YTD sales for Toyota USA Down, GM, Ford, Chrysler, BMW & VW up and away.
You can only fool the people so long before they, say enough already. Looks like buyers are wary of Honda as well. BMW passed Lexus. That has to hurt.
TORRANCE, Calif. (August 3, 2010) – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported July sales of 169,224 units, a decrease of 6.8 percent from the same period last year, on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. On a raw volume basis, unadjusted for 27 selling days in July 2010, compared to 26 selling days in July 2009, TMS sales were down 3.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
I wouldn't call Ford's +3% "up and away", they actually lost a little market share since the market was +5%. Chrysler was flat at +5%, GM gained a tiny amount at +6%.
Hyundai stole the month in terms of volume gains, up 20%. Nissan up 15%, VW up 17%, Subaru and BMW up 10%. Porsche up a whopping 75%, Mitsu up 17%, Jag/LR up 46%, and Maserati up 59%.
FWIW all brands with double digit gains were import brands. Seems like any and all sales Toyota loses goes to other imports (Hyundai & Nissan I bet).
Poor old Suzuki is getting screwed, down a whopping 44%. Ouch.
Toyota Division passenger cars recorded sales of 91,066 units, a decrease of 14.6 percent from last July when Toyota passenger car sales under the Cash for Clunkers program were at their peak.
So it's not a drop off from a NORMAL July.
It's a drop off from an ABNORMALLY HIGH, FALSELY INFLATED July.
No one is saying "I'm done being fooled, enough already."
Well, maybe a couple of people are, but not in droves.
Unfortuantely with very little advertising (I haven't seen a Zuk ad in a year, easily) and a limited dealer network, no matter how good a new product is for them nobody really knows the Suzuki name other than a (very good) sport bike builder.
Heck, park a new Kizashi on the street, tape over the emblems and poll the onlookers as they go by what they think it is and I garauntee a good portion of them think it's a VW Jetta.
Sadly, Suzuki cars are anonymous and the brand name is lost. I predict they will be the next japanese casualty here in the states... :sick:
FWIW, I believe Suzuki cars sell huge in other parts of the world.
>predict they will be the next japanese casualty here in the states...
Two dealers here just closed in the extended metro area. One is a GMC Buick dealer with a separate store on their lot for Suzuki. They had a fire sale last Friday and Saturday. The other dealer was a standalone Suzuki.
There's a Suzuki dealer on Roosevelt Blvd. and Red Lion Road in NE Philly but it seems most of his inventory is used cars. I've actually seen a Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit on this lot. Wonder if the former owner traded it for a Kizashi?
I think the Swift is well-received elsewhere, and even the funny little SX4 family sells elsewhere too. Just too odd and unmarketed in these parts...not household names like Gixxers and Busas.
That would probably be a step up in reliability. Best thing to do with a Rolls is park it in your driveway for snob appeal. Not in Philly though or it will be vandalized. :shades:
They dropped the Forenza and Reno, but those were priced much lower and did more volume. At least the Kizashi sells at higher prices, but they're not doing a sustainable level of sales.
I guess Forenza and Reno were really GM-DAT cars, i.e. made in the old Daewoo plant which GM purchased. So they were never really Suzukis (or even Japanese) to begin with.
So I got my pre-recall letter in the mail while I was on vacation, and took it in last Friday.
This was for the possible corrosion on the spare tire cables. The plan it to inspect, remove if corroded, and then recall again later to repair or replace.
Seems like overkill to have to bring it in twice, but they are being REALLY cautious about this one.
Mine was fine, no corrosion, but they told me it would be recalled again later for them to replace it.
I wonder if this is overkill and a waste of time and money, or part of a PR campaign to show customers they are now taking every step possible.
The suspense-filled wait for Toyota Motor Corp’s first quarter profits is finally over. Some expected (hoped?) that ToMoCo would pay dearly for the recalls. Others consulted their crystal ball that said that Toyota might have netted more than a billion US in the first quarter. They were all wrong. Way off the mark. Not even on the same planet.
the reasons for all that profit are “recovering sales at home and abroad,” along with “the company’s efforts to slash costs,” and last but not least “a operating profit of 211.6 billion yen” ($2.47b). Where does all that money really come from?
