Update 3/31/2018 - Jenn and her station refused to expose engine failures in MR2 Spyders. I wonder if someone at WPTV got stung with Toyota's melting dashboards, thereby prompting their exposure of that issue.
With honest coverage of the issue by mainstream media, there may be hope yet for folks who were victimized by Toyota regarding the manufacturing defect in MR2 Spyders. Jenn Strathman and WPTV have demonstrated a concern for consumers with their recent exposure of Toyota's stonewalling response to melting dashboards.
Coverup King Toyota has now agreed to make amends for the dashboards, and a similar result might be obtained if enough folks contacted Jenn about engines disintegrating in MR2 Spyders. Let's give it a try:
jenn.strathman@wptv.com
Showing posts with label MR2 Spyders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MR2 Spyders. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Picketing: Don't glare at ME, Mr. Salesperson. Glare at TOYOTA.
Yesterday as I picketed Toyota in front of West Columbia, South Carolina's new Fred Anderson Toyota dealership, wunna their sales force came out, stood about 10 or 15 yards away, and glared at me for several minutes. That's fine, if that's what the guy wants to do, but I have a suggestion for the lad: Instead of glaring at me, glare at admitted-crook and Coverup King Toyota. You know. The thug you've chosen to sell vehicles for.
You see, I didn't bring this situation about. Toyota brought it about when they refused to acknowledge an obvious manufacturing defect in MR2 Spyders, turning their crooked backs on hapless owners such as myself, out the better part of $10 grand when the engines disintegrated. Leave it to a bully like Toyota to take advantage of the fact that Spyders were a limited production vehicle, thereby making class-action lawsuits as impractical as individual court pursuits.
Crooked automakers like Toyota, GM, and now Honda have learned that it pays to ignore manufacturing defects. After all, they can get free passes from their bought-and-paid-for "safety" stooges like NHTSA, as the government agency's bigshot employees look forward to being rewarded with high payin' jobs in the auto industry. Meanwhile, the Department of "Just Us" stands guard to make sure nobody goes to prison if and when dirty facts are exposed. Short of time-consuming, expensive lawsuits, there really isn't any viable recourse for consumers. Factor in a tail-tucked public, bullied into accepting any kind of crookedness imaginable, and there you have it: a formula par excellence for immoral and illegitimate profits galore at the consumer's expense, both physically and financially. It's called tyranny, something that's come to be the hallmark of this little police-state, corporate-controlled oligarchy and its corrupt, two-headed, one party sham of an electoral system.
What do you expect me to do, Mr. Salesperson? Knuckle under to the crook you work for, and simply kiss the better part of $10 grand goodby? The next time you get the urge to glare at someone, Mr. Toyota Salesperson, focus your gaze on the culprit instead of the victim.
Update 10/21/2014 - NY Times published a GREAT article yesterday about the growing airbag scandal. "Toyota said it would in some cases disable the air bags, leaving a note not to ride in the front passenger seat."
You see, I didn't bring this situation about. Toyota brought it about when they refused to acknowledge an obvious manufacturing defect in MR2 Spyders, turning their crooked backs on hapless owners such as myself, out the better part of $10 grand when the engines disintegrated. Leave it to a bully like Toyota to take advantage of the fact that Spyders were a limited production vehicle, thereby making class-action lawsuits as impractical as individual court pursuits.
Crooked automakers like Toyota, GM, and now Honda have learned that it pays to ignore manufacturing defects. After all, they can get free passes from their bought-and-paid-for "safety" stooges like NHTSA, as the government agency's bigshot employees look forward to being rewarded with high payin' jobs in the auto industry. Meanwhile, the Department of "Just Us" stands guard to make sure nobody goes to prison if and when dirty facts are exposed. Short of time-consuming, expensive lawsuits, there really isn't any viable recourse for consumers. Factor in a tail-tucked public, bullied into accepting any kind of crookedness imaginable, and there you have it: a formula par excellence for immoral and illegitimate profits galore at the consumer's expense, both physically and financially. It's called tyranny, something that's come to be the hallmark of this little police-state, corporate-controlled oligarchy and its corrupt, two-headed, one party sham of an electoral system.
What do you expect me to do, Mr. Salesperson? Knuckle under to the crook you work for, and simply kiss the better part of $10 grand goodby? The next time you get the urge to glare at someone, Mr. Toyota Salesperson, focus your gaze on the culprit instead of the victim.
Update 10/21/2014 - NY Times published a GREAT article yesterday about the growing airbag scandal. "Toyota said it would in some cases disable the air bags, leaving a note not to ride in the front passenger seat."
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Picketing resumes over engine failures in MR2 Spyders
The Toyota Center - where my MR2 Spyder engine was rebuilt - has now moved into fancy new digs about two miles from my house, under the name Fred Anderson Toyota. Day before yesterday, I got an e-mail inviting me to "join" them for their grand opening.
So I did.
I arrived yesterday afternoon by bicycle, with a sign that read "BEWARE OF TOYOTA" on one side, and this blog's address on the other. It's been quite a while since I picketed a Toyota dealership, and it was good to be back. The thousands of dollars I lost when the engine disintegrated in my MR2 Spyder are still missing from my bank account. I'm just as fed up with now-acknowledged-crook Toyota as I ever was, and I wanna thank passing motorists for the friendly beeps, thumbs ups, and waves. As I've come to expect from Toyota dealerships, several unpleasantries were instigated by dealership personnel.
My previous blog post explains what's going on with MR2 Spyders. I've also had a couple of articles published about the issue, here are links to those:
Torque News
Design News' "Made by Monkeys"
Over the years - as this blog indicates - my gripe with Toyota has come to be about a lot more than engines disintegrating in MR2 Spyders. Toyota is a murderous, dishonest corporation - backed by a corporate-controlled government - that treats people like dirt. At first, it was a simple effort to get my money back over an obvious manufacturing defect that had been all over the Internet for years. Then I found out about Toyota's disgraceful shenanigans regarding oil sludge. Then the unintended acceleration scandal broke loose, amidst revelations of cover-ups, federal criminal investigations, record-setting fines, deaths and injuries galore, and an endless parade of recalls for every defect imaginable. Not that the government has disciplined the Recall King. It hasn't. Toyota is a filthy rich corporate slob with cash stockpiled to the tune of some $60 billion. Unfazed - as the government well knows - even by payola in the billion dollar range forked over to end criminal investigations. The "Just Us" Department functions primarily as a corporate-controlled tool to make sure crooked auto executives like those at Toyota and GM don't do prison time for their unconscionable deeds.
Currently, Toyota, the government, and the government's mainstream media stooges are trying every trick in the book to keep things quiet about compelling evidence of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control. Evidence which raises questions about the reliability of electronic throttle controls in every brand, amidst an epidemic of runaway vehicles crashing into buildings. The brand most often involved is Toyota, but other brands are far from immune.
My journey with Toyota had scarcely begun when I began to realize what a profoundly crooked corporation I was dealing with. I just LOVE the Toyota dealership's new location. Now I won't have to rent storage space for my car to make sure it isn't vandalized while I'm picketing.
Update 6/12/2014 - Toyota's junk parade continues with another recall. A whopping 2.27 million vehicles because airbags could fail, also involving a fire hazzard. 20 models are on the list, including the Corolla, Yaris, and Noah. Note that as part of Toyota's recent federal criminal settlement, "...the automaker admitted that it lied when it insisted that it had addressed the "root cause" of the (unintended acceleration) problem by fixing floor mats that could trap the accelerator."
Update 6/14/2014 - Here's a video which puts Toyota's unintended acceleration scandal in proper perspective. There's now evidence GALORE of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control. Read "Toyota's killer firmware: Bad design and its consequences." Embedded systems expert Michael Barr found the following, resulting in a guilty verdict in the landmark unintended acceleration case last October in Oklahoma:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA)
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA
Acknowledged crook Toyota is being allowed to ignore Mr. Barr's findings, and drivers of runaway vehicles involved in crashes are being unjustifiably found at fault and charged accordingly.
Update 6/18/2014 - For another account of Mr. Barr's findings, published 2/26/2014, read "Toyota Code Could Be Lethal." As the author says, "Put simply, it's frightening enough to make you buy a pre-computer car." There's been a mainstream media news blackout regarding Mr. Barr's findings. Only a few trade journals have dared to publicize the facts.
Update 7/9/14 - Million thanks to Clarence Ditlow and Michael Brooks for posting a link to this blog on the Center for Auto Safety website.
Update 7/10/14 - See 6/14 update above. Mr. Barr's findings raise questions about the reliability of electronic throttle controls in all brands, and the facts are being exposed as the auto industry tries to delay having to implement fail-safes that have been mandated for years in the airline industry. Today there's news that Honda has admitted to electronic defects causing unintended acceleration and has recalled 175,000 hybrid vehicles. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME AN AUTOMAKER HAS MADE SUCH AN ADMISSION. STAY TUNED.
So I did.
I arrived yesterday afternoon by bicycle, with a sign that read "BEWARE OF TOYOTA" on one side, and this blog's address on the other. It's been quite a while since I picketed a Toyota dealership, and it was good to be back. The thousands of dollars I lost when the engine disintegrated in my MR2 Spyder are still missing from my bank account. I'm just as fed up with now-acknowledged-crook Toyota as I ever was, and I wanna thank passing motorists for the friendly beeps, thumbs ups, and waves. As I've come to expect from Toyota dealerships, several unpleasantries were instigated by dealership personnel.
My previous blog post explains what's going on with MR2 Spyders. I've also had a couple of articles published about the issue, here are links to those:
Torque News
Design News' "Made by Monkeys"
Over the years - as this blog indicates - my gripe with Toyota has come to be about a lot more than engines disintegrating in MR2 Spyders. Toyota is a murderous, dishonest corporation - backed by a corporate-controlled government - that treats people like dirt. At first, it was a simple effort to get my money back over an obvious manufacturing defect that had been all over the Internet for years. Then I found out about Toyota's disgraceful shenanigans regarding oil sludge. Then the unintended acceleration scandal broke loose, amidst revelations of cover-ups, federal criminal investigations, record-setting fines, deaths and injuries galore, and an endless parade of recalls for every defect imaginable. Not that the government has disciplined the Recall King. It hasn't. Toyota is a filthy rich corporate slob with cash stockpiled to the tune of some $60 billion. Unfazed - as the government well knows - even by payola in the billion dollar range forked over to end criminal investigations. The "Just Us" Department functions primarily as a corporate-controlled tool to make sure crooked auto executives like those at Toyota and GM don't do prison time for their unconscionable deeds.
