Toyota found to keep tight lid on potential safety problems

LA Times ^ | 23 December 2009 | Ken Bensinger and Ralph Vartabedian

[Erik Latranyi]

During a routine test on its Sienna minivan in April 2003, Toyota Motor Corp. engineers discovered that a plastic panel could come loose and cause the gas pedal to stick, potentially making the vehicle accelerate out of control.

The automaker redesigned the part and by that June every 2004 model year Sienna off the assembly line came with the new panel. Toyota did not notify tens of thousands of people who had already bought vans with the old panel, however.

It wasn't until U.S. safety officials opened an investigation last year that Toyota acknowledged in a letter to regulators that the part could come loose and "lead to unwanted or sudden acceleration."

In January, nearly six years after discovering the potential hazard, the automaker recalled 26,501 vans made with the old panel.

[Erik Latranyi]

Many of us knew the Japanese automakers conducted secret recalls and witheld data on defects in an effort to maintain their illusion of superior quality which was supported by a lapdog media......reminds me of Obama.

[A. Morgan]

So solly.

[US Navy Vet]

OK how many of these cars were made in the US? Houston do we have a problem?

[Erik Latranyi]

Please spare this thread from anecdotal stories of how great your Toyota is.

[chrisser]

reminds me of Obama

What will really remind you of Obama will be the way the faithful will ignore the information reported in this article (10 years of building evidence of multiple problems and coverups) because it conflicts with the narrative in their head.

[ZX12R]

To me, it reads like a sour grapes hit piece by a Government Motors supporting writer, who uses tortured or outright made up evidence.

[Erik Latranyi]

To me, it reads like a sour grapes hit piece by a Government Motors supporting writer, who uses tortured or outright made up evidence.

...and you prove the point of the post above yours...

[Erik Latranyi]

What will really remind you of Obama will be the way the faithful will ignore the information reported in this article (10 years of building evidence of multiple problems and coverups) because it conflicts with the narrative in their head.

See the post after yours!

[Leo Farnsworth]

My Toyota is better than your Pinto.

[ZX12R]

...and you prove the point of the post above yours...

I'll bet you never miss any of those ghost hunting shows. The evidence for them is just as convincing.

[WackySam]

in an effort to maintain their illusion of superior quality

Sorry Skippy, it's no illusion.

[chrisser]

The evidence for them is just as convincing

After Toyota this fall announced its biggest recall to address the sudden-acceleration problem, it insisted publicly that no defect existed. That drew a rare public rebuke from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which chastised the automaker for making "inaccurate and misleading statements."

http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.f2217bee37fb302f6d7c121046108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=1e51531b2220b0f8ea14201046108a0c_ws_MX&javax.portlet.prp_1e51531b2220b0f8ea14201046108a0c_viewID=detail_view&itemID=38d803e5fa0c4210VgnVCM1000002fd17898RCRD&pressReleaseYearSelect=2009

The automaker knew of a dangerous steering defect in vehicles including the 4Runner sport utility vehicle for years before issuing a recall in Japan in 2004. But it told regulators no recall was necessary in the U.S., despite having received dozens of complaints from drivers. Toyota said a subsequent investigation led it to order a U.S. recall in 2005

http://nhthqnwws112.odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/docservlet/Artemis/Public/Recalls/2005/V/RCDNN-05V389-7164.PDF

I can keep going. Can you show how this is unconvincing?

[Erik Latranyi]

Sorry Skippy, it's no illusion.

First, statistics show no significant difference in defects among the major car manufacturers (foreign and domestic).

Second, like Obama, the media has contributed to the positive Toyota image. Just as liberals will defend Obama to the end, you will defend Toyota because anything different conflicts with your nicely packaged world-view.

[Erik Latranyi]

I'll bet you never miss any of those ghost hunting shows. The evidence for them is just as convincing.

How is your kool-aid?

[chrisser]

My Toyota is better than your Pinto.

So your new Toyota is better than a 30+ year old Ford?

I remember the Toyotas of the 70s. They were no grand accomplishment, and they certainly didn't do well in keeping the passengers safe in a high-speed rear-end collision, even when they didn't explode.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Not from me! We bought a new Sienna van about 10 years ago and it was one of the worst POS’s I’ve owned. The engine sludged up, even with faithful 3,000 mile oil changes. Every time it started, it blew out great clouds of blue smoke. Toyota was telling people there was no warranty for this well-known engine defect. Sometimes you would be able to badger the company into fixing it, but if you changed your oil just ONCE at 3,001 miles, you lost all company warranty coverage for the engine problems.

When we sold it, the buyers took it to a dealer for a check and they reported it had a remanufactured transmission in it. We had never serviced the transmission ourselves, so it must have come that way from the factory.

Our one experience with a Toyota product was just awful. Almost as bad as with the two Volvos we once owned.

[Quality_Not_Quantity]

My Toyota is better than your Pinto.

My Vega is better than your... no, wait... sorry, I almost misspoke - I don't think the Vega was ever better than anything.

[bmwcyle]

Vega was real good with a Buick V6 installed.

[Leo Farnsworth]

Up yours.

[chrisser]

Up yours

Quod erat demonstrandum.