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Comments
This factor is part of this too. Good article. I have couple others that indicate same.
Given the chance, I'd do it again!
Towns said his committee uncovered evidence that Toyota "entered into multi-million dollar settlements in tort cases" rather than disclose the existence of the confidential material to plaintiffs' lawyers.
Rep. Towns has sent a letter to Yoshimi Inaba, head of Toyota's North America operations, demanding a response to the documents. "People injured in crashes involving Toyota vehicles may have been injured a second time when Toyota failed to produce relevant evidence in court," Towns wrote in the letter. "Moreover, this also raises very serious questions as to whether Toyota has also withheld substantial, relevant information from NHTSA."
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/congress-blasts-toyota-withholding-key-evidence-se- cret-books/story?id=9957579&page=2
Oh no! Wonder where this will go??? Appears Former Toyota Attorney did have some detrimental information.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2611433620100226
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-26/toyota-deliberately-withheld-documen- ts-in-lawsuit-towns-says.html
http://money.cnn.com/2010/02/26/autos/congress_oversight_letter_biller/
This is not good. Just hitting the news now. I have a headache.
Toyota knew this stuff was going to come out, but I wonder how they will apologize out of this one! Damage Control budget probably just doubled. I am not surprised but was hoping it wasn't so! :mad:
Biller the attorney is probably in do do himself for taking company confidential documents off the premises (unless he had permission?)
You are quite well informed.....Not that it means much (YET) but there is another "whistleblower" out there. She alleged that she was ordered to cover up flaws and defects at the joint GM/Toyota plant (NUMMI) in Calif, by Toyota Supervisors!!!!
As Far as Biller's stuff goes, i think they said he had 6000 pages of data on this mess (I think mostly rollover data but who knows). can you imagine what must be in there!
Addition...just in:
"Toyota to provide additional services nationwide"
Just like in NY!
They are really in the Dumpster now!
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Toyota Motor Sales /quotes/comstock/13*!tm/quotes/nls/tm (TM 74.55, -0.28, -0.37%) said late Friday it will provide additional services nationwide to drivers affected by its recent recalls. The services include pick up and return of the vehicle by a dealership staff and providing alternate transportation during the time that the customer is unable to use his or her car. The services were initially offered only to drivers in New York but has since been expanded.
The only problem is that any software fix assumes that the computer is in a state where it is running the software as intended. If it is actually in a "stuck" state with the throttle set to full, and is ignoring all other inputs such as shifter position, gas pedal position and ignition shutoff button presses, it could easily not detect that the brake was depressed! As I said in another post, it could be very much like a laptop that is stuck not taking mouse or keyboard inputs, including CTL-ALT-DEL.
The fact is that the computer was in la-la land. The computer has exclusive control of throttle position, lights going on and off, starting and stopping the engine, and responding to shifter position inputs to actually shift the electronic transmission.
If the computer is in a bad state, ignoring everything the driver wants to do, and has the throttle set to full, any indicators you see or don't see (like the CC light) are meaningless. You are stuck in a deathtrap unless somehow the overheated brakes can somehow overpower the engine within several miles.
By the way, in the Prius, the computer even decides whether to apply the real brakes, or just use regenerative braking, or if in one of those bad states maybe ignore that too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg8QCHIavfY
So Toyota did expand free service. That is nice. they had indicated at hearing - when they were asked if they would - agreed to expand across US.
Smile - seems like some cleaning house - some other recalls w other manufacturers. - hope I got this correct.
I believe her name is Katy Cameron...a line worker at the plant
here is a link: But not too much is said YET!
http://www.ktvu.com/news/14649995/detail.html
regards
Jeff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX-N6nktjTU&feature=related
Lot's of misunderstanding about this with many thinking that the mat somehow gets on top of the pedal and holds it down.
Did he testify at hearings??? I was gone Wednesday am.
Seeing this video after I had already read story is shocking. The long distance, through all that brush - just doesn't seem simple floormat would be cause. Not sure what Toyota told them. I think I know have written news report. Will try to find. Or do you have one?
So sad.
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=132254&provider=top
As per:
Paul Fischbeck
Professor of Engineering & Public Policy
Carnegie Mellon University
The chance of being killed in a recalled Toyota is 2 in one million
The same risk as driving any car 200 miles
or getting 2 chest x-rays
or motorcycling 6 miles
or working as a police officer 2.5 days
or flying cross country one time
Mr. Fischbeck was a guest on CNBC today and made these statements.
I know that these statistics won't make the families of the dead feel any better, but we need to keep things in perspective. I know that I am not afraid to drive my Camry every day. Heck, I rode my motorcycle over 50 miles Saturday, so I guess I am living on the edge!!!
What do any of you feel??
I sure had hoped I would not see this.
While it may very well have been a short in the clockspring spiral cable that initiated the CC runaway event it would have almost had to have been a design flaw within the engine/transaxle control module's CC firmware that went wacko as a result.
My '01 F/awd not only requires that CC already be enabled, but it also requires a re-actuation of the set/accelerate function in order to re-engage CC after braking disables it. Holding it in the "on" position while/after applying the brakes would not re-engage CC.
From just statistical viewpoint you will be correct but figure may be off due to all the unknown complaints that may exist. Still even with them added would not be high. Think most people are driving their cars just as you are. Me too..
But statistics are not just numbers. Statistics involve humans - human lives. There were 34-35 deaths. A corporation saying well we will just sweep the 34-35 deaths away and disregard as both NHTSA and Toyota did try to do initially - there aren't that many. Accidents are higher - sweep them away as they are from longer high speed incidents too. Profits are more important than human life and human safety. That goes over like LEAD BALLOON. US citizens get quite angry at this type of approach. Get quite angry if told it is their fault. US always has and probably always will. If not addressed some crisis will come and all blows up. Same as what is happening.