Currently, Toyota, the government, and the government's mainstream media stooges are trying every trick in the book to keep things quiet about compelling evidence of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control. Evidence which raises questions about the reliability of electronic throttle controls in every brand, amidst an epidemic of runaway vehicles crashing into buildings. The brand most often involved is Toyota, but other brands are far from immune.
My journey with Toyota had scarcely begun when I began to realize what a profoundly crooked corporation I was dealing with. I just LOVE the Toyota dealership's new location. Now I won't have to rent storage space for my car to make sure it isn't vandalized while I'm picketing.
Update 6/12/2014 - Toyota's junk parade continues with another recall. A whopping 2.27 million vehicles because airbags could fail, also involving a fire hazzard. 20 models are on the list, including the Corolla, Yaris, and Noah. Note that as part of Toyota's recent federal criminal settlement, "...the automaker admitted that it lied when it insisted that it had addressed the "root cause" of the (unintended acceleration) problem by fixing floor mats that could trap the accelerator."
Update 6/14/2014 - Here's a video which puts Toyota's unintended acceleration scandal in proper perspective. There's now evidence GALORE of electronic defects in Toyota's throttle control. Read "Toyota's killer firmware: Bad design and its consequences." Embedded systems expert Michael Barr found the following, resulting in a guilty verdict in the landmark unintended acceleration case last October in Oklahoma:
* Toyota's electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
* Toyota's source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA)
* Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
* Toyota's fail safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a 'house of cards' safety architecture).
* Misbehaviours of Toyota's ETCS are a cause of UA
Acknowledged crook Toyota is being allowed to ignore Mr. Barr's findings, and drivers of runaway vehicles involved in crashes are being unjustifiably found at fault and charged accordingly.
Update 6/18/2014 - For another account of Mr. Barr's findings, published 2/26/2014, read "Toyota Code Could Be Lethal." As the author says, "Put simply, it's frightening enough to make you buy a pre-computer car." There's been a mainstream media news blackout regarding Mr. Barr's findings. Only a few trade journals have dared to publicize the facts.
Update 7/9/14 - Million thanks to Clarence Ditlow and Michael Brooks for posting a link to this blog on the Center for Auto Safety website.
Update 7/10/14 - See 6/14 update above. Mr. Barr's findings raise questions about the reliability of electronic throttle controls in all brands, and the facts are being exposed as the auto industry tries to delay having to implement fail-safes that have been mandated for years in the airline industry. Today there's news that Honda has admitted to electronic defects causing unintended acceleration and has recalled 175,000 hybrid vehicles. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME AN AUTOMAKER HAS MADE SUCH AN ADMISSION. STAY TUNED.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Shhh... sudden unintended acceleration complaints are continuing
In light of renowned embedded systems expert Michael Barr finding bugs in Toyota's electronic throttle control software that could cause sudden unintended acceleration, we now get to the crux of the matter. Have the defects been corrected?
With the Recall King insisting that the Oklahoma jury got it wrong (despite that pesky evidence of 150 feet of skid marks from the plaintiff's tires), and a corporate-controlled mainstream media concealing Michael Barr's findings, Toyota is hoping that a gullible public will believe there isn't anything to correct. The situation is similar to what happened regarding engines suddenly disintegrating in MR2 Spyders.
Toyota stonewalls, big media - most notably, perhaps, Consumer Reports - shys away from addressing the issue, and owners are left with depleted bank accounts and unsatisfactory vehicles. Pretty much the same with all those oil-sludged engines, and the list goes on. In a corporate-controlled police state, it's best to be wary of repercussions. What on earth would Big Brother do if it weren't for a tail-tucked citizenry? Nothin' like a cooperative effort...
NHTSA, as Shawn Kane notes, "walked away from the (sudden unintended acceleration) problem in 2010. The agency pressured Toyota into floor mat and sticky accelerator pedals, collected millions in recall timeliness fines and never addressed the technical problem." Adding insult to injury, NHTSA proceded to set things up with NASA, then disingenuously claimed that NASA had laid the matter to rest. As facts come to light about a hamstrung NASA coming nowhere near settling the issue - and having said so - it's obvious who corporate stooge NHTSA is lookin' out for, and it ain't the consumer.
Real hoot watchin' NHTSA, mainstream media, and Toyota try to ignore Michael Barr's findings and the guilty verdict in Oklahoma as complaints keep pourin' in about Toyotas suddenly accelerating out of control. Few days ago, an interesting comment appeared (BrianPaul, 03-01-2014, 03:37 PM) on a website for fans of the RAV4 (which lately has had software issues beyond sudden unintended acceleration). Reminds ya of those song words "now I'm a believer," and is consistent with complaints on NHTSA's website. Read it and weep. Here's an excerpt:
When the “sudden acceleration” issue with Toyota vehicles was all over the news, I was not concerned because I assumed it was user error. I remember my boss saying to me, “you’re not afraid to drive your Camry?” I told my boss that it’s just a bunch of idiots who are stepping on the gas by mistake, or people trying to get money from Toyota. Now that I’ve had this happen, I realize what a fool I was! I was so proud of the Toyota vehicles I own that I wouldn’t even consider that such a problem exists.
Of course, the RAV4 website didn't dare publish my comment. RAV4World.com's attitude seems to be if the guy who's now wanting more information about sudden unintended acceleration (and who in his shoes wouldn't?) doesn't get any, that's tough. The RAV4 website (is it run by Toyota?) musn't offend the Recall King.
Meanwhile, the ol' Recall King is tryin' to buy - talkin' moola in excess of a billion dollars - an end to the federal criminal investigation involving reporting procedures for sudden unintended acceleration. And I'm bettin' the Recall King is gonna get away with it, complete with confidentiality agreements and no admissions of wrongdoing.
After all, the sudden unintended acceleration issue only involves people's lives.
With the Recall King insisting that the Oklahoma jury got it wrong (despite that pesky evidence of 150 feet of skid marks from the plaintiff's tires), and a corporate-controlled mainstream media concealing Michael Barr's findings, Toyota is hoping that a gullible public will believe there isn't anything to correct. The situation is similar to what happened regarding engines suddenly disintegrating in MR2 Spyders.
Toyota stonewalls, big media - most notably, perhaps, Consumer Reports - shys away from addressing the issue, and owners are left with depleted bank accounts and unsatisfactory vehicles. Pretty much the same with all those oil-sludged engines, and the list goes on. In a corporate-controlled police state, it's best to be wary of repercussions. What on earth would Big Brother do if it weren't for a tail-tucked citizenry? Nothin' like a cooperative effort...
NHTSA, as Shawn Kane notes, "walked away from the (sudden unintended acceleration) problem in 2010. The agency pressured Toyota into floor mat and sticky accelerator pedals, collected millions in recall timeliness fines and never addressed the technical problem." Adding insult to injury, NHTSA proceded to set things up with NASA, then disingenuously claimed that NASA had laid the matter to rest. As facts come to light about a hamstrung NASA coming nowhere near settling the issue - and having said so - it's obvious who corporate stooge NHTSA is lookin' out for, and it ain't the consumer.
Real hoot watchin' NHTSA, mainstream media, and Toyota try to ignore Michael Barr's findings and the guilty verdict in Oklahoma as complaints keep pourin' in about Toyotas suddenly accelerating out of control. Few days ago, an interesting comment appeared (BrianPaul, 03-01-2014, 03:37 PM) on a website for fans of the RAV4 (which lately has had software issues beyond sudden unintended acceleration). Reminds ya of those song words "now I'm a believer," and is consistent with complaints on NHTSA's website. Read it and weep. Here's an excerpt:
When the “sudden acceleration” issue with Toyota vehicles was all over the news, I was not concerned because I assumed it was user error. I remember my boss saying to me, “you’re not afraid to drive your Camry?” I told my boss that it’s just a bunch of idiots who are stepping on the gas by mistake, or people trying to get money from Toyota. Now that I’ve had this happen, I realize what a fool I was! I was so proud of the Toyota vehicles I own that I wouldn’t even consider that such a problem exists.
Of course, the RAV4 website didn't dare publish my comment. RAV4World.com's attitude seems to be if the guy who's now wanting more information about sudden unintended acceleration (and who in his shoes wouldn't?) doesn't get any, that's tough. The RAV4 website (is it run by Toyota?) musn't offend the Recall King.
Meanwhile, the ol' Recall King is tryin' to buy - talkin' moola in excess of a billion dollars - an end to the federal criminal investigation involving reporting procedures for sudden unintended acceleration. And I'm bettin' the Recall King is gonna get away with it, complete with confidentiality agreements and no admissions of wrongdoing.
After all, the sudden unintended acceleration issue only involves people's lives.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Toyota accused of cover-up regarding software causing sudden unintended acceleration
The founder of the firm that won the big case against Toyota in Oklahoma has produced a video accusing Toyota of a cover-up.
"Toyota knew before the first recalls that there was a problem with the Electronic Throttle Control System, in regards to sudden unintended acceleration, as early as 2004. When you go back and look at the beginning of this problem, they knew about the problem, that's the real tragedy." Jere Beasley, Founder, Beasley Law Firm
No wonder the Recall King now blabbers about needing to be "reborn" in the eyes of its customers. Toyota can talk the talk. But when it comes to walkin' the walk...
Listen up, Akio. "Select shops" don't stonewall about obvious defects that cause engines to suddenly disintegrate, ruin exhaust systems, and deplete customers' bank accounts of the better part of ten thousand dollars. Pocket change to you. Big bucks to most folks. And "select shops" don't make national headlines for every misdeed imaginable, along with a never-ending parade of defects, safety and otherwise. "Select shops" are competent, honest, and treat customers with respect. Toyota is a long way from being viewed as a "select shop" by informed consumers.