Cheaper cars yield higher profits. That is what many have said is the problem with Toyota. They have gone CHEAP on interior materials. The American buyer has proven time and again they are SUCKERS for a cheap price regardless of what they are getting.
Also note the biggest source of profit is in the financial. They make a fortune off those Leases that people get sucked into.
I'm with you on that one, Gary. Cost cutting is evident on the 2011 Sienna.
Consumer Reports just reviewed it in the new issue. Mine came yesterday. Overall score was 80 points, while the prior model earned 93 points. That was no fluke either, because they tested the prior model twice (with the 3MZ and the 2GR engines).
What's funny to me is that prices are up. They did add features (two examples are 3-zone climate control and a backup cam standard on LEs), but the padded dash is gone and the glove box feels particularly cheap. The 8th seat, i.e. 2nd row middle chair, is now a lame bridge rather than a full seat like mine has. And the 3rd row doesn't offer rear-facing tailgate seating. And the 2nd rows don't tumble. And IIRC the front passenger seat doesn't fold.
It's selling well - outsold the Ody in June IIRC. So consumers will pay higher prices for highly visible features (backup cam), but they're not really looking very closely at the quality of materials.
I'll agree as well, although I've never found Toyota's interior materials anything spectacular myself. Lexus is a different story but Toyota products from the Yaris to the Camry, from the RAV4 to the HL seem more function over form. Although I think the Avalon stands out from the rest, it's interior is pretty nice IMO.
They do get the ergonomics right though, everything is is in good reach and placement.
Funny you should bring that up. It's a terrible name! Looks like a nice enough car but I'mnot going around saying "I drive a Kizashi."
This is about the second worst car name ever. The first was when Daihatsu was trying to make it into the US and you could have said "I just sold my Honda and bought a Charade!".
Regarding the Minnesota driver looking for a new trial claiming his '96 Camry had sudden unintended acceleration, he was set free within the past hour with assurances a new trial will not be necessary. He has been reunited with his family.
This is a new report with details that will be filled in as the hours go by.
That is great news for that poor fellow. Will Toyota settle with him? Four years of his life gone, and three people killed. It just keeps adding up. If Toyota made an effort to notify all owners of those years of Camry that the CC was defective, they could escape the impending lawsuits. If it was covered up until the hearings, I would expect some very large awards by the courts.
It will be on all the major news tonight. Not what toyota wants to see.
Following a four-day hearing, Judge Joanne Smith had ruled Thursday afternoon there was enough evidence to grant a new trial to Lee, who had been serving an eight-year sentence. She ordered him freed pending trial.
The Ramsey County prosecutor's office then announced less than an hour later that it would not be refiling charges against Lee.
> Ramsey County prosecutor's office then announced less than an hour later that it would not be refiling charges against Lee.
Gee, didn't the prosecutor know that there's no real unintended acceleration? It's just floor mat problems and those pesky, sticking accelerator pedals? toyota has never had any other flaws. Why didn't they say they were going to throw the book at him again. The nerve, using a car's flaws as an excuse for an accident? :P
What I don't understand is why NHTSA hasn't required TMC to include 1996 and other model years in the recall. No, not to fix sticking accelerator pedals or floormats, but to install the break override of the accelerator feature as is being done for vehicles in the current recall campaign.
Good grief; just look at all the complaints on the NHTSA ODI database for 1996 Camrys alone. Millions of drivers are still at risk. Not just Toyota drivers, but others who get hit by out-of-control Toyotas.
isn't admitting that toyota's cars need a brake override system also admitting that their own rigs have a SUA problem? That it's not always those pesky floor mats or mis-shaped accelerator pedals?
