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Comments
perhaps a bad starter relay.
perhaps a bad neutral/park or clutch engaged switch.
i recommend you find another dealership to work on your vehicle.
Can anyone help
BigAl44
achunter@juno.com
The fault, they said, was completely theirs for overly "cost cutting" by not hiring sufficient product engineers during the past few years.
The car companies don't sell the first new model they build or even the 100th. Most build 200-300 many months before "Job 1" and drive them brutally to sort out the issues. Doesn't mean they catch every issue but it sure sorts out the obvious design and manufacturing defects.
The problem with a trying to judge quality based on an internet forum is that 1) people who have problems are more likely to complain and 2) trying to extrapolate the "data" leads to the erroneous conclusion that Toyota (or Ford or Honda or whoever) is building a lemon. You need to look at JD Powers or Consumer Reports to get a meaningful sample size.
Well, as I'm sure you know, there are plenty of folks who dispute both of those surveys for differing reasons.
But your point that judging quality based on an internet forum is risky at best and foolhardy at worst (my rewording) is spot on as I see it.
Thanks for your post. I have to say one of the things I hate to see around here is when people say, oh, there are all these problems, I'm not going to consider this car (whatever it is). As you say people who have problems are more likely to complain and taking those complaints as an across the board experience for any car is a big mistake.
IMHO, of course.
will it be the words of reviewers for a magazine or those from actual people on these or other internet forums who are dealing with the hastle of getting their dealer and the manufacturer to do the right thing?
and that's MHO
we have no independant and verifiable means to determine the number of units affected, nor do we have a means of objectively reporting severity.
anecdotal is what we have.
i just wish one car out there was instrumented with an OBD-II data capturing device so we could all visualize and kick *some* data around.
I was all set to get a new one when I read that the CEO of Toyota, in Japan, apologized to the people of Japan for having put out an inferior car due to the severe cost cutting that they did during the past decade of recession in Japan.
The problems are real and fly in the face of those reporting magazines that say Toyota is the car of the year.
It's simple stuff.
Thanks.
I'd like to read about it - again, if I already have!
http://www.caranddriver.com/dailyautoinsider/11551/quality-concerns-may-delay-ne- w-toyota-models.html
http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/jan2007/bw20070111_217870.htm?chan=glo- balbiz_asia_companies
It was on CNBC (the business channel) that I heard it...and, believe me, I heard it correctly. It was reported that the CEO apologized to the Japanese people (not Americans) for producing an inferior car over the past few years. They said it was due almost entirely to the fact that they did not have sufficient design engineers on staff and because of that various parts were incorrectly designed and broke down. (Remember that Japanese companies did a lot of cost cutting as Japan underwent a ten year recession from which they are just recently starting to come out of)
Recognizing the lack of sufficient design engineers they said that they would begin to hire an additional >3,000 (that's three thousand) engineers.
As I previously mentioned I have a '95 Camry and I have not had one single problem even though I'm not too religious with oil changes. I was going to treat myself to a new one...but after the report on TV I decided to hold off...and looked at Honda (I didn't like the style) and Hyundai Azera and Sonata.
I've now decided to wait for the '08s.
Will try to find something in the archives of Japanese papers...or better yet, I'll e-mail Toyota investor relations and see what they say as they have to know about it.
The Daily Auto Insider
Monday, August 28, 2006
August 2006
Toyota, which has been hit with a number of recent recalls, may delay introductions of some new models by as much as six months, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing "people familiar with the matter."
Toyota's growth and fast-paced expansion are seen as contributing to an increasing number of quality problems in North America, Japan and elsewhere — 2.38 million Toyota vehicles were recalled last year, and 628,000 so far in 2006 — which threaten its quality image, the story said.
Consequently, the company is considering adding as much as three to six more months to projects in order to assure that quality problems don't arise, senior executives and engineers told the WSJ.
Among the high-volume models that could be affected are the next Sienna minivan, Solara sports coupe and Avalon sedan.
