission models anymore...

or they're actually extra money to order.

[sulphurdunn]

37. Yea

I had to special order a Corolla and have it shipped from Kentucky via California because Corollas with manual transmissions are only made in Japan these days(or so I was told by the salesman). So it goes.

[Kolesar]

27. CR has to write instructions for their exclusive, dreamy Toyotas

..that their poll-takers love so much.

[Hekate]

44. Thanks a whole bunch. I needed to know that. nt

[alstephenson]

24. Yes, my car IS on the list.

Crap.

[Hekate]

43. Our 1990 Camry is still chugging along, never a moment's trouble.

We bought a Honda Accord two years ago -- it was really a tossup between that and another Toyota. Who knew?

I'm really sorry Toyota blew this -- they were an incredibly reliable car-manufacturer for many decades. :-(

Hekate

[barb162]

46. I think Toyota has been lying through their teeth for a long time now.

I hope the government fines the living shit out of them and they lose customers.

[fujiyama]

47. Was the chip that controlled the electronic throttle from Toyota

or another supplier?

Because if it's a supplier, then this may be a problem in other cars we don't know of yet. We know Toyota has a big problem because they've sold so many of the models that have been affected. After all, this list includes the Camry and Corolla, the two top sellers in their respective classes.

Their response has been absolutely pathetic. Seriously, is this what people expected from the "most reliable auto company"?

Personally I think Toyotas have been overpriced for some time now. Their styles are dull and for the price their base models lack features that should be fairly standard at this point (like ESC for example).

[Blandocyte]

50. Now the wait to get it fixed will begin.

This sucks.