That it is indeed screwy software inside toyota's ECU's? Do you think that perhaps toyota doesn't want any car enthusiast's to find this out because they think about and talk about cars all the time and they might bad-mouth poor toyota?
They're already thinking of how they will buy off their next witness...I...mean opponent...I mean realist. No, I mean actualist.
toyota's doomed. Out-of-control ECU software that develops a mind of it's own whenever it feels like it on the expressway. Or...even at a stoplight. While you're pressing down hard on that brake pedal. Have fun with ya toyota's.
Naaah. A throttle cable that sticks and holds the throttle open. Could never happen on a toyota-lexus-scion. They are the perfect cars. I've learned that from decades of listening to owners tell how great they are while they were itemizing the things that went wrong with their US made brand cars.
A sticking throttle cable? Defective? Bad manufacturing? Brake light bulbs were working? Why didn't this come out during the original trial? That meant the brakes were on. I note toyota has told us how they can tell in the new cases of SUA that in my opinion are computer-electronic control caused that they can tell the brakes were never depressed? I wonder if they check the brake light bulbs for the signs of impact damage that tell the brakes were depressed? Or does toyota just use their interpretation of their proprietary EDR readers?
This means lots of cars need to be recalled to check for the physical accelerator cable defects. This is another safety recall.
Yes, Toyota SUA occurs even when stopped at a stoplight with foot on brake pedal. See Edmunds Car Space forum on Toyota 4Runner. Someone's 2008 bolted on them at a stoplight. They traded it for a non-Toyota vehicle.
I also own a 2008 4Runner, but rather than sell it I'm going to look into what it would take to get the brake override feature added.
Yes, I have long held on this forum that Toyota's EDRs are the major reason why we can't get any solid answers from the company. NHTSA might need legislation from Congress to require that EDRs be uniform in what they record and how the information is retrieved across all manufacturers.
Not sure about anyone else, but If this isn't already in the works I'm writing my congressperson.
This means lots of cars need to be recalled to check for the physical accelerator cable defects. This is another safety recall.
In fairness to toyota. This accident happened in a 10 year old vehicle. Lee bought it used as he was a new driver. Was this a common failure with the 1996 Camry? If so toyota should address it. If it was just normal wear and tear, I don't think they will be able to pin liability onto toyota. I have not had a throttle cable stick since owning a 1967 VW Bug. That was common with that long cable running the length of the vehicle. I would still like to know if that 96 Camry had the defective CC module? I think the State of MN will end up paying on this one.
Make: TOYOTA Model: CAMRY Model Year: 1996 Manufacturer: ROSTRA PRECISION CONTROLS Mfr's Report Date: DEC 29, 1995 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 96E001000 NHTSA Action Number: N/A Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Potential Number of Units Affected: 5145 Summary: THESE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEMS FAIL TO HOLD THE SPEED SET BY THE DRIVER AND CAN ACCELERATE ABOVE THE INTENDED SET SPEED. Consequence: UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAN INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE CRUISE CONTROL ASSEMBLIES. Notes: SYSTEM: FUEL; THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: AFTERMARKET CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM INSTALLED ON CERTAIN TOYOTA PASSENGER VEHICLES AND LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS SOLD IN TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS SERVICED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AND GULF STATES TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS. THE DEALERS WOULD BE LOCATED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: FLORIDA, ALABAMA, GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA, AND SOUTH CAROLINA FOR SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AND TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, MISSISSIPPI, LOUISIANA, AND ARKANSAS FOR GULF STATES TOYOTA. NOTE: OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER IN THESE AFFECTED STATES, ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT ROSTRA AT 1-910-276-4853 OR TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-800-424-9393.
In his report, Dusek wrote, "The accelerator-to-engine throttle cable and pulley system does not move freely, stays stuck, and does not return to idle position. ... This could have held the throttle open after the accelerator pedal was released for a braking maneuver."
AFTERMARKET CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM INSTALLED ON CERTAIN TOYOTA PASSENGER VEHICLES AND LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS SOLD IN TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS SERVICED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AND GULF STATES TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS
Aftermarket meaning not OEM, not from Toyota.