Although most of Toyota's recalls have involved relatively minor issues and nearly all have been voluntary actions by the company, they've still been highly embarrassing for its management, the story said.
"I take this seriously and see it as a crisis," Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe said at a news conference last month. "I want to apologize deeply for the troubles we have caused."
Even Toyota Isn't Perfect
A raft of recalls lately has the automaker scrambling to safeguard its reputation for quality
by Ian Rowley
Toyota (TM) was built on details. After decades of study and refinement, the company has developed thousands of pages of guidelines that lay out exactly what needs to be done at every step of the automaking process. That attention to the nitty-gritty has helped create an industrial machine that's unparalleled in building problem-free cars and trucks.
But growing numbers of flaws have started to tarnish Toyota Motor Corp.'s reputation for quality. Since 2004 the automaker has had to recall 9.3 million vehicles in the U.S. and Japan—its two biggest markets—up from 2.5 million in the previous three years. The problems got so bad that, in July, Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanabe felt obliged to bow deeply in apology.
Given Toyota's obsession with details, it's no surprise that it would ask someone who knows how to focus on the small stuff to fix the problem. In June, Toyota ordered former Europe chief Shinichi Sasaki back to Japan to help get a grip on the issue. The 36-year Toyota veteran has spent three decades working to ensure glitch-free production. Although Toyota has long had a quality chief, Sasaki is the first person to do the job full-time. "My responsibility is to tell all Toyota employees the quality aspect of their jobs," says Sasaki.
Toyota chieftains say the company is making progress. In December, Executive Vice-President Masatami Takimoto said that when it comes to recalls, "the worst is now over." And Watanabe, while again apologizing for recent faults in vehicles, said Toyota is "right on track in ensuring good quality."
Sasaki's task is made more difficult by Toyota's rapid growth. In recent years, the company has opened at least two overseas plants annually, and this year it's poised to overtake General Motors Corp. (GM) as the world's No. 1 carmaker. Today, Toyota makes nearly as many vehicles outside Japan as it does at home, meaning its cadre of Japanese engineers is no longer big enough to train all the new workers at foreign plants. To make up for the deficit, Toyota last year opened new "Global Production Centers" in Kentucky, England, and Thailand. These facilities, modeled after one established in Japan three years ago, teach trainees the Toyota way in tasks such as welding and painting.
Garage Reports
Another new initiative: better record-keeping. In years past, Toyota maintained repair data only on vehicles under warranty, which meant it missed glitches that popped up later on. Now, Toyota shops in Japan provide a full report on repairs to cars of any age. The quality chief is also asking suppliers to share information and use common parts. Denso (DNZOY), Aishin Seiki, and others have just started using one design for voltage stabilizers for electronics in Toyota's cars.
More important is designing quality into cars in the first place. To give designers extra time to get things right, Toyota has tapped the brakes on the introduction of new models. For instance, the new generation of Corollas, already on sale in Japan, has been held back for a year in the U.S. to ensure that American workers have the time to learn how to build the model without glitches.
There's clearly room for improvement. In July, the company recalled 157,000 Tundra pickups because the trucks lacked front-seat anchors for child safety seats—a feature required in any vehicle that has a switch to turn off air bags. (When deployed, air bags can kill children riding in the front seat.) Toyota, it seems, simply forgot about the anchors when designing the trucks. It's the kind of oversight Sasaki vows to spot long before any recall notices need to be sent out. "Every decision at every stage," he says, "must be done properly."
So far going ok with 8k miles on it.. Any suggestion for maintaince, Did do oil change and tire rotation at 5k...
Thanks,
It's a touch decision.
Toyota Motor Co.’s campaign to strengthen vehicle quality and reduce recalls could delay some models, Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe said Friday. But the world’s No. 2 auto maker has not made a broad decision to delay models across the board, Watanabe said, with the development of individual vehicles to be decided case-by-case.The Japanese automaker is tightening its quality control methods in a campaign to reduce a spate of recalls that could erode the company’s reputation for reliable vehicles.