The impact of the Oklahoma case cannot be overstated. The Recall King is now in "settlement mode," exemplified by Toyota's response to a sudden unintended acceleration case in West Virginia shortly after the guilty verdict in Oklahoma:
“There seemed to be a pretty clear purpose on Toyota’s part to get a deal done” and keep the case out of court, attorney Edgar “Hike” Heiskell said. “There was a real sense of motivation on that side of the table.” A spokeswoman for Toyota declined comment.
More to the point, Toyota is now rushing to institute a "global settlement that would resolve all of the personal injury and wrongful death product liability cases." Of course, we can expect such a settlement to be structured with Toyota's trademark of confidentiality agreements, thereby keeping incriminating technical data quiet, buttressed with language makin' it crystal clear that the ol' Recall King admits to no wrongdoing. Never mind the ongoing risk to consumers as instances of sudden unintended acceleration continue to make headlines.
Meanwhile, David Strickland, former top dawg at NHTSA, has wormed his way into lobbying for the auto industry:
"We think that the thing industry will be most impressed by was the pass David Strickland gave Toyota's electronics in the Unintended Acceleration crisis. Sure, the government fined Toyota to the max. But the automaker only had to pay penalties for failing to mount timely recalls for floor mat interference and sticky accelerator pedals. NHTSA whitewashed the problems of Toyota's electronic throttle control system."
It's probably no coincidence that Mr. Strickland left NHTSA shortly after Toyota was read the riot act by that jury in Oklahoma. His newfound occupation epitomizes the ol' revolvin' door game, helpin' to insure that unfair business practices continue:
"In perhaps the most glaring case, Toyota staffed up with former NHTSA officials as it faced an inquiry into sudden acceleration in its Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Over 10 years, more motorists died from such accidents in Toyota and Lexus vehicles than in cars from all other manufacturers combined." (Emphasis mine)
Engineers are taking notice of the incriminating evidence against Toyota. The exceptionally well-credentialed Michael Barr, who testified in the Oklahoma case, is scheduled to be the keynote speaker for an EE Times conference set for March 31st through April 3rd.
I just love it when the truth comes out.
Update 2/20/2014 - Actually, the truth came out about Toyota's slick manuevering way back in 2010. "Toyota's deadly secrets" presents a scathing review. "Statistically, Toyota had one speed-control-crash complaint per 20,454 vehicles sold in the United States. This figure is significant when compared to other major auto manufacturers such as Ford: one complaint per 64,679 vehicles; Honda: one complaint per 70,112 vehicles; and General Motors: one complaint per 197,821 vehicles."
"Toyota knew before the first recalls that there was a problem with the Electronic Throttle Control System, in regards to sudden unintended acceleration, as early as 2004. When you go back and look at the beginning of this problem, they knew about the problem, that's the real tragedy." Jere Beasley, Founder, Beasley Law Firm
No wonder the Recall King now blabbers about needing to be "reborn" in the eyes of its customers. Toyota can talk the talk. But when it comes to walkin' the walk...
Listen up, Akio. "Select shops" don't stonewall about obvious defects that cause engines to suddenly disintegrate, ruin exhaust systems, and deplete customers' bank accounts of the better part of ten thousand dollars. Pocket change to you. Big bucks to most folks. And "select shops" don't make national headlines for every misdeed imaginable, along with a never-ending parade of defects, safety and otherwise. "Select shops" are competent, honest, and treat customers with respect. Toyota is a long way from being viewed as a "select shop" by informed consumers.
The impact of the Oklahoma case cannot be overstated. The Recall King is now in "settlement mode," exemplified by Toyota's response to a sudden unintended acceleration case in West Virginia shortly after the guilty verdict in Oklahoma:
“There seemed to be a pretty clear purpose on Toyota’s part to get a deal done” and keep the case out of court, attorney Edgar “Hike” Heiskell said. “There was a real sense of motivation on that side of the table.” A spokeswoman for Toyota declined comment.
More to the point, Toyota is now rushing to institute a "global settlement that would resolve all of the personal injury and wrongful death product liability cases." Of course, we can expect such a settlement to be structured with Toyota's trademark of confidentiality agreements, thereby keeping incriminating technical data quiet, buttressed with language makin' it crystal clear that the ol' Recall King admits to no wrongdoing. Never mind the ongoing risk to consumers as instances of sudden unintended acceleration continue to make headlines.
Meanwhile, David Strickland, former top dawg at NHTSA, has wormed his way into lobbying for the auto industry:
"We think that the thing industry will be most impressed by was the pass David Strickland gave Toyota's electronics in the Unintended Acceleration crisis. Sure, the government fined Toyota to the max. But the automaker only had to pay penalties for failing to mount timely recalls for floor mat interference and sticky accelerator pedals. NHTSA whitewashed the problems of Toyota's electronic throttle control system."
It's probably no coincidence that Mr. Strickland left NHTSA shortly after Toyota was read the riot act by that jury in Oklahoma. His newfound occupation epitomizes the ol' revolvin' door game, helpin' to insure that unfair business practices continue:
"In perhaps the most glaring case, Toyota staffed up with former NHTSA officials as it faced an inquiry into sudden acceleration in its Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Over 10 years, more motorists died from such accidents in Toyota and Lexus vehicles than in cars from all other manufacturers combined." (Emphasis mine)
Engineers are taking notice of the incriminating evidence against Toyota. The exceptionally well-credentialed Michael Barr, who testified in the Oklahoma case, is scheduled to be the keynote speaker for an EE Times conference set for March 31st through April 3rd.
I just love it when the truth comes out.
Update 2/20/2014 - Actually, the truth came out about Toyota's slick manuevering way back in 2010. "Toyota's deadly secrets" presents a scathing review. "Statistically, Toyota had one speed-control-crash complaint per 20,454 vehicles sold in the United States. This figure is significant when compared to other major auto manufacturers such as Ford: one complaint per 64,679 vehicles; Honda: one complaint per 70,112 vehicles; and General Motors: one complaint per 197,821 vehicles."
Friday, January 17, 2014
Toyota guilty verdict renews interest in sudden unintended acceleration
On the heels of a gulty verdict in a sudden unintended acceleration case in Oklahoma, news of an out-of-control Camry, and cops have nixed the notion of driver error. A 2003 Camry took off immediately after the driver - who was parking the vehicle and still had his foot on the brake - heard a loud, metallic bang. The vehicle - which was totalled - crashed through a wall, seriously injuring the driver's wife.
Meanwhile, in another case involving an out-of-control Camry, plaintiffs are being represented by the same law firm that successfully represented the folks in Oklahoma. "Mr. Kitrys’ 2004 Toyota Camry suddenly and without warning surged out of control and he was unable to stop the vehicle. As the uncontrollable Camry approached an intersection and concrete barrier, Mr. Kitrys jumped from the vehicle but received injuries that caused his death."
Let's hope Toyota doesn't "examine" these vehicles unless both sides are present. I remember the case of Koua Fong Lee, wherein Toyota acted like Koua's Camry belonged to them insteada him.
Meanwhile, electrical engineers are speaking out in favor of the Oklahoma verdict, and Shawn Kane of Safety Research and Strategies, Inc. has offered a detailed summary of the trial's technical issues, noting that experts used the term "spaghetti," which is programmer's slang for badly written and badly structured source code. The trial also revealed that back in 2007, even one of Toyota's own programmers had used the term when referring to the engine control application. Mr. Kane testified on Capitol Hill when congress "investigated" Toyota back in 2010.
Previous congressional testimony - especially from victims of sudden unintended acceleration - takes on new meaning in light of the technical disclosures associated with the guilty verdict in Oklahoma. Great time to recall the testimony of Clarence Ditlow, Executive Director of the Center for Auto Safety. Mr. Ditlow told our illustrious elected officials there was a cover-up, and implicated (gasp) NHTSA. I've maintained from the get go that a corporation that would behave like Toyota has about engine failures in MR2 Spyders simply cannot be trusted. Ditto for a government that lets 'em get away with it.
Amidst the heavy downpour of incriminating technical data from the Oklahoma case, Toyota's NHTSA-congressional whitewash is flakin' off. Not so easy anymore for the Recall King to get away with dumping problems on their customers. Of course, Toyota's USA president even testified back then that 70% of sudden unintended acceleration cases couldn't be explained by driver error, floor mats, or sticky gas pedals. Thanks, Oklahoma. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's a hoot seein' the Recall King forced into a runnin'-scared rush to settle hundreds of remaining cases - 'bout 450 of 'em - lest there be further technical revelations, along with the fearsome prospect of juried determinations of punitive damages.
Meanwhile, in another case involving an out-of-control Camry, plaintiffs are being represented by the same law firm that successfully represented the folks in Oklahoma. "Mr. Kitrys’ 2004 Toyota Camry suddenly and without warning surged out of control and he was unable to stop the vehicle. As the uncontrollable Camry approached an intersection and concrete barrier, Mr. Kitrys jumped from the vehicle but received injuries that caused his death."
Let's hope Toyota doesn't "examine" these vehicles unless both sides are present. I remember the case of Koua Fong Lee, wherein Toyota acted like Koua's Camry belonged to them insteada him.
Meanwhile, electrical engineers are speaking out in favor of the Oklahoma verdict, and Shawn Kane of Safety Research and Strategies, Inc. has offered a detailed summary of the trial's technical issues, noting that experts used the term "spaghetti," which is programmer's slang for badly written and badly structured source code. The trial also revealed that back in 2007, even one of Toyota's own programmers had used the term when referring to the engine control application. Mr. Kane testified on Capitol Hill when congress "investigated" Toyota back in 2010.