Seems like the dealers in that region installed cruise from someone else.
Towards the end they even say that if you have trouble getting this resolved within a reasonable amount of time you can call Toyota (!) to put pressure on the dealer to perform the fix.
Sorry but anyone pinning this on Toyota is off by 180 degrees. :lemon:
gagrice - yes, new evidence is coming out, but wonder how this bad news for Toyota will be handled by the present other existing combined law suits in California courts.
I too saw the Minnesota case. I feel very sorry for that man who was found guilty and imprisoned, but has now been released and DA will not pursue new trial. Seems his new attorney got new good expert to examine his auto. This expert found problems with throttle body cable. Found he was braking. Expert they got must have had independent excellent credentials and excellent/convincing findings. Strong enough evidence to make DA not even consider a new trial. Since this gentlemen now free, and will not face new trial because of this new report, I personally find case dismissal/ erasing conviction from that man's records quite interesting. Too bad we could not see his report to review the exact findings. Seems this auto was saved, and not repaired or touched by Toyota since original case.
Here is another new report that Los Angeles Times reported today about those new existing court combined lawsuits trial progress here in California. The court evidence attachments reveal Toyota internal documents that confirm corporate knowledge of at least six known/identified documented SUA incidents, Toyota internal emails discussions about these dangers for Toyota submitted as court evidence.
There were at least six known documented cases. All court evidence pesented attachments were kept confidential it appears due to law involving customer confidentiality.
So what we all need to keep in mind when we evaluate US laws and how these laws can affect the public. (1)Courts do allow sealing of court case documents from public even when public could be in danger. This is way law works. (2)Court money confidential settlements agreements/payments between Toyota and the winning party to even get awarded money from Toyota do indeed exist. Exists for many court won payment settlements for any corporation. People don't get money if they don't sign confidential agreements. Keep in mind - Courts can give court money award, but courts do not have any obligation to collect the money award. Collection of money award is up to winning party to collect. Most of public are not aware how difficult it is to actually collect the money awarded by court. Corporations know the winning party would be subjected more expenses, involves more winning party attorney expenses, increased expenses for more court filings/appearances in court, more expenses to sieze banks accounts for colleting money payment, etc. Corporations are very good at dragging cases out, hoping the winning persons money runs out, hoping the winning party dies, delaying payments in courts for years, or just not paying at all. Corporations have more money and their reputation is very important to them. Special legal court procedures for collection do exist and a person loses all if not followed. NOTE - PER CENTAGE WHERE WINNING PARTY ACTUALLY GETS PAID ARE BELOW 50%. AND ACTUAL MONEY COLLECTED IS USUALLY BELOW AMOUNT OF COURT ORDER. IT'S CALLED AGREED TO NEGOTIATIONS SETTLEMNT. (3)NHTSA present law allows corporate business confidential information to be withheld as coration requests. NHTSA attorney has interpreted law legally to allow corporations to keep private some business information, not release to public - that could damage the corporation reputation and business. I had spoken of this law here before and posted this link on NHTSA website in the past. Auto manufacturers and NHTSA are legally very good at keeping alot of information private. Meetings between NHTSA and auto amanufacturers agreements and facts are not available online. DHTSA will not release these public meeting documents which do fall under right to public information act. Special legal loopholes exist in present laws that do not support the public at large as strong as we might prefer. (4)We do have to wait to see how good these present attorneys for the ongoing combined cases California are at getting substantial legal documented proof for each case. These attorneys have to be quite good, as Toyota has excellent attorneys. Some cases appear weak, some cases appear to be quite strong and justified. And then it does appear Exponent will help defend Toyota. Their engineer reports will always be highly questionable, as I am fully aware of their known history for bogus reports. They just give/produce great lengthy reports, but are usually totally bogus. I have too much detrimental info on them not to highly question their findings. (5)Must keep in mind news/auto vender reports may have some reported information wrong/or presented biased reports. We must validate each report as time goes along. And must attempt to be objective. Sadly I have found many detrimental reports about Toyota have been proven to be true in documents submitted to Oversight Committee and by their independent experts. (6)And US lawmakers can be bought as we all know. We must also keep in mind how the new court finding/verdict that establishes abolishment restrictions on corporate campaign donations/political advertising. And the resulting effect how foreign countries can now influence/affect/enter investments in our elections as well. Lawmakers just recently refused to pass new law for forcing public disclosure of donation/advertising to public. So it seems all will be secret. Doesn't make any difference what political affiliation we declare. Result of this new law will be/may be same. We need to evaluate who is making statments and what the evidence is, and accordingly evaluate the best we can. We know auto manufaturers lobbyists have strong presence/clout in Washington. And this can be good and bad. As this Toyota investigation has unfolded lawmakers have been identified that have Toyota money/political connections/political interests, and how they may/have defend/ed Toyota when evidence documents do not support their positions.
