Here we go again. Toyota is being accused of concealing a defect from owners, and this time the result is a class action lawsuit over High Intensity Discharge headlights in the Prius. There have been so many complaints, a possible recall is even in the works. Not to worry. Toyota will step up to the plate and explain the connection between these headlight failures and customers not changing the engine oil at proper intervals.
Gee. Maybe Toyota could wire up the Prius' headlights the same way as Toyota's Check Engine lights. That oughta make 'em come on often enough...
http://www.autospies.com/news/Toyota-Facing-Lawsuit-Potential-Recall-Over-Prius-HID-Headlights-45562/
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Toyota U.S.A. ad shields Prius from criticism
For a master of deceit, Toyota's hard to beat. All those rosie YouTube viewer comments on Toyota U.S.A.'s Prius video ads are apparently a bit misleading. Charlene Blake, well known consumer advocate and longtime thorn in Toyota's side, dared to post evidence of a few Prius problems, such as bad brakes and unintended acceleration. Toyota U.S.A. demonstrated its devotion to free speech by removing the post and blocking Charlene from making any more comments.
I'll bet Toyota wishes they could also remove posts - and block everyone's access - to Charlene's online petition regarding oil sludge. So far, almost three thousand of Toyota's customers have embarrassed ol' Mr. T by listing their names and making comments.
Poor lil ol' Toyota. They're afraid of Charlene Blake...
I'll bet Toyota wishes they could also remove posts - and block everyone's access - to Charlene's online petition regarding oil sludge. So far, almost three thousand of Toyota's customers have embarrassed ol' Mr. T by listing their names and making comments.
Poor lil ol' Toyota. They're afraid of Charlene Blake...
Sales keep droppin' - Toyota pins hopes on Prius
Update 12/11/2010 - Prius problems continue: 650,000 recalled to fix water pumps. http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2010/11/30/toyota-announces-another-prius-recall/
http://tinyurl.com/2ejlb9v
Toyota's sales continue to plummet, down almost sixty percent in Russia, and in the U.S., Toyota has recently been outpaced by Ford. Looks like the public is finally catchin' on to Toyota's slick marketing versus the sad facts of the corporation. Toyota and its dealerships are the absolute worst experience I've ever had in the automotive industry.
Not that all of their products are pure junk, or anything like that, but its downright amusing that Toyota is pinning its hopes on the Prius. Must be a case of nervous desperation, 'cause the Prius is developing a reputation for such niceties as unintended acceleration, brake problems, strange behavior on gravel surfaces, and less gas mileage than folks are being led to believe.
Toyota losing sales? Couldn't happen to a finer bunch.
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/may2009/gb2009058_991777_page_2.htm
http://tinyurl.com/2ejlb9v
Toyota's sales continue to plummet, down almost sixty percent in Russia, and in the U.S., Toyota has recently been outpaced by Ford. Looks like the public is finally catchin' on to Toyota's slick marketing versus the sad facts of the corporation. Toyota and its dealerships are the absolute worst experience I've ever had in the automotive industry.
Not that all of their products are pure junk, or anything like that, but its downright amusing that Toyota is pinning its hopes on the Prius. Must be a case of nervous desperation, 'cause the Prius is developing a reputation for such niceties as unintended acceleration, brake problems, strange behavior on gravel surfaces, and less gas mileage than folks are being led to believe.
Toyota losing sales? Couldn't happen to a finer bunch.
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/may2009/gb2009058_991777_page_2.htm
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Toyota Center violates the law - I call the cops
Update 5/3/2011 - Management at the Toyota Center has changed hands since this was posted. Current management has been sincerely concerned about incidents of this kind and has taken appropriate measures to ensure that such encounters will not happen in the future.
I finally had to call the cops on the Toyota Center.
Yesterday, while I was picketing, one of their thugs snatched my sign - ripping it apart in the process - and ran off into the Toyota Center. This was the same guy who had previously told me that what I was doing wasn't worth dying over, threatened me with his car, and said he would return with a "gang of technicians."
Can't say much for the West Columbia police department, either. They refused to arrest my assailant, and unnecessarily delayed me - despite my repeated requests - from getting home to check on my dad. Believe it or not, the first cop to arrive on the scene even told me that since I was protesting the Toyota Center, they "had a right to protest me." 'Course, maybe our local boys in blue are simply unaware that such things as theft, assault, malicious destruction of property, and death threats are somewhat less than legal. Then again, maybe they just have a soft spot in their tender little hearts for Toyota...
Stay tuned.
Update 3/30/2011 - the two cops referenced above - both of whom were belligerent - are identified on the police report as Kyle Ostrander and Jeff Phillips.
I finally had to call the cops on the Toyota Center.
Yesterday, while I was picketing, one of their thugs snatched my sign - ripping it apart in the process - and ran off into the Toyota Center. This was the same guy who had previously told me that what I was doing wasn't worth dying over, threatened me with his car, and said he would return with a "gang of technicians."