How is it fair those other earlier deaths brought no public rage, but San Diego CHP officer and family's death in crash resulted in huge public outrage? The 911 Call.
Smile - so you live on the edge - huh!
Unlike some here I have not had any CC I thought was great. Though I have never had one go berserk on me either. My view is the NHTSA has been extremely lax with Toyota over the last 15 years at least.
Just checked report and only one mat in vehicle per CHP report. No carpet mat.
Also was a report from there at time - that same vehiclle had a complaint of UA/SUA incident from person who car loaned to before CHP officer. In the loaner records according to that report.
Oh, oh. .
My bad. Must have been another that I read about that had the rubber mats stacked on top of the carpet mats.
As I recall, the all-weather mat was too large and tended to bunch up under the gas pedal. That was what happened with the other driver. He reported this to the dealership. I think this one goes against the Lexus dealership.
I just could not see how DHTSA expected to find anything??? Legally I would have automatically considered Smith's car possible altered evidence??? Toyota was left to do what they wanted to vehicle with no witnesses. Think DHTSA needed a new one that had undeniable UA/SUA incident that Toyota had not gotten to yet. ?????? From a legal standpoint that would have been the only option approach feasible/viable.
Just checked LaHood resume. His background is not real strong. Not an attorney. But seems he is known by committee well. Guess time will tell if he is strong enough. Has only been there one year now.
And yes, the Sheriffs dept determined it was the wrong rubber mat installed in the ES350 that killed the cop and his family. El Cajon Lexus should be held totally responsible for that accident. They had recalls and notices from Toyota as far back as at least 2007. Even after the previous renter complained of the throttle getting stuck they DID NOTHING. Toss the owner in prison for gross negligence.
He is a politician from the get go. An Illinois school teacher turned politician in 1982. Been in Congress since 1985. Obama appointed him Secretary of Transportation last year. You probably know more about cars than he does. You don't learn much riding in the back seat of a limo.
Keeping up with cars today is a real hassle. I have rebuilt many engines. The last one in about 1973. A piece of crap Subaru that blew up with 3000 miles and a dealer that could care less. I would not jump into a modern engine for anything.
LaHood's mind was not viewing probabilities and legal aspects well it seems. I predict no findings of a problem. Or we have another politician protecting a corporation once again??? Hope not.
I also saw he liked "pork" and would always give to his backers. But that is pretty typical. Moderate Republican.
My knowledge about cars is almost zero. But since this has started - learning alot. My son has helped me undrstand alot more. Vested interest as I have a RAV4.
So you have rebuilt many engines. Seems like you know alot. Know I appreciate your posts and have learned from you. Thanks for putting up with this gal..
But what you are saying is what I was told here earlier too. System may possibly ignore brake override as well.
My question is where/what are they flashing this into??? Seems would make difference.
"The bad news is that this is very difficult, if not impossible, to fix," attorney Webster Burns wrote."
Seems Congressional website had some of these memos posted today but took them down this afternoon. Not before LA Times nabbed them though.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-biller27-2010feb27,0,4348450.story
Oh no once again.
I hope you know more about cars than you know about politics. FYI, I don't think there are any moderate republicans in the obama administration. And no, I'm not a republican.
First thing I thought, too. As far as the Smith's car is concerned, I'm left wondering if the new owner knows the car's history? I know I'd certainly not want to buy that car if I did.
Further, somewhere down the line, the Smith's car had to go into the shop (Lexus?). At the very least, the pads and the rotors had to be replaced. I'm sure the pads were shot and the rotors would have been very warped. Eye witness reports stated that smoke and flames were coming from the vehicle, presumably because the brakes overheated. Did Lexus install the brake over ride in it when and if they had it?
If not, then this car is still a ticking time bomb, waiting for the next UA to occur. I wouldn't want to be anywhere near where this particular Lexus is being driven, that's for certain.
Rollovers could very well be the result of UA. Most rollover accidents I know about were caused by people going too fast for the conditions.
The Biller documents, Towns said, raise a "very serious question as to whether Toyota has also withheld substantial relevant information" from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which regulates auto safety.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Transportation, which oversees NHTSA, declined to comment.
Although most of the Biller documents focus on rollover cases rather than unintended acceleration, they do speak to the company's handling of safety disclosures in general, and potentially lift a veil on what Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) referred to as a "culture of secrecy" at Toyota.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood acknowledged that federal regulators have "had some issues" getting information from the company.
Is LaHood trying to smooth over the issues concerning Toyota secrecy?
I agree that LaHood is not a moderate Republican. To get elected in Illinois for 12 terms you would have to be part of that Liberal regime.
How many people will pay to get the scoop on a used car being sold at the dealership? Those that like to point their fingers at the driver and give Toyota a clean bill of health will use cars like this one to make their case. It has 27k miles with no problems. I might point out again the Prius owner that had a horrible UA and kept the car another 100k miles. He could not pass the vehicle on to someone else with good conscience.
Would an incident that did not include an accident such as the Smith case even be noted on Carmax? Probably not. The car was hauled to the dealer. Repairs made and another person gets the car. We will probably never know exactly all Toyota did to that car. It is like the dealer told the Prius owner they found the problem with the CC. Then later said, no that tech did not know what he was talking about. My guess is the cloak of secrecy goes to the bottom dwellers in the ToyLex dealerships.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/y674m082j2662t67/?p=e0636b17646e4836aa99c46d- bb75b166&pi=1
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,