Sorry, legally Toyota will still be drawn into what these dealerships are doing. Toyota would only get off if they can factually prove with supporting documents they do not allow these dealerships to install these cruise controls. These dealerships are Toyota dealerships, and they are the selling these affected vehicles off their lots. Each dealership should have agreements/contracts with Toyota. Toyota many times does contract with outside contractors for parts in certain different sections of country many times.
1. Genius inventor. 2. The only person willing to admit fault in a UA case.
Yasuto Ohama, a security company executive whose Toyota Harrier has one of the pedals, said he switched after his foot hit the gas instead of the brakes and he almost struck a bicyclist.
Comments
You can only fool the people so long before they, say enough already. Looks like buyers are wary of Honda as well. BMW passed Lexus. That has to hurt.
TORRANCE, Calif. (August 3, 2010) – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported July sales of 169,224 units, a decrease of 6.8 percent from the same period last year, on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. On a raw volume basis, unadjusted for 27 selling days in July 2010, compared to 26 selling days in July 2009, TMS sales were down 3.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/toyota-reports-july-sales-165781.aspx
Hyundai stole the month in terms of volume gains, up 20%. Nissan up 15%, VW up 17%, Subaru and BMW up 10%. Porsche up a whopping 75%, Mitsu up 17%, Jag/LR up 46%, and Maserati up 59%.
FWIW all brands with double digit gains were import brands. Seems like any and all sales Toyota loses goes to other imports (Hyundai & Nissan I bet).
Poor old Suzuki is getting screwed, down a whopping 44%. Ouch.
Toyota Division passenger cars recorded sales of 91,066 units, a decrease of 14.6 percent from last July when Toyota passenger car sales under the Cash for Clunkers program were at their peak.
So it's not a drop off from a NORMAL July.
It's a drop off from an ABNORMALLY HIGH, FALSELY INFLATED July.
No one is saying "I'm done being fooled, enough already."
Well, maybe a couple of people are, but not in droves.
Heck, park a new Kizashi on the street, tape over the emblems and poll the onlookers as they go by what they think it is and I garauntee a good portion of them think it's a VW Jetta.
Sadly, Suzuki cars are anonymous and the brand name is lost. I predict they will be the next japanese casualty here in the states... :sick:
FWIW, I believe Suzuki cars sell huge in other parts of the world.
Two dealers here just closed in the extended metro area. One is a GMC Buick dealer with a separate store on their lot for Suzuki. They had a fire sale last Friday and Saturday. The other dealer was a standalone Suzuki.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I guess Forenza and Reno were really GM-DAT cars, i.e. made in the old Daewoo plant which GM purchased. So they were never really Suzukis (or even Japanese) to begin with.
This was for the possible corrosion on the spare tire cables. The plan it to inspect, remove if corroded, and then recall again later to repair or replace.
Seems like overkill to have to bring it in twice, but they are being REALLY cautious about this one.
Mine was fine, no corrosion, but they told me it would be recalled again later for them to replace it.