Previous congressional testimony - especially from victims of sudden unintended acceleration - takes on new meaning in light of the technical disclosures associated with the guilty verdict in Oklahoma. Great time to recall the testimony of Clarence Ditlow, Executive Director of the Center for Auto Safety. Mr. Ditlow told our illustrious elected officials there was a cover-up, and implicated (gasp) NHTSA. I've maintained from the get go that a corporation that would behave like Toyota has about engine failures in MR2 Spyders simply cannot be trusted. Ditto for a government that lets 'em get away with it.
Amidst the heavy downpour of incriminating technical data from the Oklahoma case, Toyota's NHTSA-congressional whitewash is flakin' off. Not so easy anymore for the Recall King to get away with dumping problems on their customers. Of course, Toyota's USA president even testified back then that 70% of sudden unintended acceleration cases couldn't be explained by driver error, floor mats, or sticky gas pedals. Thanks, Oklahoma. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's a hoot seein' the Recall King forced into a runnin'-scared rush to settle hundreds of remaining cases - 'bout 450 of 'em - lest there be further technical revelations, along with the fearsome prospect of juried determinations of punitive damages.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Another recall. Bloomberg ignores evidence of Toyota's software causing sudden unintended acceleration
Toyota's 2013 recall parade is marchin' right along. This time, it's defective valve springs in pickups and SUVs that can cause an engine to stop running. And this is not the first time the Recall King has found valve springs to be a manufacturing challenge. Amidst a 2010 valve-spring recall, a YouTube video appeared - along with an article on AutoBlog.com - addressing Toyota's problem with those pesky valve springs. C'mon, Recall King. Do tell. What's really going on with those springs?
Might cause an engine to stop running? What a hoot. For years, there have been formal complaints and postings all over the Internet about engines suddenly disintegrating in MR2 Spyders, and the Recall King hasn't seen fit to do anything other than stonewall. But of course, MR2 Spyders - unlike pickups and SUVs - are limited production vehicles, and this puts their owners at an extreme disadvantage when dealing with a corporate slob like Toyota. Lousy products and an equally lousy attitude toward customers. And talk about deceptive advertising. It's kinda hard to "Go Places" when your engine won't run. Even harder when your bank account has been depleted by the better part of $10,000...
Meanwhile, the "presstitute" media (as former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Dr. Paul Craig Roberts calls it) is rushing to Toyota's aid now that an Oklahoma jury has handed down a guilty verdict in a sudden unintended acceleration case. Enter this one-sided, hand-wringin' article from Bloomberg, bemoaning the way courts are allowing lawsuits to proceed against poor ol' Toyota. Is anyone fooled? I've been blocked from commenting - weird things happen when I try to log in - and this is not the first time I've had problems getting comments published by Bloomberg. Fortunately, noted electrical engineer Dr. Antony Anderson submitted a comment offering a fantastic rebuttal to Paul Barrett's sheer blabber. Here's an excerpt from Dr. Anderson's remarks:
"If (Toyota) had fitted kill switches, very few people would have been killed and there would have been little or no litigation. Weeping crocodile tears 'about the individuals and families of anyone in an accident involving one of our vehicles' is no substitute for killing sudden accelerations stone dead with a device that will restrict fuel supply or air to the engine in an emergency."
Facts are starting to emerge - much of the technical data revealed in the Oklahoma trial is still secret - about Toyota's well-orchestrated efforts to conceal pertinent information about their Electronic Control Throttle System (ECTS) and their refusal to install relatively simple safety measures. The Recall King, NHTSA, and presstitute media gang is gettin' nervous.
Toyota's ad, "Let's Go Places" should include the kind of places you're liable to go if you purchase their products. The hospital, perhaps? Court? Or how about prison? Just ask Koua Fong Lee.
Might cause an engine to stop running? What a hoot. For years, there have been formal complaints and postings all over the Internet about engines suddenly disintegrating in MR2 Spyders, and the Recall King hasn't seen fit to do anything other than stonewall. But of course, MR2 Spyders - unlike pickups and SUVs - are limited production vehicles, and this puts their owners at an extreme disadvantage when dealing with a corporate slob like Toyota. Lousy products and an equally lousy attitude toward customers. And talk about deceptive advertising. It's kinda hard to "Go Places" when your engine won't run. Even harder when your bank account has been depleted by the better part of $10,000...
Meanwhile, the "presstitute" media (as former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Dr. Paul Craig Roberts calls it) is rushing to Toyota's aid now that an Oklahoma jury has handed down a guilty verdict in a sudden unintended acceleration case. Enter this one-sided, hand-wringin' article from Bloomberg, bemoaning the way courts are allowing lawsuits to proceed against poor ol' Toyota. Is anyone fooled? I've been blocked from commenting - weird things happen when I try to log in - and this is not the first time I've had problems getting comments published by Bloomberg. Fortunately, noted electrical engineer Dr. Antony Anderson submitted a comment offering a fantastic rebuttal to Paul Barrett's sheer blabber. Here's an excerpt from Dr. Anderson's remarks:
"If (Toyota) had fitted kill switches, very few people would have been killed and there would have been little or no litigation. Weeping crocodile tears 'about the individuals and families of anyone in an accident involving one of our vehicles' is no substitute for killing sudden accelerations stone dead with a device that will restrict fuel supply or air to the engine in an emergency."
Facts are starting to emerge - much of the technical data revealed in the Oklahoma trial is still secret - about Toyota's well-orchestrated efforts to conceal pertinent information about their Electronic Control Throttle System (ECTS) and their refusal to install relatively simple safety measures. The Recall King, NHTSA, and presstitute media gang is gettin' nervous.
Toyota's ad, "Let's Go Places" should include the kind of places you're liable to go if you purchase their products. The hospital, perhaps? Court? Or how about prison? Just ask Koua Fong Lee.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Sudden unintended acceleration trial exposed Toyota's shameful conduct
"We proved at trial that the software that controlled the ETCS was defectively designed and failed to conform to industry standards. Moreover, the jury was convinced that Toyota was fully aware of problems with the system, but concealed them from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the public and its customers." Jere I. Beasley, Beasley and Allen Law Firm
SO thrilling that a law firm finally dared to challenge the absurd notion that Toyota's ongoing problems with sudden, unintended acceleration were attributable to floor mats, beer cans, the driver's age, etc. ad nauseum. Once done, Plaintiffs were rewarded with a guilty verdict after a jury in Oklahoma heard the facts about the Recall King's shenanigans involving its electronic throttle control system (ETCS). Enough to prompt the jury to declare that Toyota acted with "reckless disregard" of the Plaintiffs' rights.
In a scathing summation of trial highlights, Plaintiffs' attorney's have not been bashful regarding Toyota's behavior. Reminiscent of the Associated Press investigation concluding that Toyota is deceitful when sued, it's now obvious that Toyota is deceitful not only when sued. Toyota is deceitful period:
"Toyota’s conduct from the time the ETCS was designed has been shameful. This jury had the courage to let Toyota and the public know that Toyota was reckless and that the automaker had covered up a known defect in the ETCS."
I'll pose the question again: Why should anyone trust anything Toyota says?
Isn't it a outrage that citizens in the sweet land of "liberty and justice for all" have little recourse against slob corporations other than filing expensive, risky, and time-consuming lawsuits? Toyota's friends at NHTSA jumped at the chance to champion NASA's "investigation" of Toyota's sudden, unintended acceleration, and we now have solid evidence that - as common sense dictated all along - NASA's "investigation" left much to be desired:
"Although NASA investigated Toyota’s software, Toyota withheld certain important software source code from NASA and misrepresented the existence of vital memory protection characteristics of the Camry throttle control system."
And when it comes to NHTSA:
"...in reporting to NHTSA, Toyota removed the search term “surge” and only used the term “mat,” which resulted in only 124 claims being reported to the government agency. This was a deliberate move on Toyota’s part and was designed to hide a known defect."
NHTSA wasn't hoodwinked. NHTSA was willfully hoodwinked. And we can expect proof of that infuriating fact to emerge as NHTSA refuses to take action against their friend Toyota in spite of technical disclosures - so far kept secret from the public - now referenced in court records.
Indisputable evidence of the best system money can buy. A government of dishonest, corporate-financed thugs - Repukes and Demagogues alike - who run roughshod over the citizenry. Is anyone surprised that nothing has been done about all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders?
SO thrilling that a law firm finally dared to challenge the absurd notion that Toyota's ongoing problems with sudden, unintended acceleration were attributable to floor mats, beer cans, the driver's age, etc. ad nauseum. Once done, Plaintiffs were rewarded with a guilty verdict after a jury in Oklahoma heard the facts about the Recall King's shenanigans involving its electronic throttle control system (ETCS). Enough to prompt the jury to declare that Toyota acted with "reckless disregard" of the Plaintiffs' rights.
In a scathing summation of trial highlights, Plaintiffs' attorney's have not been bashful regarding Toyota's behavior. Reminiscent of the Associated Press investigation concluding that Toyota is deceitful when sued, it's now obvious that Toyota is deceitful not only when sued. Toyota is deceitful period:
"Toyota’s conduct from the time the ETCS was designed has been shameful. This jury had the courage to let Toyota and the public know that Toyota was reckless and that the automaker had covered up a known defect in the ETCS."
I'll pose the question again: Why should anyone trust anything Toyota says?
Isn't it a outrage that citizens in the sweet land of "liberty and justice for all" have little recourse against slob corporations other than filing expensive, risky, and time-consuming lawsuits? Toyota's friends at NHTSA jumped at the chance to champion NASA's "investigation" of Toyota's sudden, unintended acceleration, and we now have solid evidence that - as common sense dictated all along - NASA's "investigation" left much to be desired:
"Although NASA investigated Toyota’s software, Toyota withheld certain important software source code from NASA and misrepresented the existence of vital memory protection characteristics of the Camry throttle control system."
And when it comes to NHTSA:
"...in reporting to NHTSA, Toyota removed the search term “surge” and only used the term “mat,” which resulted in only 124 claims being reported to the government agency. This was a deliberate move on Toyota’s part and was designed to hide a known defect."
NHTSA wasn't hoodwinked. NHTSA was willfully hoodwinked. And we can expect proof of that infuriating fact to emerge as NHTSA refuses to take action against their friend Toyota in spite of technical disclosures - so far kept secret from the public - now referenced in court records.
Indisputable evidence of the best system money can buy. A government of dishonest, corporate-financed thugs - Repukes and Demagogues alike - who run roughshod over the citizenry. Is anyone surprised that nothing has been done about all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders?
Friday, November 1, 2013
Guilty verdict in unintended acceleration case has Toyota runnin' scared
Not too scared of course, 'cause the Recall King can depend on a well-established network of government and industry cohorts to keep incriminating evidence quiet. Nonetheless, an Oklahoma jury's guilty verdict in a sudden unintended acceleration case is a troublesome development for T(he) O(ne) Y(ou) O(ught) T(o) A(void). The lawuit involved the crash of a 2005 Camry that left one woman dead, another seriously injured. Trial highlights featured testimony from renowned software expert Michael Barr confirming bugs in Toyota's software. Evidence of 150 feet of skid marks from the plaintiff's tires corroborated Mr. Barr's findings.
The jury went even further, stating that "the automaker exhibited 'reckless disregard' in its response to a faulty electronic throttle system." Doncha jus' love it when people put things in perspective?
Now we can speculate (not to worry - after all, it only concerns public safety) as to how much of the incriminating evidence ("You know, I'm not allowed to say what Task X is.") presented at the trial will be made available to the general public. Once the guilty verdict was announced, the ol' Recall King immediately hushed things up - and avoided a punitive damages determination - by suddenly reaching a settlement, which we can rest assured included a confidentiality agreement and made it crystal clear that Toyota wasn't admitting - oh, thank goodness - to any wrongdoing. Such out-of-court settlements are one of the Recall King's favorite maneuvers. Reminds me of the Toyota rep I spoke with about engine failures in MR2 Spyders saying he "didn't want to hear" about complaints galore posted all over the Internet.
"What happens when an automaker decides to wing it and play by their own rules? To disregard the rigorous standards, best practices, and checks and balances required of such software (and hardware) design? People are killed, reputations ruined, and billions of dollars are paid out. That's what happens." (link to article)
Slob government, run by slob corporations. Complete with a two-headed, one party SHAM of an electoral system, and a gullible citizenry that believes it can change the system by voting. The only thing I can't figure out is whether to laugh... or whether to cry.
Update 1/1/2013 - A similar case - federal, this time - was scheduled to start next week, but has now been delayed until March due to (hee hee) "court congestion." Somehow, I'm reminded of the old TV series, "Wagon Train."
Update 2/14/2014 - Toyota is now seeking a "global settlement" for cases involving sudden unintended acceleration.
The jury went even further, stating that "the automaker exhibited 'reckless disregard' in its response to a faulty electronic throttle system." Doncha jus' love it when people put things in perspective?
Now we can speculate (not to worry - after all, it only concerns public safety) as to how much of the incriminating evidence ("You know, I'm not allowed to say what Task X is.") presented at the trial will be made available to the general public. Once the guilty verdict was announced, the ol' Recall King immediately hushed things up - and avoided a punitive damages determination - by suddenly reaching a settlement, which we can rest assured included a confidentiality agreement and made it crystal clear that Toyota wasn't admitting - oh, thank goodness - to any wrongdoing. Such out-of-court settlements are one of the Recall King's favorite maneuvers. Reminds me of the Toyota rep I spoke with about engine failures in MR2 Spyders saying he "didn't want to hear" about complaints galore posted all over the Internet.
"What happens when an automaker decides to wing it and play by their own rules? To disregard the rigorous standards, best practices, and checks and balances required of such software (and hardware) design? People are killed, reputations ruined, and billions of dollars are paid out. That's what happens." (link to article)
Slob government, run by slob corporations. Complete with a two-headed, one party SHAM of an electoral system, and a gullible citizenry that believes it can change the system by voting. The only thing I can't figure out is whether to laugh... or whether to cry.
Update 1/1/2013 - A similar case - federal, this time - was scheduled to start next week, but has now been delayed until March due to (hee hee) "court congestion." Somehow, I'm reminded of the old TV series, "Wagon Train."
Update 2/14/2014 - Toyota is now seeking a "global settlement" for cases involving sudden unintended acceleration.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Another big recall. Blogger targets Akio.
Apparently, Toyota is tryin' to get in a few more big recalls before 2013 runs out. The latest recall (fifth biggie for the year, second recall in the past week) involves a whopping 885,000 units, featuring - of all things - spiders tampering with air bag deployment. Call this their "Halloween recall," bringing the total number of recalled units to six million for 2013. According to Toyota (I won't belabor that one), the nasty little critters can even play havoc with the steering. Toyota is "aware" of multiple instances of air bag, etc. malfunctions, resulting in two "minor" injuries.
Don't blame it all on spiders, jus' some of it, sez the Recall King. Now that's good advice. An Omaha woman has just been awarded $6.2 million in her airbag lawsuit dating back to a Lexus crash in 2007. The jury deliberated all of four and a half hours to conclude that not only was the airbag defective, but "the car did not 'conform' to the generally recognized and prevailing state of the art in the industry at the time the 2004 Lexus ES 330 was first sold by Toyota.”
Spiders? Hmm... Reminds me of all those MR2 "Spyders" mysteriously plagued by suddenly disintegratin' engines. Yessir, the 'ol Recall King definitely has a bug problem. Great material for another story in Design News' "Made by Monkeys" section.
Meanwhile, one of Toyota's many irrate customers has created a blog - and a Facebook page - titled "Route 44 Toyota Sold Me A Lemon." Her 10/18/2013 blog post, "Dear Mr. Akio Toyoda:" calls out none other than the Godfather - er I mean the Prince - himself. Reminds me of a post I made several years ago.
Keep these 2013 recalls - failing engines, brakes, airbags, etc. ad nauseum - goin', Toyota. 'Specially those recalls of recalls when the initial recall failed to fix the recall problem. Keep it up. Ya might be able to set another record.
Don't blame it all on spiders, jus' some of it, sez the Recall King. Now that's good advice. An Omaha woman has just been awarded $6.2 million in her airbag lawsuit dating back to a Lexus crash in 2007. The jury deliberated all of four and a half hours to conclude that not only was the airbag defective, but "the car did not 'conform' to the generally recognized and prevailing state of the art in the industry at the time the 2004 Lexus ES 330 was first sold by Toyota.”
Spiders? Hmm... Reminds me of all those MR2 "Spyders" mysteriously plagued by suddenly disintegratin' engines. Yessir, the 'ol Recall King definitely has a bug problem. Great material for another story in Design News' "Made by Monkeys" section.
Meanwhile, one of Toyota's many irrate customers has created a blog - and a Facebook page - titled "Route 44 Toyota Sold Me A Lemon." Her 10/18/2013 blog post, "Dear Mr. Akio Toyoda:" calls out none other than the Godfather - er I mean the Prince - himself. Reminds me of a post I made several years ago.
Keep these 2013 recalls - failing engines, brakes, airbags, etc. ad nauseum - goin', Toyota. 'Specially those recalls of recalls when the initial recall failed to fix the recall problem. Keep it up. Ya might be able to set another record.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Design News publishes my article
Just want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Rob Spiegel and Design News for publishing my article about the pre-cat problem in MR2 Spyders. The "Made by Monkeys" section is SO appropriately titled for stories about Recall King Toyota.
I'm honored - sure makes my day :-)
Update 10/16/2013 -
Interesting comment by tekochip:
I'm honored - sure makes my day :-)
Update 10/16/2013 -
Interesting comment by tekochip:
"Another example of complex systems failing in complex ways. As the
pre-catalyst fails you would think that the exhaust gas pressure would keep all
the containments from flowing back into the engine, but the MR2 engine features
variable valve timing. Under some conditions the valves change their timing to
allow a little exhaust gas back into the cylinders, sort of a vale timing
version of EGR. So, with the variable valve timing sucking in exhaust and the
pre-catalyst failing, the result is containments scoring the cylinder walls and
valves."
Rob Spiegel chimed in, confirming that the pre-cat problem is all over the Internet:
"This seems to be a widespread problem with
this model. A quick Google search found TONS AND TONS (emphasis mine) of references to pre-cat
problems."
Absolute disgrace that government allows corporations like Toyota to kick consumers around with such impunity.
Update 10/19/2013 - I'm delighted to see comments focusing on pre-cat environmental considerations and the EPA. Instead of coddling Toyota with wrist-slappin' fines, and allowing them to cut deals whereby Toyota makes no admission of wrongdoing, government should have reigned the Recall King in long ago on the pre-cat issue.
Update 10/19/2013 - I'm delighted to see comments focusing on pre-cat environmental considerations and the EPA. Instead of coddling Toyota with wrist-slappin' fines, and allowing them to cut deals whereby Toyota makes no admission of wrongdoing, government should have reigned the Recall King in long ago on the pre-cat issue.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Toyota told to conduct "awareness campaign"
"The campaign will raise awareness on the effective use of the (brake override) system and how to
deal with inability to control or stop the car."
Uh oh. Now we learn that Toyota - that unabashed paragon of public safety - had to be "instructed" to launch a public awareness campaign, addressing issues associated with the Recall King's never-ending sudden unintended acceleration problems. Saudi Arabia's government - reminiscent of Japan's response when an heir to the Imperial Throne was endangered - is taking the issue seriously.
I wish our own government would "instruct" the Recall King to address those engine failures in MR2 Spyders. With owners being forced to either remove pre-cats (illegal for street use) or risk ruined engines and exhaust systems, it's obvious that neither Uncle Sam nor Toyota are really all that concerned with air pollution. Isn't it a hoot that Toyota presents itself as some sort of "green machine" operation? How many Spyders are being driven on the streets with owner-altered emission control systems?
When it comes to Toyota, where is the much ballyhooed Environmental Protection Agency? Hey, hey, EPA: Not questioning yer integrity, but the pre-cat issue has been all over the Internet for the last 13 years.
