Update 11/2/2014 - "Trust us" indeed (see 10/28 update below). Toyota's response to the airbag fiasco has turned out to be highly controversial. It must be awful to have to depend on an admitted crook and Coverup King like Toyota to do the right thing about defective airbags. Of course, auto-industry-stooge NHTSA quickly approved Toyota's response to the scandal.
Updates 10/28/2014
> Appearing on CNBC, Toyota's Jim Lentz has the gall to say "trust us" regarding airbags. Trust a corporation that pled guilty to a federal FRAUD charge? Talk about a thigh-slappin' HOOT...
> Lawsuits claim Takata knew about the airbag defect in 2001. "Car owners allege they were duped into buying models that weren’t as safe as they were made to believe because of the potentially dangerous air bags ... Representatives for Takata, Honda and Toyota declined to comment..."
So we're expected to believe that Honda has known about the airbag fiasco for years, but Coverup King and admitted-crook Toyota was left unaware. Forgiveness is sought for those of us who find that a bit difficult to believe, and pardon me for bringin' this up, but wonder what else the "world's largest automaker" is "unaware" of. Whatever. Toyota's response to those deadly, shrapnel-slingin' airbags gets more interesting by the minute.
The Coverup King is now advising folks to "keep passengers out of the front seat of several models." Really. And never mind that this sage advice for U.S. customers comes four months after Toyota took similar actions in Japan. Well, I guess stayin' outta the seat is better than trustin' Toyota to disable the things. Bear in mind that among the multitude of recalls Toyota has become infamous for, on occasion they've had to issue second recalls for the same problem 'cause initial efforts to fix things didn't work. Does anyone in their right mind wanna trust an admitted crook to "disable" what amounts to a roadside bomb?
Frankly, with all the software problems Toyota has encountered - not the least of which is computer expert Michael Barr finding electronic defects galore in Toyota's throttle control - I wouldn't bet too heavily on their airbags performing properly even without the bungling from parts supplier Takata. Here's a peek at problems associated with Toyota's airbags.
"Oh what a feeling" indeed. Just make sure passengers don't have it while riding in that front seat.
Updates 10/22/2014 -
> Believe it or not, Coverup King Toyota is supporting Takata's bungling - er I mean handling - of the airbag fiasco. Birds of a feather...
> Just in from USA Today: "NHTSA didn't say why it only now is raising an alarm about the imminent danger of the bags, some of which have been on the roads since 2000, and which began being recalled by automakers in 2008." So the feds are "confused" now that the facts are coming out? Really, folks: If Americans are DUMB enough to tolerate murderous crookedness out of this repulsive little oligarchy - Repukes n Demagogues alike - as it panders to thugs in the auto industry, so be it.
Showing posts with label shoddy service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shoddy service. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
EDR readout puts admitted-crook Toyota in the hotseat
Coverup King Toyota is notorious for being "secretive" with readouts from "their" Event Data Recorders (EDR's). An Assciated Press investigation found that "Toyota has frequently refused to provide information crucial to crash victims and survivors, and that in some lawsuits, the automaker has routinely provided printouts with key information missing."
Enter Bob Ruginis, who happened to obtain a copy of the "secret" black box (EDR) readout after his wife's Corolla sped out of control and crashed into another vehicle. More on that in a moment.
The Ruginises' Corolla had been plagued with unintended acceleration events ever since it was purchased new in 2010, and prior to the accident, the Ruginises had lodged UA complaints with their Toyota dealership. The dealership blamed the transmission.
When yet another unintended acceleration event occured, this time resulting in an accident, the Ruginises filed a claim with Toyota, whereupon Toyota sent the Event Data Recorder off to the manufacturer (Bosch) to obtain a readout. But a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. There was a paperwork delay which prompted an employee at Bosch to telephone Mr. Ruginis. During the phone conversation, Mr. Ruginis asked if he could have a copy of the readout, and Bosch's employee sent him one.
Listen up, Toyota. These things happen. Plans to keep secrets do go awry. And hey, Coverup King: If there's nothing to hide, don't hide it.
The readout (see exhibit) - who woulda thought? - is consistent with Mrs. Ruginis' account of what happened: Brake on, accelerator not pressed, yet engine revs had suddenly doubled, and speed had suddenly more than doubled. Follows the usual format for the vast majority of unintended acceleration events. They begin at very slow speeds - events are usually associated with parking - when a sudden surge catches the driver by surprise.