I wonder if this is overkill and a waste of time and money, or part of a PR campaign to show customers they are now taking every step possible.
The Daewoo Suzukis couldn't have helped anything...shame small cars don't sell on this continent, the current Swift looks kind of cool.
The suspense-filled wait for Toyota Motor Corp’s first quarter profits is finally over. Some expected (hoped?) that ToMoCo would pay dearly for the recalls. Others consulted their crystal ball that said that Toyota might have netted more than a billion US in the first quarter. They were all wrong. Way off the mark. Not even on the same planet.
Source: Truthaboutcars.com
Cheaper cars yield higher profits. That is what many have said is the problem with Toyota. They have gone CHEAP on interior materials. The American buyer has proven time and again they are SUCKERS for a cheap price regardless of what they are getting.
Also note the biggest source of profit is in the financial. They make a fortune off those Leases that people get sucked into.
Consumer Reports just reviewed it in the new issue. Mine came yesterday. Overall score was 80 points, while the prior model earned 93 points. That was no fluke either, because they tested the prior model twice (with the 3MZ and the 2GR engines).
What's funny to me is that prices are up. They did add features (two examples are 3-zone climate control and a backup cam standard on LEs), but the padded dash is gone and the glove box feels particularly cheap. The 8th seat, i.e. 2nd row middle chair, is now a lame bridge rather than a full seat like mine has. And the 3rd row doesn't offer rear-facing tailgate seating. And the 2nd rows don't tumble. And IIRC the front passenger seat doesn't fold.
It's selling well - outsold the Ody in June IIRC. So consumers will pay higher prices for highly visible features (backup cam), but they're not really looking very closely at the quality of materials.
They do get the ergonomics right though, everything is is in good reach and placement.
This is about the second worst car name ever. The first was when Daihatsu was trying to make it into the US and you could have said "I just sold my Honda and bought a Charade!".
Mitsu up 17%
Did you see that? Whoo-hoo!
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Mitsu up 17%
Did you see that? Whoo-hoo!
24 more months of that kind of progress and they might actually have some decent market share. :P
This is a new report with details that will be filled in as the hours go by.
Edit: http://m.startribune.com/articles/199903411
Following a four-day hearing, Judge Joanne Smith had ruled Thursday afternoon there was enough evidence to grant a new trial to Lee, who had been serving an eight-year sentence. She ordered him freed pending trial.
The Ramsey County prosecutor's office then announced less than an hour later that it would not be refiling charges against Lee.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/koua-fong-lee-driver-rejects-plea-deal-spring/stor- y?id=11333090
Gee, didn't the prosecutor know that there's no real unintended acceleration? It's just floor mat problems and those pesky, sticking accelerator pedals? toyota has never had any other flaws. Why didn't they say they were going to throw the book at him again. The nerve, using a car's flaws as an excuse for an accident?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The defect
Good grief; just look at all the complaints on the NHTSA ODI database for 1996 Camrys alone. Millions of drivers are still at risk. Not just Toyota drivers, but others who get hit by out-of-control Toyotas.
That it is indeed screwy software inside toyota's ECU's? Do you think that perhaps toyota doesn't want any car enthusiast's to find this out because they think about and talk about cars all the time and they might bad-mouth poor toyota?
They're already thinking of how they will buy off their next witness...I...mean opponent...I mean realist. No, I mean actualist.
toyota's doomed. Out-of-control ECU software that develops a mind of it's own whenever it feels like it on the expressway. Or...even at a stoplight. While you're pressing down hard on that brake pedal. Have fun with ya toyota's.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Naaah. A throttle cable that sticks and holds the throttle open. Could never happen on a toyota-lexus-scion. They are the perfect cars. I've learned that from decades of listening to owners tell how great they are while they were itemizing the things that went wrong with their US made brand cars.
A sticking throttle cable? Defective? Bad manufacturing? Brake light bulbs were working? Why didn't this come out during the original trial? That meant the brakes were on. I note toyota has told us how they can tell in the new cases of SUA that in my opinion are computer-electronic control caused that they can tell the brakes were never depressed? I wonder if they check the brake light bulbs for the signs of impact damage that tell the brakes were depressed? Or does toyota just use their interpretation of their proprietary EDR readers?
This means lots of cars need to be recalled to check for the physical accelerator cable defects. This is another safety recall.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I also own a 2008 4Runner, but rather than sell it I'm going to look into what it would take to get the brake override feature added.
Not sure about anyone else, but If this isn't already in the works I'm writing my congressperson.
In fairness to toyota. This accident happened in a 10 year old vehicle. Lee bought it used as he was a new driver. Was this a common failure with the 1996 Camry? If so toyota should address it. If it was just normal wear and tear, I don't think they will be able to pin liability onto toyota. I have not had a throttle cable stick since owning a 1967 VW Bug. That was common with that long cable running the length of the vehicle. I would still like to know if that 96 Camry had the defective CC module? I think the State of MN will end up paying on this one.
Model Year: 1996
Manufacturer: ROSTRA PRECISION CONTROLS Mfr's Report Date: DEC 29, 1995
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 96E001000 NHTSA Action Number: N/A
Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Potential Number of Units Affected: 5145
Summary:
THESE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEMS FAIL TO HOLD THE SPEED SET BY THE DRIVER AND CAN ACCELERATE ABOVE THE INTENDED SET SPEED.
Consequence:
UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CAN INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE CRUISE CONTROL ASSEMBLIES.
Notes:
SYSTEM: FUEL; THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: AFTERMARKET CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM INSTALLED ON CERTAIN TOYOTA PASSENGER VEHICLES AND LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS SOLD IN TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS SERVICED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AND GULF STATES TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS. THE DEALERS WOULD BE LOCATED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: FLORIDA, ALABAMA, GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA, AND SOUTH CAROLINA FOR SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AND TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, MISSISSIPPI, LOUISIANA, AND ARKANSAS FOR GULF STATES TOYOTA. NOTE: OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER IN THESE AFFECTED STATES, ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT ROSTRA AT 1-910-276-4853 OR TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-800-424-9393.
In his report, Dusek wrote, "The accelerator-to-engine throttle cable and pulley system does not move freely, stays stuck, and does not return to idle position. ... This could have held the throttle open after the accelerator pedal was released for a braking maneuver."
So not an electronics issue.
NASA will get back to us on that.
AFTERMARKET CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM INSTALLED ON CERTAIN TOYOTA PASSENGER VEHICLES AND LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS SOLD IN TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS SERVICED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AND GULF STATES TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS
Aftermarket meaning not OEM, not from Toyota.
Seems like the dealers in that region installed cruise from someone else.
Towards the end they even say that if you have trouble getting this resolved within a reasonable amount of time you can call Toyota (!) to put pressure on the dealer to perform the fix.
Sorry but anyone pinning this on Toyota is off by 180 degrees. :lemon:
You may want to check this out. And it would be a better security device than the Club:
Gas-and-Brake Pedal Gets New Look After Recalls (NY Times)
Combine that with a manual transmission and few people would be able to steal your car. :shades:
I too saw the Minnesota case. I feel very sorry for that man who was found guilty and imprisoned, but has now been released and DA will not pursue new trial. Seems his new attorney got new good expert to examine his auto. This expert found problems with throttle body cable. Found he was braking. Expert they got must have had independent excellent credentials and excellent/convincing findings. Strong enough evidence to make DA not even consider a new trial. Since this gentlemen now free, and will not face new trial because of this new report, I personally find case dismissal/ erasing conviction from that man's records quite interesting. Too bad we could not see his report to review the exact findings. Seems this auto was saved, and not repaired or touched by Toyota since original case.
Here is another new report that Los Angeles Times reported today about those new existing court combined lawsuits trial progress here in California. The court evidence attachments reveal Toyota internal documents that confirm corporate knowledge of at least six known/identified documented SUA incidents, Toyota internal emails discussions about these dangers for Toyota submitted as court evidence.
There were at least six known documented cases. All court evidence pesented attachments were kept confidential it appears due to law involving customer confidentiality.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-0803--toyota-lawsuit-20100803,0,4389761.st- ory
So what we all need to keep in mind when we evaluate US laws and how these laws can affect the public.
(1)Courts do allow sealing of court case documents from public even when public could be in danger. This is way law works.
(2)Court money confidential settlements agreements/payments between Toyota and the winning party to even get awarded money from Toyota do indeed exist. Exists for many court won payment settlements for any corporation. People don't get money if they don't sign confidential agreements. Keep in mind - Courts can give court money award, but courts do not have any obligation to collect the money award. Collection of money award is up to winning party to collect. Most of public are not aware how difficult it is to actually collect the money awarded by court. Corporations know the winning party would be subjected more expenses, involves more winning party attorney expenses, increased expenses for more court filings/appearances in court, more expenses to sieze banks accounts for colleting money payment, etc. Corporations are very good at dragging cases out, hoping the winning persons money runs out, hoping the winning party dies, delaying payments in courts for years, or just not paying at all. Corporations have more money and their reputation is very important to them. Special legal court procedures for collection do exist and a person loses all if not followed. NOTE - PER CENTAGE WHERE WINNING PARTY ACTUALLY GETS PAID ARE BELOW 50%. AND ACTUAL MONEY COLLECTED IS USUALLY BELOW AMOUNT OF COURT ORDER. IT'S CALLED AGREED TO NEGOTIATIONS SETTLEMNT.
(3)NHTSA present law allows corporate business confidential information to be withheld as coration requests. NHTSA attorney has interpreted law legally to allow corporations to keep private some business information, not release to public - that could damage the corporation reputation and business. I had spoken of this law here before and posted this link on NHTSA website in the past. Auto manufacturers and NHTSA are legally very good at keeping alot of information private. Meetings between NHTSA and auto amanufacturers agreements and facts are not available online. DHTSA will not release these public meeting documents which do fall under right to public information act. Special legal loopholes exist in present laws that do not support the public at large as strong as we might prefer.
(4)We do have to wait to see how good these present attorneys for the ongoing combined cases California are at getting substantial legal documented proof for each case. These attorneys have to be quite good, as Toyota has excellent attorneys. Some cases appear weak, some cases appear to be quite strong and justified. And then it does appear Exponent will help defend Toyota. Their engineer reports will always be highly questionable, as I am fully aware of their known history for bogus reports. They just give/produce great lengthy reports, but are usually totally bogus. I have too much detrimental info on them not to highly question their findings.
(5)Must keep in mind news/auto vender reports may have some reported information wrong/or presented biased reports. We must validate each report as time goes along. And must attempt to be objective.
Sadly I have found many detrimental reports about Toyota have been proven to be true in documents submitted to Oversight Committee and by their independent experts.
(6)And US lawmakers can be bought as we all know. We must also keep in mind how the new court finding/verdict that establishes abolishment restrictions on corporate campaign donations/political advertising. And the resulting effect how foreign countries can now influence/affect/enter investments in our elections as well. Lawmakers just recently refused to pass new law for forcing public disclosure of donation/advertising to public. So it seems all will be secret. Doesn't make any difference what political affiliation we declare. Result of this new law will be/may be same. We need to evaluate who is making statments and what the evidence is, and accordingly evaluate the best we can. We know auto manufaturers lobbyists have strong presence/clout in Washington. And this can be good and bad. As this Toyota investigation has unfolded lawmakers have been identified that have Toyota money/political connections/political interests, and how they may/have defend/ed Toyota when evidence documents do not support their positions.
And Naruse should be commended for 2 reasons:
1. Genius inventor.
2. The only person willing to admit fault in a UA case.
Yasuto Ohama, a security company executive whose Toyota Harrier has one of the pedals, said he switched after his foot hit the gas instead of the brakes and he almost struck a bicyclist.