Uh oh. Now we learn that Toyota - that unabashed paragon of public safety - had to be "instructed" to launch a public awareness campaign, addressing issues associated with the Recall King's never-ending sudden unintended acceleration problems. Saudi Arabia's government - reminiscent of Japan's response when an heir to the Imperial Throne was endangered - is taking the issue seriously.
I wish our own government would "instruct" the Recall King to address those engine failures in MR2 Spyders. With owners being forced to either remove pre-cats (illegal for street use) or risk ruined engines and exhaust systems, it's obvious that neither Uncle Sam nor Toyota are really all that concerned with air pollution. Isn't it a hoot that Toyota presents itself as some sort of "green machine" operation? How many Spyders are being driven on the streets with owner-altered emission control systems?
When it comes to Toyota, where is the much ballyhooed Environmental Protection Agency? Hey, hey, EPA: Not questioning yer integrity, but the pre-cat issue has been all over the Internet for the last 13 years.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Massive Toyota recalls continue for 2013
"Toyota is first to all other companies in its total amount of recalled vehicles worldwide, and this is not the first time that Toyota has recalled hundreds of thousands of vehicles this year." Shannon Walsh, WebProNews
Been a while since I've posted, but it certainly hasn't been for lack of subject matter. Amidst lawsuits galore over sudden, unintended acceleration, Recall King Toyota has spotlighted their incompetence by demonstrating that the parade of defects - eight major recalls for 2013 - in their obviously lousy products is far from over. How can anyone still argue - with a straight face - that the "Toyota Way" is now new and improved?
'Bout a year ago, it leaked out that Toyota customers need "reassuring" that their vehicles are safe. Wow. If they needed "reassuring" then, what do they need now? Frankly, I'm beginning to doubt mainstream media's claims that the Recall King has "bounced back" from their sales plunge of recent years.
And when it comes to keeping things quiet...
One of the most hearbreaking stories has to do with the death of 29 year old Chris Eves when his new Tundra veered off the road and hit a tree. Hair and scalp tissue was found near the accelerator, and Chris' dad refuses to be silenced, choosing to speak out instead of accepting Toyota's offer of what amounts to hush money. If there's anything the ol' Recall King is good at, it's confidentiality agreements and cozy deals with NHTSA which allow Toyota to settle "without any admission of wrongdoing."
Toyota's attitude toward customers - epitomized by their lack of response to engines suddenly disintegrating in MR2 Spyders - is beyond horrendous. So what if a customer loses the better part of $10,000 in repairs? So what if the defect lurks in the engines of Spyders currently for sale on used car lots? So what if folks who have their engines rebuilt are left to wonder - and rightly so - if the defect was corrected? And so what if owners have to choose between removing the pre-cats (illegal for street use) or risking a ruined engine and exhaust system? Click the link. Read about Toyota's pre-cat problems (addressed all over the Internet), and tell me it's not a disgrace when an automaker is allowed to treat people in such a manner. What kind of car company ignores the pleas of its own product's sports car clubs? I wonder if sudden engine disintegrations didn't play into Toyota's decision to discontinue production of the MR2 Spyder. There's no excuse for any government allowing an auto manufacturer to get away with the kind of shenanigans Toyota is now notorious for pulling.
As Toyota "vigorously" defends itself against hundreds of ongoing lawsuits, this is an excellent time to "recall" an Associated Press investigation that concluded Toyota is deceptive when sued. And lotsa folks would say it's not only when they're sued. Meanwhile, just tell me one thing:
Why would anyone trust Toyota?
Update 10/3/2013 - The link regarding pre-cat removal (and the fact that it's illegal for street use) suddenly stopped working. The current link connects - at least for the time being - with a different article.
Been a while since I've posted, but it certainly hasn't been for lack of subject matter. Amidst lawsuits galore over sudden, unintended acceleration, Recall King Toyota has spotlighted their incompetence by demonstrating that the parade of defects - eight major recalls for 2013 - in their obviously lousy products is far from over. How can anyone still argue - with a straight face - that the "Toyota Way" is now new and improved?
'Bout a year ago, it leaked out that Toyota customers need "reassuring" that their vehicles are safe. Wow. If they needed "reassuring" then, what do they need now? Frankly, I'm beginning to doubt mainstream media's claims that the Recall King has "bounced back" from their sales plunge of recent years.
And when it comes to keeping things quiet...
One of the most hearbreaking stories has to do with the death of 29 year old Chris Eves when his new Tundra veered off the road and hit a tree. Hair and scalp tissue was found near the accelerator, and Chris' dad refuses to be silenced, choosing to speak out instead of accepting Toyota's offer of what amounts to hush money. If there's anything the ol' Recall King is good at, it's confidentiality agreements and cozy deals with NHTSA which allow Toyota to settle "without any admission of wrongdoing."
Toyota's attitude toward customers - epitomized by their lack of response to engines suddenly disintegrating in MR2 Spyders - is beyond horrendous. So what if a customer loses the better part of $10,000 in repairs? So what if the defect lurks in the engines of Spyders currently for sale on used car lots? So what if folks who have their engines rebuilt are left to wonder - and rightly so - if the defect was corrected? And so what if owners have to choose between removing the pre-cats (illegal for street use) or risking a ruined engine and exhaust system? Click the link. Read about Toyota's pre-cat problems (addressed all over the Internet), and tell me it's not a disgrace when an automaker is allowed to treat people in such a manner. What kind of car company ignores the pleas of its own product's sports car clubs? I wonder if sudden engine disintegrations didn't play into Toyota's decision to discontinue production of the MR2 Spyder. There's no excuse for any government allowing an auto manufacturer to get away with the kind of shenanigans Toyota is now notorious for pulling.
As Toyota "vigorously" defends itself against hundreds of ongoing lawsuits, this is an excellent time to "recall" an Associated Press investigation that concluded Toyota is deceptive when sued. And lotsa folks would say it's not only when they're sued. Meanwhile, just tell me one thing:
Why would anyone trust Toyota?
Update 10/3/2013 - The link regarding pre-cat removal (and the fact that it's illegal for street use) suddenly stopped working. The current link connects - at least for the time being - with a different article.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Toyota gets another cozy deal from NHTSA
"The fine, announced Tuesday, is a tiny fraction of Toyota’s earnings... Toyota said it agreed to pay the penalty without admitting any violation of the law."
Toyota's friends at NHTSA have once again given the automaker a lashing with a wet noodle. Yet another safety-related defect, another delay in reporting, and another cozy deal for the Recall King. Ah, those never-ending recalls, along with evidence raising questions of a coverup...
"The latest infraction raises questions about whether the fines are big enough to deter automakers that withhold information from NHTSA, and whether the government agency can do enough to stop repeat offenses."
Indeed.
Isn't it ridiculous that our government allows Toyota to kick consumers around in the interests of corporate greed? Grovels on its knees before a miscreant corporation and tries to mesmerize the taxpaying public with meaningless numbers instead of meaningful fines. I've held firm in my conviction - expressed elsewhere in this blog - that NHTSA is a sham, interested primarily in protecting corrupt corporate interests, and time is certainly bearing witness to my claim.
Toyota's safety-related defects (the definition of which, as I've previously pointed out, are strictly limited) have been coming to light in such a fast and furious manner that its hard to keep up with the Recall King's latest claim to fame. In November, it was a worldwide recall for a water pump and - of all things - a steering issue, both affecting Toyota's much ballyhooed Prius. And the "punishment" now referenced is not for Toyota's most recent, mind-boggling safety recall. I blogged about that one, and we're still waiting - with bated breath - to see whether government will once again step forth, landing blow after blow with that dreaded wet noodle.
Update, 12/30/2012 - Just a reminder that administrators with the car club Spyderchat.com have contacted - to no avail - appropriate government agencies about all those engine failures in MR-2 Spyders. Not that taxpayers are gettin' a federal runaround, or anything like that.
Update 12/30/2012 - Best I can tell, a link to this post was censored from appearing in Facebook's Public Posts.
Toyota's friends at NHTSA have once again given the automaker a lashing with a wet noodle. Yet another safety-related defect, another delay in reporting, and another cozy deal for the Recall King. Ah, those never-ending recalls, along with evidence raising questions of a coverup...
"The latest infraction raises questions about whether the fines are big enough to deter automakers that withhold information from NHTSA, and whether the government agency can do enough to stop repeat offenses."
Indeed.
Isn't it ridiculous that our government allows Toyota to kick consumers around in the interests of corporate greed? Grovels on its knees before a miscreant corporation and tries to mesmerize the taxpaying public with meaningless numbers instead of meaningful fines. I've held firm in my conviction - expressed elsewhere in this blog - that NHTSA is a sham, interested primarily in protecting corrupt corporate interests, and time is certainly bearing witness to my claim.
Toyota's safety-related defects (the definition of which, as I've previously pointed out, are strictly limited) have been coming to light in such a fast and furious manner that its hard to keep up with the Recall King's latest claim to fame. In November, it was a worldwide recall for a water pump and - of all things - a steering issue, both affecting Toyota's much ballyhooed Prius. And the "punishment" now referenced is not for Toyota's most recent, mind-boggling safety recall. I blogged about that one, and we're still waiting - with bated breath - to see whether government will once again step forth, landing blow after blow with that dreaded wet noodle.
Update, 12/30/2012 - Just a reminder that administrators with the car club Spyderchat.com have contacted - to no avail - appropriate government agencies about all those engine failures in MR-2 Spyders. Not that taxpayers are gettin' a federal runaround, or anything like that.
Update 12/30/2012 - Best I can tell, a link to this post was censored from appearing in Facebook's Public Posts.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Toyota: Oh what a coverup?
The Recall King is once again making headlines with its lousy service, questionable business practices, and a never-ending parade of defective, dangerous products. Toyota's latest claim to fame features a fire hazzard which caused at least nine injuries - a Toyota spokesperson somehow forgot to mention the injuries - and evidence suggesting that the problem was kept quiet for four years as Toyota and its dealerships blamed a defective window switch on... cleaning products. That's right, folks. 161 blazes resulting from those pesky cleaning products. Only after its friends at NHTSA got nervous and upped the ante did Toyota finally declare a "voluntary" recall for a whopping 7.43 million units, their largest ever for a single component.