“We try to affirm each process,” Watanabe said at a demonstration of safety features west of Tokyo. “And in that process, some may be delayed, and some may be on time.”
The Wall Street Journal reported late Thursday that Toyota was considering slowing the development of some new models by as much as six months because of the quality problems.
Watanabe, however, said the company’s emphasis was on making sure quality-control procedures were properly followed, rather than on how much time the process took. He denied the recalls occurred because Toyota rushed the development of some models.
The company is reviewing design, procurement, and other stages of car manufacturing, while more closely examining buyer complaints to reduce recalls and production defects, he said.
“I feel we are making progress,” Watanabe told reporters. He also said he did not know of any specific models that could be delayed by the changes.
Toyota has faced an increasing number of recalls partially due to its efforts to cut costs by using the same parts across different models.
In addition, Japanese authorities have launched a criminal investigation into three Toyota officials suspected of failing to do anything about a faulty steering part, which may have caused a 2004 head-on accident that injured five people.
However, I am not sure if some people are over exaggerating. If someone has a 3-second delay, which someone said, then there is a problem.
There is acceleration delay with most new cars. I think it is normal, being a younger driver.
I drive different Saabs and BMWs quite often and there is a delay with them too, especially when you romp on the gas.
But growing numbers of flaws have started to tarnish Toyota Motor Corp.'s reputation for quality. Since 2004 the automaker has had to recall 9.3 million vehicles in the U.S. and Japan—its two biggest markets—up from 2.5 million in the previous three years. The problems got so bad that, in July, Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanabe felt obliged to bow deeply in apology.>
Must be a lot of 4Runners out there. :surprise:
As embarrassing as it is to recall a bunch of vehicles, it's even more embarrassing to have your problems, perceived or actual, discussed in the media.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Sometimes Toyota offers 2.9% but the Camry is new so . . . .
Have an LE on order for $1K under MSRP. Built in KY 1/29.
Others have reported this same problem. The way you describe it is exactly the way I experience the noise in my 07 Camry SE. (fun tapping/rattling on the passenger side of the dash).
It went away for good when a doe T-boned me and dented the front 1/4 panel and ripped off my O/S mirror. What the heck did she want with my mirror?
Anyway since I was hit the rattle has gone. I may not fix the outside...
Really appreciate y'r opinion.
I am debating between the Camry V6 and the Accord V6. One thing about the Camry is the transmission flare that I read in the forum. But I remember there is an older post citing the words directly from Toyota saying only earlier products have the problem (0.5% are affected) and they will tighten the quality control. Does this mean newly manufactured Camry has no such a transmission problem? I heard the problem arises after 3k-5k miles so it might be hard to tell at this moment. Any inputs are appreciated!
4-cylinder -- no problem, but if you want the V6, I'd go with the Accord. However, the redesigned Accord comes out this fall, so an '07 will look dated soon.
But the dealers are willing to cut the prices and the longer you wait, the bigger of a bargain will it become.
do they still got the transmission issues??
rattles and squeaks??
and when do the 2008's come out???
b/c i wanna get one within 1 week or 2.......
It explains this in the owner's manual for key start, and I am not sure how to do it for key start.
Let us know if you still can't get it to work.
also a problem due to a stupid cabin design: after wiping the windshield with washer fluid, you can't open the side window. otherwise, the remaining fluid on the roof drops into the car right on the window control buttons. same applies to a rainy time and soon after.
i couldn't stand this pain anymore and sold it at a loss of thousands for a subaru outback. a very happy convert, i ain't gonna buy another toyota.
I think you may be talking about the tire rotation maybe being 1,000 miles or so too early, but hey, I'd prefer to get it all done at once.
Actually it's a Very Smart System that takes into consideration your driving habits/conditions and calculates a safe oil change interval based on those factors or at least that's the way it works on other cars where the similar systems routinely suggest 8K mi intervals or even longer!
Changing oil every 3000 miles is totally unnecessary and wastefull!!! :mad: