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.    

NASA physicist targets Toyota's electronic throttle control

"Leidecker said he believes the tin whisker risk remains for Toyotas in model years 2002-2006. While the risk is small, it increases with time. 'It’s a game of Russian roulette,' he said." - 4/5/2014 article, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "A Carbondale professor, runaway Toyotas and the hunt for 'tin whiskers"' 

Toyota and its government friends refuse to talk about it, but there's evidence galore of electronic issues associated with sudden, unintended acceleration. After all, the Recall King did fork over some payola to end the federal criminal "investigation," shamfully (sic) limited to floor mats and sticky gas pedals. It's obvious that Congress, NHTSA, and the DOJ put on one whopper of a performance, intended all along to let a filthy-rich corporate slob - with a cash stash of 60 billion bucks - off the hook, nobody jailed. More of the same is underway with GM. 

Never mind that renowned embedded systems expert Michael Barr found bugs in Toyota's electronic throttle control and gave the Recall King a whuppin' in an Oklahoma court. Never mind that Mr. Barr's findings put the Recall King in "settlement mode" for hundreds of remaining unintended acceleration cases. And never mind that tenured professor Dr. David Gilbert impressed NASA - yes, NASA, but don't tell NHTSA - with electronics-related findings now supported by NASA physicist Henning Leidecker who refers to Dr. Gilbert as a "hero" regarding the tin whiskers issue. Physicist Leidecker has concluded that the risk of unintended acceleration increases as tin whiskers grow, and points to Toyota's redesign of pedal sensors, expressly intended to address the tin whisker risk. "Why would (Toyota) do that if tin whiskers were never a problem?" he asks. Of course, the Recall King simply ignored repeated requests to comment about Dr. Leidecker's remarks.

Soon to be published in the prestigious online engineering journal IEEE Access is yet another electronics study - this time by Dr. Antony Anderson - offering a detailed look at the potential for false speed signals to be accepted as authentic, triggering unverifiable instances of unintended acceleration. Dr. Anderson butts heads with NHTSA, demonstrating that "absence of proof" isn't "proof of absence."

A decent government would have taken a serious look at the unintended acceleration issue instead of trying to snow the public by grandstanding with NASA and then broadcasting an outright lie, claiming NASA had ruled out electronic involvement. NASA did no such thing, never claimed it had, and physicist Leidecker's outspoken interest in tin whiskers confirms it.

Instances of sudden unintended acceleration continue. For thousands of customers, Toyota's oil sludge fiasco never got resolved. Engine failures in MR2 Spyders are ignored, and class action lawsuits lining barrister pockets make headlines as Toyota treats customers like dirt.

Does anyone believe Toyota, GM, or the auto industry has changed for the better?

Updates 4/9/2014 -
>  Yesterday, Dr. Antony Anderson's comments below the St. Louis Post-Dispatch article were apparently removed, and Dr. Anderson says no explanation was given. Dr. Anderson addressed some technical issues, stated his support for Dr. David Gilbert, and criticized Toyota's response to Dr. Gilbert's findings. Hopefully, Dr. Anderson's remarks will reappear.  
>  Another massive Toyota recall, and government stooge Yahoo is immediately removing comments I post referring to Michael Barr's findings, and Dr. Leidecker's concerns about the increased risk of unintended acceleration in '02-'06 Camrys. Censorship the American way. 

Updates 4/10/2014 -
>  Dr. Anderson's comments (see yesterday's update) on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch article reappeared today. Right on!!! The public needs to know that Dr. Gilbert's findings have the support of other electrical engineers. Oops - mighta spoke too soon. Don't see the comments - I'm lookin' into the matter :-) 
>  The gist of my Yahoo comments (again, see yesterday's update) reappeared yesterday.

Updates 4/11/2014 -
>  Dr. Anderson (see above updates) apparently encountered a log-in glitch. Hopefully, this will be cleared up today. 
>  Dr. Anderson's comments - with the sincere assistance of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch - are now posted. The problem turned out to be - wouldn't ya know it? - Facebook. Dr. Anderson was attempting to log in using his Facebook account, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch webmaster discovered that Facebook had designated Dr. Anderson as a "user who is suspiciously new," thereby blocking his efforts to post comments. I won't belabor the obvious absurdity.

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.

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?

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.

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: 
 

"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.   

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.

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.

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: 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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

Stallin' the Toyota Way: '06 hybrid SUVs

Uh-oh.  The Recall King is facin' a brand spankin' new investigation, this time for complaints about engines stalling - most of 'em at 40 mph or more - in 2006 Highlander hybrid SUVs.  And here again, there's a finer point:  How long has Toyota known about this issue?  How many customers have complained to Toyota about this problem since 2006?  Surely we aren't expected to believe that Toyota first heard of it via NHTSA.

If matters rested on just this one case, it would be different.  But this is the umpteenth time we've had reason to wonder how long Toyota has known about malfunctions in its vehicles.  The question arises, for example, with those embarassing fines from NHTSA, the complaints about Prius headlights, and a current lawsuit involving allegations that Toyota knew about Prius brake problems for years before finally issuing a recall.   

When vehicles suddenly stall, won't restart, and have to be towed in, its not hard to imagine the kind of complaints voiced to Toyota.  Looks like the matter should have been settled a long time ago, without any involvement from NHTSA.  Foot draggin' can go a long way when it comes to such things as warranties and customers givin' up on pursuing a complaint.  "Aw shucks.  Let's just trade this thing in and move on."

Frankly, I don't see how on earth floor mats could... no, wait.  Floor mats were causin' sudden acceleration.  This time the vehicles are stallin'.  In fact, some other models - Corolla, Matrix - started stallin' not long ago.  Gee.  I hope someone is keepin'  track of all this.  Maybe it'll help me sort things out if I connect Toyota's '06 Highlander hybrids with how the engine in my MR2 was threatening to stall as it disintegrated.     

Lawsuits, fines, subpoenas, online petitions, investigations, recalls, multi-million dollar settlements, confidentiality agreements, criminal charges, and the list goes on ad nauseum.  Talk about consumer affairs...

Update 2/24/11 - Did I say brand spankin' new investigation?  There's been yet another massive Toyota recall, and now CHINA wants Toyota to explain.  Seems the Chinese have doubts about the Recall King's claims that vehicles sold in China were not defective.

Sudden, unwarranted acclamations

What a hoot.  Toyota's protectors - including U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and NHTSA - are declaring the Recall King blameless because NASA says it can't prove electronics are responsible for some of Toyota's recent avalanche of sudden unintended acceleration issues.

Maybe Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood - talk about a Toyota mouthpiece - should read the report.  NASA doesn't say that electronics aren't involved.  It merely states - after examining a whoppin' total of nine (!) vehicles - that the agency has been unable to prove a connection.  In fact, experts in the field are already questioning the government's methodology.  The only thing that's been proven is the fact that there's a long way to go before this matter is resolved.  Ironically enough, what has been resolved - the effectiveness of a brake override system - does not bode well for the Recall King.  While others were installing this safety device, the world's "number one automaker" lagged behind.  Drug its feet so slowly that this glaring safety omission has become the focal point of lawsuits filed against Toyota not only by customers, but also insurance companies.  Furthermore, Toyota's 8 million recalls for sudden unintended acceleration were based on mechanical issues, not electronics. 

Pardon a pun, but the overriding issue isn't Toyota's electronics, its Toyota's credibility.  For proof that this issue has taken center stage, one need look no further than the eyebrow raisin' results of an Associated Press investigation and the recent appointment of a special counsel to determine if Toyota illegally concealed rollover data in a case in Texas.

Regardless of Ray LaHood, NHTSA, NASA, and the best electoral system money can buy, this is still the age of the Internet.  With thousands of customers signing an online petition complaining of continuing problems with oil sludge, two major car clubs howling about engine failures in MR2 Spyders, and an increasing host of other websites critical of Toyota, the Recall King obviously has a long way to go when it comes to establishing trust.   

Sudden, unwarranted acclamations won't silence the facts, Toyota.  Word is out regarding the way you do business.   

Volt upstages Prius. Toyota features Akio.

GM's Volt musta shocked Akio Toyoda when it won the North American Car of the Year award at this year's prestigious International Auto Show.  It happened while Akio was makin' his first ever appearance at the Detroit show, wringing his hands about recalls, and carrying on about the Prius, Tesla's production techniques, Toyota's outdated styling, a sudden determination to cater to customers, and - believe it or not - Toyota's commitment to safety.  The Recall King would have been better off if the "Prince" had stayed home.  And kept quiet.