Lemme get this straight. The Recall King received firsthand knowledge of a faulty window switch that heats up and smells. Then, over the next four years (!) there were fires and injuries as consumers lodged a flurry of complaints with both Toyota and NHTSA. Things drag on as many consumers give up, vehicles are traded in or totalled in accidents, and Toyota avoids the expense and embarrassment of a major recall. And as recently as April of this year, Toyota alludes to its "extensive analysis" of the problem, telling NHTSA that all is well. Right. Buy more time, hoping to hold out until the problem magically disappears. And yet there's no indication that NHTSA has gotten so much as a whiff of the ol' proverbial rat in this matter.
The more I look at Toyota's business practices, the more I blame the government for an appalling lack of oversight and an unwillingness to levy appropriate punishments. Previous fines for delays in reporting defects have apparently done little to change Toyota's behavior. As I said at the time, NHTSA's "record-setting fines" were a mere slap on their friend's wrist, adding insult to injury by allowing Toyota to cut a cozy deal whereby the Recall King avoided any admission of wrongdoing. I shudder to think what Toyota is getting away with when it comes to defects that don't meet the government's criteria for "safety related." Like, for example, all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders.
Toyota is the story of complaints galore, a driver falsely imprisoned due to Toyota's problems with unintended acceleration, thousands of signatures on a continuing petition about oil sludge, eventual disclosure of every kind of defect imaginable, spectacular safety recalls, government fines, deaths, injuries, federal grand jury proceedings, a congressional investigation, prosecution under the RICO Act, zillions of lawsuits, confidential out-of-court settlements...
Maybe its time for the government to list Toyota as a terrorist organization.
Update 10/13/2012 - This post has been censored (for the past five hours at least) from appearing in Facebook's Public Posts. And I'd love to post comments on Yahoo, but about a month ago, I posted a comment implying that the CIA was stirring up anti-American activities in the Middle East. The comment was removed, and I was immediately blocked from posting any more comments below Yahoo news articles. Efforts to get Yahoo to correct this have been unsuccessful.
Update 10/18/2012 - As of today, my Yahoo account has been completely restored, including the comment referenced above. I'll gladly chalk this entire matter up to nothing more than a Yahoo glitch. Also today, my first couple of Facebook posts - one in reference to this latest recall - have appeared in real-time in Public Posts. I'll continue to monitor.
Lemme get this straight. The Recall King received firsthand knowledge of a faulty window switch that heats up and smells. Then, over the next four years (!) there were fires and injuries as consumers lodged a flurry of complaints with both Toyota and NHTSA. Things drag on as many consumers give up, vehicles are traded in or totalled in accidents, and Toyota avoids the expense and embarrassment of a major recall. And as recently as April of this year, Toyota alludes to its "extensive analysis" of the problem, telling NHTSA that all is well. Right. Buy more time, hoping to hold out until the problem magically disappears. And yet there's no indication that NHTSA has gotten so much as a whiff of the ol' proverbial rat in this matter.
The more I look at Toyota's business practices, the more I blame the government for an appalling lack of oversight and an unwillingness to levy appropriate punishments. Previous fines for delays in reporting defects have apparently done little to change Toyota's behavior. As I said at the time, NHTSA's "record-setting fines" were a mere slap on their friend's wrist, adding insult to injury by allowing Toyota to cut a cozy deal whereby the Recall King avoided any admission of wrongdoing. I shudder to think what Toyota is getting away with when it comes to defects that don't meet the government's criteria for "safety related." Like, for example, all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders.
Toyota is the story of complaints galore, a driver falsely imprisoned due to Toyota's problems with unintended acceleration, thousands of signatures on a continuing petition about oil sludge, eventual disclosure of every kind of defect imaginable, spectacular safety recalls, government fines, deaths, injuries, federal grand jury proceedings, a congressional investigation, prosecution under the RICO Act, zillions of lawsuits, confidential out-of-court settlements...
Maybe its time for the government to list Toyota as a terrorist organization.
Update 10/13/2012 - This post has been censored (for the past five hours at least) from appearing in Facebook's Public Posts. And I'd love to post comments on Yahoo, but about a month ago, I posted a comment implying that the CIA was stirring up anti-American activities in the Middle East. The comment was removed, and I was immediately blocked from posting any more comments below Yahoo news articles. Efforts to get Yahoo to correct this have been unsuccessful.
Update 10/18/2012 - As of today, my Yahoo account has been completely restored, including the comment referenced above. I'll gladly chalk this entire matter up to nothing more than a Yahoo glitch. Also today, my first couple of Facebook posts - one in reference to this latest recall - have appeared in real-time in Public Posts. I'll continue to monitor.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Bloomberg removes my comments re GT 86
Toyota just can't stand the truth. Now that some of the Recall King's lousy products and obscene attitudes toward customers has been exposed, there's an air of desperation as this sorry excuse for a business seeks to recapture those good ol' days when consumers were less wary of the brand. And mainstream media, from industry giants to those less notable, are rushing to Toyota's aid. Coverup is the name. Censorship is the game.
Things are really heatin' up now that Toyota has partnered with Subaru in an effort to produce another sports car. The last thing Toyota needs is publicity about all those MR2 Spyder engines that suddenly disintegrated and Toyota's determination to stonewall the matter hoping it would eventually go away. So what if customers lost - and continue to lose - thousands of dollars on engine replacements? So what if the things fall apart at speed in heavy traffic? "So what?" says the Recall King. We got a new effort goin' now. A new model we've been callin' the FT-86 which we're now callin' the GT 86 (Scion FR-S). Definitely the time to keep it quiet about all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders.
Just think of the embarrassment it would be if Toyota had to recall a whole slew of MR2 Spyders just when they're tryin' to introduce another sports car. Not to worry. Its mainstream media to the rescue. To begin with, I noticed a flurry of "articles" singin' the praises of the GT 86 (formerly FT-86) but no comments were permitted. One of those "articles" came via Bloomberg, and I sent an e-mail to the reporter and the editor expressing my displeasure. Then I noticed the same article had also appeared in Bloomberg's BusinessWeek section, comments were allowed, and a comment I submitted had been published. So I fired off apologies. But alas. I spoke too soon. Wouldn't ya know it? My comment was removed, and a second entry was also removed.
Apologies to Bloomberg retracted, but here's the deal. I really hit a nerve when I started commenting about the GT 86 and referencing engines disintegrating in MR2 Spyders. After a mere handful of auto news websites published my comments, visits to this blog literally soared, topping 85 hits almost immediately. That's the deal, and here's the question: Instead of censoring comments, why haven't mainstream media giants such as Bloomberg - not to mention Consumer Reports - exposed all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders?
Its time for Recall King Toyota and their cohorts in mainstream media to clean up their act.
Update 11/28/2011 - Facebook has blocked a link to this post from appearing in real-time Public Posts, and apparently Facebook is also playin' games with the excerpt from the article that ordinarily appears when links to articles are posted on one's page. The excerpt section was inoperable for this blog post, but still appeared for an article I drafted linking to another media source. Note also that real-time Public Posts on Facebook are searchable via other venues such as Openbook and Bing, so Facebook's censorship tactics in this regard are more sinister than one might think.
Things are really heatin' up now that Toyota has partnered with Subaru in an effort to produce another sports car. The last thing Toyota needs is publicity about all those MR2 Spyder engines that suddenly disintegrated and Toyota's determination to stonewall the matter hoping it would eventually go away. So what if customers lost - and continue to lose - thousands of dollars on engine replacements? So what if the things fall apart at speed in heavy traffic? "So what?" says the Recall King. We got a new effort goin' now. A new model we've been callin' the FT-86 which we're now callin' the GT 86 (Scion FR-S). Definitely the time to keep it quiet about all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders.
Just think of the embarrassment it would be if Toyota had to recall a whole slew of MR2 Spyders just when they're tryin' to introduce another sports car. Not to worry. Its mainstream media to the rescue. To begin with, I noticed a flurry of "articles" singin' the praises of the GT 86 (formerly FT-86) but no comments were permitted. One of those "articles" came via Bloomberg, and I sent an e-mail to the reporter and the editor expressing my displeasure. Then I noticed the same article had also appeared in Bloomberg's BusinessWeek section, comments were allowed, and a comment I submitted had been published. So I fired off apologies. But alas. I spoke too soon. Wouldn't ya know it? My comment was removed, and a second entry was also removed.
Apologies to Bloomberg retracted, but here's the deal. I really hit a nerve when I started commenting about the GT 86 and referencing engines disintegrating in MR2 Spyders. After a mere handful of auto news websites published my comments, visits to this blog literally soared, topping 85 hits almost immediately. That's the deal, and here's the question: Instead of censoring comments, why haven't mainstream media giants such as Bloomberg - not to mention Consumer Reports - exposed all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders?
Its time for Recall King Toyota and their cohorts in mainstream media to clean up their act.
Update 11/28/2011 - Facebook has blocked a link to this post from appearing in real-time Public Posts, and apparently Facebook is also playin' games with the excerpt from the article that ordinarily appears when links to articles are posted on one's page. The excerpt section was inoperable for this blog post, but still appeared for an article I drafted linking to another media source. Note also that real-time Public Posts on Facebook are searchable via other venues such as Openbook and Bing, so Facebook's censorship tactics in this regard are more sinister than one might think.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Reuters, closed session summits, and Toyota
If there's any so-called news organization I'd hate to have to depend on for facts, it would be Reuters. So it caught my eye when I read that Reuters was sponsoring a "Rebuilding Japan Summit," featuring "closed door on-the-record sessions." My interest was further piqued when I read Reuters' summit report publicizing comments by Toyota Executive Vice President Yukitoshi Funo. The report offered a rosey assessment of the company, omitting items such as recalls totalling 14 million units, record setting government fines for delays in reporting defects, a federal grand jury investigation, and a zillion lawsuits alleging coverup. Is this kind of "summit" genuine journalism? Or a cleverly contrived form of censorship?
Lately it seems there's been a sudden surge in mainstream media articles intent on ignoring facts and portraying the Recall King as some sort of innocent bystander. Meanwhile, the Toyota defect parade marches on with numerous recent recalls and the punishment of an engineer-turned-whistleblower in Vietnam. Guess I musta missed Reuters' "coverage" of the situation in Vietnam.
What Toyota, Japan, and the good ol' U.S.A. needs is something along the line of a "Toyota Engine Failure Summit" featuring reps from MR2 clubs along with past and present Spyder owners who lost thousands when their engines suddenly fell apart. Anyone who signed the ongoing oil sludge petition would also be invited to tell their stories regarding Toyota's "class action settlement." Bigwigs from Toyota, a few select congressmen, and representatives from the Department of Transportation would be on hand to field concerns, assured that the entire event would be nationally televised.
Somehow, I don't think that's the kind of summit Reuters would like to see.
Lately it seems there's been a sudden surge in mainstream media articles intent on ignoring facts and portraying the Recall King as some sort of innocent bystander. Meanwhile, the Toyota defect parade marches on with numerous recent recalls and the punishment of an engineer-turned-whistleblower in Vietnam. Guess I musta missed Reuters' "coverage" of the situation in Vietnam.
What Toyota, Japan, and the good ol' U.S.A. needs is something along the line of a "Toyota Engine Failure Summit" featuring reps from MR2 clubs along with past and present Spyder owners who lost thousands when their engines suddenly fell apart. Anyone who signed the ongoing oil sludge petition would also be invited to tell their stories regarding Toyota's "class action settlement." Bigwigs from Toyota, a few select congressmen, and representatives from the Department of Transportation would be on hand to field concerns, assured that the entire event would be nationally televised.
Somehow, I don't think that's the kind of summit Reuters would like to see.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Toyota runs, but can't hide
Reputation for defects, known far and wide; Toyota can run, but Toyota can't hide.
Heartfelt thanks to Armen Hareyan and Torque News for publishing my article, "Toyota Losin' for a Reason." I'm honored to have my opinion featured. Visit TorqueNews on Facebook and TorqueNewsAuto on Twitter.
Word is gettin' out about the Recall King's lousy products and equally lousy attitude. Things have apparently gotten to the point where Toyota is experimenting with marketing efforts that seek to divert attention away from troublesome issues such as recalls, lawsuits, fines, and investigations. Meaningful info about the vehicle is all but eliminated, along with reporters' question and answer sessions. Those questions from the media can be embarassing. Much safer to spotlight a pagentry of music and models. All in unison, girls. Spell the plural of Prius.
But will it work? Will consumers be mesmerized into plunking down hard earned dollars for products no longer imbued with the mistique of a manufacturer that can do no wrong? Not likely. At least not for a stretch. Recall King Toyota must now face the consequences of deeds brought to the public's attention in a big way.
Its a little late for glitzy ads, Recall King. Try all the diversionary tactics you want, but the facts are rainin' on your parade.
Heartfelt thanks to Armen Hareyan and Torque News for publishing my article, "Toyota Losin' for a Reason." I'm honored to have my opinion featured. Visit TorqueNews on Facebook and TorqueNewsAuto on Twitter.
Word is gettin' out about the Recall King's lousy products and equally lousy attitude. Things have apparently gotten to the point where Toyota is experimenting with marketing efforts that seek to divert attention away from troublesome issues such as recalls, lawsuits, fines, and investigations. Meaningful info about the vehicle is all but eliminated, along with reporters' question and answer sessions. Those questions from the media can be embarassing. Much safer to spotlight a pagentry of music and models. All in unison, girls. Spell the plural of Prius.
But will it work? Will consumers be mesmerized into plunking down hard earned dollars for products no longer imbued with the mistique of a manufacturer that can do no wrong? Not likely. At least not for a stretch. Recall King Toyota must now face the consequences of deeds brought to the public's attention in a big way.
Its a little late for glitzy ads, Recall King. Try all the diversionary tactics you want, but the facts are rainin' on your parade.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Ruling supports plaintiffs re Prius brakes
Call 'em Priuses, Prii, or whatever you will (try Glitch-mobiles), but a class action lawsuit alleging defective brakes will proceed. The judge denied Toyota's request for a dismissal, and rightly so.
This lawsuit over Prius brakes stems from complaints galore, and alleges that Toyota knew about a defect years before the cars were recalled. Based on my experience, the allegations ring true. Even though the Internet is loaded with complaints of sudden engine failures in MR2 Spyders, Toyota refuses to acknowledge a defect, maintaining that the failures "could be caused by a number of things, such as not changing the oil at proper intervals." When I tried to discuss the postings from two major car clubs, Toyota's "customer loyalty" guy "didn't want to hear about all that." And NHTSA refuses to get involved because - thanks to lobbying efforts, no doubt - sudden engine failures such as those involving the MR2 Spyders are not considered a safety issue. Of course, this all goes hand in hand with blamin' the customer (sound familiar?), who winds up on the short side when it comes to having any practical recourse.
Like the lawsuit over Prius headlights, Toyota will probably settle this Prius brake case long before risking a jury decision. A jury is likely to look at the number of complaints, exercise a little common sense, and hand down a hefty tab for punitive damages.
What kind of company treats its customers in such a manner? And what kind of government lets 'em get away with it?
This lawsuit over Prius brakes stems from complaints galore, and alleges that Toyota knew about a defect years before the cars were recalled. Based on my experience, the allegations ring true. Even though the Internet is loaded with complaints of sudden engine failures in MR2 Spyders, Toyota refuses to acknowledge a defect, maintaining that the failures "could be caused by a number of things, such as not changing the oil at proper intervals." When I tried to discuss the postings from two major car clubs, Toyota's "customer loyalty" guy "didn't want to hear about all that." And NHTSA refuses to get involved because - thanks to lobbying efforts, no doubt - sudden engine failures such as those involving the MR2 Spyders are not considered a safety issue. Of course, this all goes hand in hand with blamin' the customer (sound familiar?), who winds up on the short side when it comes to having any practical recourse.
Like the lawsuit over Prius headlights, Toyota will probably settle this Prius brake case long before risking a jury decision. A jury is likely to look at the number of complaints, exercise a little common sense, and hand down a hefty tab for punitive damages.
What kind of company treats its customers in such a manner? And what kind of government lets 'em get away with it?
Friday, March 4, 2011
Toyota a liability for Lotus, FT-86
With all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders, no wonder Toyota is relying on Subaru for the engine in the still anticipated finale of the FT-86 (Scion FR-S). But as Toyota partners with Subaru and ventures once again into sports car land, informed consumers will also contemplate such things as Toyota's botched job designing MR2 hood releases. And now that Toyota has become somewhat less than a paragon of quality, we learn that sports car legend Lotus has been catchin' criticism from customers because of its involvement with the Recall King.
Frankly, I've always thought it strange that Lotus would link up with Toyota, even though - as I understand it - the Recall King's engines are not exactly stock by the time Lotus gives 'em a goin' over. Nonetheless, Lotus has now decided to quit with the Toyota engines. Right on for "Engine by Lotus. From scratch. Honest."
Since word got out about all those stonewalled engine failures in MR2 Spyders, Toyota seems to have a flair for teamin' up with other brands when it comes to sports cars. But I'm bettin' lots of folks see things the same way I do. Havin' been fooled once by Toyota's efforts to produce a sports car, I'm no longer impressed by anything Toyota is involved in, and certainly not the FT-86. Especially that often-loaded-with-bugs first year model. Among other things, co-partner Subaru is suddenly departing from its longstanding practice of only producing vehicles with all wheel drive.
Maybe Toyota could get Lotus to do the bodywork, chassis, and drivetrain. Then with Subaru doin' the engine... But wait. Where would Toyota come in? No problem. Just put the Recall King in charge of advertising. But by all means, keep 'em away from those floor mats.
Note: A weird thing happened when I linked to a Consumer Reports FT-86 article via a Twitter "Top Tweet" and tried to post a comment. A pop-up appeared, "We're sorry, we cannot accept this data." Such a delight. Nothin' like open communications. Thought for a minute there I was being censored.
Update 11/27/11 - Leave it to Toyota to spawn years of teaser type marketing and then spring a last minute name change to GT 86. Ho hum. Another front engined monstrosity weighing in at 2,662 pounds complete with a fish-like appearance and two squished in rear seats. Next thing you know, the Recall King will be strikin' up a partnership with Ford's Mustang.
Frankly, I've always thought it strange that Lotus would link up with Toyota, even though - as I understand it - the Recall King's engines are not exactly stock by the time Lotus gives 'em a goin' over. Nonetheless, Lotus has now decided to quit with the Toyota engines. Right on for "Engine by Lotus. From scratch. Honest."
Since word got out about all those stonewalled engine failures in MR2 Spyders, Toyota seems to have a flair for teamin' up with other brands when it comes to sports cars. But I'm bettin' lots of folks see things the same way I do. Havin' been fooled once by Toyota's efforts to produce a sports car, I'm no longer impressed by anything Toyota is involved in, and certainly not the FT-86. Especially that often-loaded-with-bugs first year model. Among other things, co-partner Subaru is suddenly departing from its longstanding practice of only producing vehicles with all wheel drive.
Maybe Toyota could get Lotus to do the bodywork, chassis, and drivetrain. Then with Subaru doin' the engine... But wait. Where would Toyota come in? No problem. Just put the Recall King in charge of advertising. But by all means, keep 'em away from those floor mats.
Note: A weird thing happened when I linked to a Consumer Reports FT-86 article via a Twitter "Top Tweet" and tried to post a comment. A pop-up appeared, "We're sorry, we cannot accept this data." Such a delight. Nothin' like open communications. Thought for a minute there I was being censored.
Update 11/27/11 - Leave it to Toyota to spawn years of teaser type marketing and then spring a last minute name change to GT 86. Ho hum. Another front engined monstrosity weighing in at 2,662 pounds complete with a fish-like appearance and two squished in rear seats. Next thing you know, the Recall King will be strikin' up a partnership with Ford's Mustang.
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