The showdown started when Toyota's "investigative" report of Mrs. Ruginis' accident conveniently omitted the EDR data, blamed the accident on her, and denied her claim. And when the Muginises confronted Toyota about the omission, the ol' Coverup King got downright huffy, declaring that the EDR readout wasn't relevant. But instead of cowering down to such bullying tactics from an admitted crook, Mr. Ruginis - who happens to be an embedded systems expert with 35 years experience - petitioned NHTSA to launch an investigation of his case (and hundreds of other cases registering similar complaints), sent a letter to Toyota's new "Independent Safety Monitor" suggesting that Toyota had violated the terms of its federal criminal settlement by concealing the EDR data, and started talking to news media. And wouldn't ya know it? NHTSA agreed to investigate, and Toyota's new "Independent Safety Monitor" hurriedly arranged to meet with the Ruginises at their home on Wednesday of this week.
But beyond these grand theatrics, don't expect much.
Bear in mind that NHTSA broadcasted the big lie that NASA had ruled out electronics as a cause of Toyotas speeding out of control, and the auto industry stooge - complicit up to its neck in GM's ignition switch scandal - has also ignored NASA physicist Henning Leidecker's warning of increased risk of unintended acceleration in '02-'06 Camrys due to electronic defects known as "tin whiskers" growing in the pedal sensors. In Mrs. Ruginis' case, NHTSA is blabbering about a "dual pedal application," a speculation clearly at odds with the readout.
As for Toyota's new "Independent Safety Monitor," the guy was appointed by U.S. Attorney Eric Holder with input from none other than the admitted crook the guy is supposedly charged with overseeing. Holder's "Just Us" department showed its true colors earlier this year with a curt "No comment" when confronted with compelling evidence of defects galore in Toyota's electronic throttle control. Ah, the heartwarming sincerity of a corporate-controlled government...
Toyota has chimed in with blabber about "late braking," and that's a hoot. The readout shows a big increase in speed - accelerator not pressed - a split second before the brake was applied. It evidences a sudden surge that came too late to give the driver hardly any time to attempt to stop the vehicle before it crashed. "Late braking," Toyota? The evidence points to electronically-associated late surging. And after all, prior complaints had been lodged...
Real hoot seeing a corporate bully and its government cohots squirm. No court redactions of the evidence, no confidential settlements, and no mainstream media blackouts like the kinda stuff that took place October of last year when an Oklahoma jury said Toyota exhibited "'reckless disregard' for the public's safety" in the design of its electronic throttle control.
Stay tuned. This is one of several recently publicized events that evidence the involvement of electronics in cases of unintended acceleration. To find out just how big the government and industry coverup is, read Tom Murray's book, "Deadly by Design." It was published after Toyota lost the big case in Oklahoma, and puts the unintended acceleration issue in proper perspective.
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, 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.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Bad fix for recalls has Toyota spinnin'
Apparently, Toyota is having trouble repairing their recalls. I guess that's to be expected when an automaker has over 11 million in one year, but in Toyota's case, its the company's response that should raise eyebrows.
Toyota seems to have a problem with admitting a problem. Even when said problem is obvious and verifiable. Hence, when word got out that their technicians had botched accelerator repairs on recalled Camrys and Avalons, Toyota dug their heels in, and instead of simply acknowledging the situation, attempted to "spin" the story, offering the kind of sheer blabber that insults people's intelligence. A prime example of the sort of thing that's been a big contributor to Toyota's continuing downfall, especially in the U.S. market.
Here's the deal, Toyota. The kind of double-talkin' nonsense you've so blatently displayed is prima facie evidence that your company hasn't changed and has no intentions of doing so. Listen up, currently-charged-with-racketeering Toyota: Honesty is still the best policy.
Botched repairs revealed: http://www.insideline.com/toyota/camry/glitch-pops-up-in-toyota-camry-recall.html
Toyota responds: http://www.autospies.com/news/Toyota-Issues-Statement-Over-TSB-On-Recall-Repairs-59774/
Toyota seems to have a problem with admitting a problem. Even when said problem is obvious and verifiable. Hence, when word got out that their technicians had botched accelerator repairs on recalled Camrys and Avalons, Toyota dug their heels in, and instead of simply acknowledging the situation, attempted to "spin" the story, offering the kind of sheer blabber that insults people's intelligence. A prime example of the sort of thing that's been a big contributor to Toyota's continuing downfall, especially in the U.S. market.