Toyota was apparently hoping to steal the show by unveiling a "family" of new Prius models.  But these aren't the good ol' days.  Too many recalls.  Too many fines.  Too many disclosures, charges, investigations, lawsuits, and settlements.  Too many angry customers, Prince.  And correcting the situation will take a lot more than silly advertisements focusing on how to make the word "Prius" plural.  Nonetheless, insofar as the little glitch-mobile is concerned, your new Prius collection is about as exciting as the ad campaign. 

Please, Akio.  Pretty please.  Don't tell us any more about the recalls, the Prius, a lack of production and styling expertise, attitudes toward customers, or Toyota's commitment to safety.  Really, Prince.  Over the past year, we've heard quite enough about all that.  Instead, tell us why thousands of customers have signed an online petition complaining of continuing problems with oil sludge.  Tell us about all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders and why you've stonewalled complaints from owners, as well as two major car clubs.  Please, Prince.  Give us reason to believe that your company has changed.  For the better.

Toyota Prius best coined "GLITCH-mobile"

It was a cute little marketing ploy - presented not long before the North American International Auto Show - for GM's CEO to refer to Toyota's Prius as a "geek-mobile," touting it as no match for GM's new Volt.  Gee.  I certainly hope GM's new product is better than the Prius.  Fact is, it wouldn't have to be all that great.  A better nickname for Toyota's little wonder car would be "glitch-mobile," underscored by Toyota's latest Prius recall:  650,000 units to repair poorly designed water pumps, even though the Recall King says this wasn't actually a recall, blabbering something about customer satisfaction.  Regarding "customer satisfaction," its interesting that the models with the botched water pumps are '04 thru '07.  Given currently-charged-with-racketeering Toyota's reputation for being a bit slow to acknowledge defects, I can't help but wonder how long Toyota has known about these problems. 

Lookin' over my blog posts concerning the Prius, its no wonder the things are not sellin' as well lately.  Glitches galore.  Acceleration problems, braking problems, headlight problems, and the list continues right up to the defective water pumps.  Seems Toyota's discounts aren't workin' too well either...

Its a shame the media spotlight somehow keeps missin' all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders.  Two major car clubs have been screamin' about the situation for years, along with consumers posting complaints all over the Internet.  Wonder what other problems Toyota has been having - such as continuing problems with oil sludge - that the media has chosen to ignore?

Car and Driver slams Toyota for 2011

Talk about a coincidence:  Toyota's 2011 Sienna recall was announced shortly after Car and Driver magazine let it be known that no Toyota would be included in its top 10 picks for 2011.  Great timing, Toyota.       

Based on my experience, most any automaker would be preferable to the Recall King,  and I'm especially pleased to see a few rear wheel drive vehicles makin' the grade for CD's top ten.  Notably enough, that's an area where Toyota has no offerings whatsoever.  Their last rear wheeler was the MR2 Spyder, plagued by a rash of engine failures in 2000 thru 2002 models.  If they offer another sports car, I sure wouldn't wanna risk buyin' one.   

The Recall King is suffering from exposure, and its glaring absence from CD's top picks for 2011 speaks volumnes.  The word - no pun intended - is out, Toyota.
http://www.torquenews.com/108/car-and-driver-top-10-cars-2011

Toyota takes it on the... wrist. Again.

Toyota gets two more cozy deals:  Drop-in-the-bucket fines, and an agreement allowing the Recall King to fork over the money without admitting any violations of U.S. law.  And the issues are far from minor.  We're talking about the likelihood of injuries and deaths resulting from delays in reporting defects. 

Without steeper fines, expect more such delays in the future.  And there probably won't be any steeper fines.  Proposed safety legislation - itself prompted by Toyota's issues with sudden, unintended acceleration - has been blocked, which brings us back to the crux of the matter.  Ol' Uncle Sam - imbued with the best system money can buy - isn't really all that interested in reigning in an automaker like Toyota, regardless of how flagrant the violations.

Its important to note that the focus so far has been primarily on safety related issues.  Given Toyota's disasterous showing in that regard, why hasn't there been a closer look at Toyota's response - or lack thereof - to so-called "non-safety" related issues?  Over three thousand customers have signed a petition alleging continuing problems with oil sludge, and two major car clubs have been screaming for years about engine failures in MR2 Spyders.  Three fines in one year, racketeering charges, lawsuits galore alleging fraud, a federal grand jury investigation, record setting recalls, and... well, you get the picture. 

Its time for more than a few slaps on the wrist.
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/dec/21/toyota-to-pay-324-million-in-fines-to-feds/
http://detnews.com/article/20101221/AUTO01/12210356/-1/rss29