Here's the deal, Toyota. The kind of double-talkin' nonsense you've so blatently displayed is prima facie evidence that your company hasn't changed and has no intentions of doing so. Listen up, currently-charged-with-racketeering Toyota: Honesty is still the best policy.
Botched repairs revealed: http://www.insideline.com/toyota/camry/glitch-pops-up-in-toyota-camry-recall.html
Toyota responds: http://www.autospies.com/news/Toyota-Issues-Statement-Over-TSB-On-Recall-Repairs-59774/
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Speaking of hoods, Toyota...
'Bout two and a half months ago, my MR2 Spyder's hood release AGAIN failed to operate (See "Shoddy service: Dick Dyer and The Toyota Center" and "Hey, Toyota: Someone else fixed my car"). This time, I got the rest of the story.
To begin with Toyota designed the release cable to stretch from the driver's side all the way underneath the car to the passenger's side, and then around the back end to the latch. Kinda like goin' from Atlanta to Miami via Las Vegas. Faced with customer complaints, Toyota had issued a technical service bulletin for a new cable (same length) but were not as forthcoming about the later addition of an extra spring for the latch.
The independent shop I dealt with did their homework, got a redesigned latch, improvised to accomodate the exceptionally long cable, and the repair bill was about $450. Underscoring Toyota's lousy service, the Toyota parts dealer initially sent a latch for the trunk instead of the hood, even though the order included the correct parts number.
Toyota, you've got problems with your products, your dealerships, and your attitude, and its not about growing too big too fast. Its about an unwillingness to do the right thing. A determination to see how much you can get away with at your customers' expense. As your parade of recalls continues, I wish your former-attorney-turned-whistleblower, Dimitrios Biller, all the luck in the world as he attempts to expose the way you do business. You're a sick company, Toyota. And as far as I can tell, you have no intentions of changing for the better.
Regarding Toyota's latest recall - announced today - of 1.53 million vehicles for fuel pump and brake problems, Yahoo censored my comments.
To begin with Toyota designed the release cable to stretch from the driver's side all the way underneath the car to the passenger's side, and then around the back end to the latch. Kinda like goin' from Atlanta to Miami via Las Vegas. Faced with customer complaints, Toyota had issued a technical service bulletin for a new cable (same length) but were not as forthcoming about the later addition of an extra spring for the latch.
The independent shop I dealt with did their homework, got a redesigned latch, improvised to accomodate the exceptionally long cable, and the repair bill was about $450. Underscoring Toyota's lousy service, the Toyota parts dealer initially sent a latch for the trunk instead of the hood, even though the order included the correct parts number.
Toyota, you've got problems with your products, your dealerships, and your attitude, and its not about growing too big too fast. Its about an unwillingness to do the right thing. A determination to see how much you can get away with at your customers' expense. As your parade of recalls continues, I wish your former-attorney-turned-whistleblower, Dimitrios Biller, all the luck in the world as he attempts to expose the way you do business. You're a sick company, Toyota. And as far as I can tell, you have no intentions of changing for the better.
Regarding Toyota's latest recall - announced today - of 1.53 million vehicles for fuel pump and brake problems, Yahoo censored my comments.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Hey, Toyota: Someone else fixed my car.
Talk about lousy service at Toyota dealerships. I've already posted regarding the unevenness in my rebuilt engine, the Check Engine light coming on, and the fact that I took my MR2 Spyder to the Toyota Center several times attempting to have these things corrected. Their "senior mechanic" plugged in his diagnostic tool and suggested that I add bottles of moisture remover to my gas tank. Of course, this didn't work, I finally quit going back, and the Check Engine light has remained on for a long time.
Matters got resolved a few weeks ago when the hood release once again failed to operate (turns out that even though a Technical Service Bulletin was issued, neither Dick Dyer Toyota nor the Toyota Center were able to fix it), and I had to find someone who could get my hood open. Determined not to take my car to a Toyota dealership, I found an independent repair shop, asked them to fix the hood release, and didn't even mention the other problems because I had pretty much given up on ever gettin' the car to run right. But lo and behold, these folks took an interest in the car, asked me about the Check Engine light, and to make a long story short, the car now runs like it should for the first time since I bought it. Smooth all the way to the redline, 'bout twice as fast, and no Check Engine light glaring in my face. Cost about $800 but well worth it. Thrilled, I am - even though these things should have been corrected when Toyota rebuilt the engine.
Whatsamatter, Toyota? Are your dealers really that incompetent? Apparently so. But at least I got a good laugh out of it when I saw you were offering free service as a sales incentive. 'Cause that's exactly what your lousy service is worth. Absolutely nothin'.
Update: Yesterday (7/20/2010) I posted a tweet referencing this post and this morning Twitter has censored my tweets from appearing in real-time. Toyota must be gettin' nervous with all this talk of a widening federal grand jury investigation. Look out, Toyota. Your defective products are finally gettin' exposed.
Update 7/21/2010 5:29 PM This blog post has also been censored by Facebook. It appears on FB Home, Profile and Posts by Friends, but not on Posts by Everyone. Re Twitter, I'm apparently unblocked - at least for now.
Matters got resolved a few weeks ago when the hood release once again failed to operate (turns out that even though a Technical Service Bulletin was issued, neither Dick Dyer Toyota nor the Toyota Center were able to fix it), and I had to find someone who could get my hood open. Determined not to take my car to a Toyota dealership, I found an independent repair shop, asked them to fix the hood release, and didn't even mention the other problems because I had pretty much given up on ever gettin' the car to run right. But lo and behold, these folks took an interest in the car, asked me about the Check Engine light, and to make a long story short, the car now runs like it should for the first time since I bought it. Smooth all the way to the redline, 'bout twice as fast, and no Check Engine light glaring in my face. Cost about $800 but well worth it. Thrilled, I am - even though these things should have been corrected when Toyota rebuilt the engine.
Whatsamatter, Toyota? Are your dealers really that incompetent? Apparently so. But at least I got a good laugh out of it when I saw you were offering free service as a sales incentive. 'Cause that's exactly what your lousy service is worth. Absolutely nothin'.
Update: Yesterday (7/20/2010) I posted a tweet referencing this post and this morning Twitter has censored my tweets from appearing in real-time. Toyota must be gettin' nervous with all this talk of a widening federal grand jury investigation. Look out, Toyota. Your defective products are finally gettin' exposed.
Update 7/21/2010 5:29 PM This blog post has also been censored by Facebook. It appears on FB Home, Profile and Posts by Friends, but not on Posts by Everyone. Re Twitter, I'm apparently unblocked - at least for now.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Congrats, Tony. Right on for picketing Toyota.
Like yours truly, Tony Scanaliato got so fed up with Toyota he decided to picket in front of his local dealership. Too bad there aren't more customers using this technique to expose Toyota's wrongdoing. Its certainly one way to circumvent censorship. What Toyota needs, bless their little charged-with-racketeering hearts, is customers all across the country picketing in front of their dealerships. Wouldn't it be great if everyone who signed the oil sludge petition marched with signs letting potential customers know what they're gettin' into if they deal with Toyota? One thing's for sure. Absent a high profile tragedy, Ol' Uncle Scam's mainstream media certainly isn't gonna help. The idea is to wrist-slap Toyota with a fine or two, hoping that'll make NHTSA look good, and keep quiet about everyday ripoffs such as oil sludge, strange engine noises, and stonewalled defects causing engines to disintegrate in MR2 Spyders.
Hooray for Tony Scanaliato exposin' the "Toyota Way." Such a pity consumers have to exercise extreme tactics to obtain some semblance of fairness.
http://auto.freedomblogging.com/2010/06/15/o-c-man-ends-toyota-picketing-over-lemon/35293/
Hooray for Tony Scanaliato exposin' the "Toyota Way." Such a pity consumers have to exercise extreme tactics to obtain some semblance of fairness.
http://auto.freedomblogging.com/2010/06/15/o-c-man-ends-toyota-picketing-over-lemon/35293/
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Couple returns 2010 Camry - ads flunk the test
Talk about a hoot. Here's another story I'll bet Toyota would love to censor, especially in view of their new ad campaign claiming "Your Toyota is my Toyota." Tell that to a couple in Canada who returned their 2010 Camry after three (!) bouts of sudden unintended acceleration and their Toyota dealer's unsuccessful attempt to correct the problem. Towing service was downright confrontational, and Toyota's credit department let these recalcitrant customers know that the car would be considered "abandoned." Hey - that'll teach 'em to balk at drivin' a car that suddenly surges forward on its own. The ad campaign is designed to reclaim lost trust, but maybe Toyota figures folks in Canada don't count 'cause the ads are directed at Europe...
This late-breaking example of the "Toyota Way," hailed ad nauseum by their CEO as a newfound respect for customers, has prompted these customers to plaster their new Camry with lemon stickers, call in the media, and ask Transport Canada to investigate. Updates are promised. Stay tuned.
Returned 2010 Camry, including video: http://chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2611751
Toyota's new ad campaign: http://wot.motortrend.com/6644456/marketing/toyota-europe-launches-265-million-ad-campaign-to-win-back-trust/index.html
Also...
Earlier today, one of my Toyota tweets was again censored the "Twitter Way," which has come to include dirty tricks. See update for previous post.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Dealership named as example of bad business
Toyota's rotten dealerships certainly aren't limited to the one's I've dealt with. James Feldman, who lectures businesses on the perils of offending customers, uses his experience with the Hartford Toyota dealership in Hartford, Connecticut as an example of how not to treat customers. Note that Mr. Feldman says Toyota never apologized. Toyota apologize to a customer? From what I've learned, when things go wrong, Toyota expects customers to take responsibility and apologize to Toyota.
Just another case that exposes the realities of tryin' to survive when you deal with Toyota. Read how Mr. Feldman was treated. Find out more about how Toyota "values" customers. Click on the following link and scroll down to paragraph 13: http://www.shifthappens.com/bc_custpower.html
Just another case that exposes the realities of tryin' to survive when you deal with Toyota. Read how Mr. Feldman was treated. Find out more about how Toyota "values" customers. Click on the following link and scroll down to paragraph 13: http://www.shifthappens.com/bc_custpower.html
Monday, April 6, 2009
Shoddy service: Dick Dyer and The Toyota Center
DICK DYER TOYOTA (Columbia, SC): When I noticed my oil was suddenly several quarts low, black as coal, and the engine was losing power, I took my car to Dick Dyer Toyota, proudly touted as the largest Toyota dealership in South Carolina. They didn't even do an oil consumption test, replaced the exhaust system without telling me what had clogged it, and sent me on my way with an engine that was literally coming apart (when the engine was rebuilt - at a different dealership - it was confirmed that a piece of the catalytic converter had blown into the exhaust system, which accounted for the rattling sound I had mentioned to Dyer's service tech). Of course, the car was in no condition to be driven, and this is particularly troublesome because the service tech and others at Dick Dyer were well aware of the fact that I used the car to transport my elderly father, who has Alzheimer's. He also suffers from a heart condition and is legally blind with macular degeneration. I'm thankful we didn't wind up in an accident, or simply stranded alongside the road, perhaps at night, perhaps without heat. For my dad, who is subject to sudden, violent chills, it would have been a life threatening situation. Safety concerns aside, the new exhaust system was exposed to oil, etc. being blown into it from the rapidly desintegrating engine, and I'm lucky the new exhaust system wasn't also ruined. When I called to report that my engine was still using way too much oil, the service tech said he would have to ask around to see if anyone would be willing to rebuild my engine, and when he hadn't called back after a week or so, I contacted a different dealership, the Toyota Center.
Apparently, Dyer didn't have a mechanic qualified to rebuild an MR2 engine. Actually, that's not too surprising given the fact that one of their mechanics - supposedly an ASE and Toyota Certified Master Diagnostic Technician - couldn't even fix the hood release, and suggested that I switch to another grade of oil - thicker than what the manufacturer recommends - to see if that would reduce the oil consumption. I eventually learned that the hood release was yet another of Toyota's design defects, and should have been replaced. Furthermore, Toyota dealers had been notified of this via a Technical Service Bulletin.
Talkin' with other folks around town regarding my experience at Dick Dyer Toyota, I repeatedly heard a vulgar cliche, apparently long known to most. Its "D... Dyer before he d.... you." Trite, to be sure. Even humorous to some people. But I don't like dirty jokes. And considering my experiences with Toyota's dealerships, I'm certainly not amused. Speaking as a newcomer to the Toyota brand, "deeply disappointed" would be more like it.
THE TOYOTA CENTER (W. Columbia, SC): The Toyota Center's "Senior Mechanic" rebuilt my engine. There's unevenness at a certain rpm, and the Check Engine light keeps coming on. I've taken my car back several times regarding these problems, but to no avail. Search the Internet, and you'll find plenty about Toyota's problem with Check Engine lights coming on.
Regarding Toyota, I guess you could say I've "seen the light... "
Update 12/13/2010 - The Toyota Center also attempted to fix the hood release, but I finally had to take my car to an independent shop (See "Speaking of Hoods, Toyota"). Same regarding the engine problems (See "Hey, Toyota: Someone else fixed my car").
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