Can't say much for the West Columbia police department, either. They refused to arrest my assailant, and unnecessarily delayed me - despite my repeated requests - from getting home to check on my dad. Believe it or not, the first cop to arrive on the scene even told me that since I was protesting the Toyota Center, they "had a right to protest me." 'Course, maybe our local boys in blue are simply unaware that such things as theft, assault, malicious destruction of property, and death threats are somewhat less than legal. Then again, maybe they just have a soft spot in their tender little hearts for Toyota...
Stay tuned.
Update 3/30/2011 - the two cops referenced above - both of whom were belligerent - are identified on the police report as Kyle Ostrander and Jeff Phillips.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Sudden acceleration: Prius joins Camry, Solara
Oops. Bad enough for Toyota that government investigators have been looking into allegations of unexpected speedups in Camrys and Solaras. Now it seems that Toyota's much touted Prius is yet another model with a mind of its own. Worse yet, customers say the Prius also has a nasty habit of ignoring those frantic stabs at the brake pedal. Just keeps going, and going, and going. Ask the guy whose Prius wound up taking him inside a convenience store and then exploded. He has filed a lawsuit against Toyota.
Leave it to Toyota to blame its customers. When the problem is an outrageous number of engine failures, Toyota says its because their customers don't change the oil regularly. When the problem is unstoppable, sudden acceleration, Toyota says its customers can't distinguish between the gas pedal and the brake. Toyota has also suggested - with a straight face - that some of those pesky customers have even jammed floormats underneath the brake pedal. Comforting to know that Toyota thinks folks who purchase its products are so highly intelligent.
Horror stories galore:
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2009-04-23/news/hybrid-hell-the-toyota-prius-can-be-a-devil-to-drive
Leave it to Toyota to blame its customers. When the problem is an outrageous number of engine failures, Toyota says its because their customers don't change the oil regularly. When the problem is unstoppable, sudden acceleration, Toyota says its customers can't distinguish between the gas pedal and the brake. Toyota has also suggested - with a straight face - that some of those pesky customers have even jammed floormats underneath the brake pedal. Comforting to know that Toyota thinks folks who purchase its products are so highly intelligent.
Horror stories galore:
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2009-04-23/news/hybrid-hell-the-toyota-prius-can-be-a-devil-to-drive
Friday, June 26, 2009
Video: victims of oil sludge speak out
Take a look at oil sludge, hear interviews with Toyota's victims, and check out an automotive expert's opinion regarding what caused the problem. He calls Toyota's response to customers "demeaning." Hear about someone who accepted Toyota's "one time goodwill offer," only to have her engine stop running again after less than 300 miles. Click "more info" for a written summary of the problem, and links to other websites.
Apparently, Toyota's engine failure/oil sludge issue isn't going away anytime soon. Customers are still complaining, at least one lawsuit is in progress, and hopefully there will be class action lawsuit number two, including models not initially listed. Hear some howlin' at
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fs7WI2s-CVw
Apparently, Toyota's engine failure/oil sludge issue isn't going away anytime soon. Customers are still complaining, at least one lawsuit is in progress, and hopefully there will be class action lawsuit number two, including models not initially listed. Hear some howlin' at
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fs7WI2s-CVw
Saturday, June 13, 2009
More bullying from Toyota
Update 10/30/10 -
This week, documents surfaced showing that on two occasions, Toyota service personnel drove vehicles to investigate customer complaints of sudden acceleration and verified that the customers' claims were correct. Toyota repurchased the vehicles and urged both customers to keep quiet, even requiring one of them to sign a confidentiality agreement.
Yahoo News censored my comments about this matter, and is now refusing to publish any comments I submit, regardless of the topic.
On 5/12/09, which was less than a week after I began directing people to this blog, I got a telephone c
all from Mr. Dave Adams - Southeast Toyota's "Customer Loyalty" guy - claiming he wanted to "help me get some of my money back." But it turned out to be exactly the kind of bullying I've come to expect from Toyota. Specifics - if you can call them that - were kept verbal (the trademark of someone who's tryin' to scam you), I would be expected to accept considerably less than my expenses, and I would be required to tow the line in terms of loyalty to Toyota. They don't call him the "Customer Loyalty" guy for nothin'. To ensure that Toyota was making a "good investment," I would "say nice things" about Toyota when I visited their dealerships, and this blog "might have to come down." Seems I also needed to "learn how to be a gentleman." Any more picketing, and the Customer Loyalty rep would see to it that I didn't get a dime. Even gave me a couple of days, he did, to "think things over." Yessir, he put on quite a performance. Flogged me good n proper for darin' to criticize Toyota, and simultaneously whined that my remarks about Toyota had "hurt his feelings." Touchy folks, these "Customer Loyalty" guys. But things could have been worse. At least I wasn't required to buy a new Toyota...
Since Toyota refused to offer bonafide specifics and put them in writing, I finally made my position crystal clear. Sent 'em an e-mail stating that I better not settle for anything less than reimbursement for all of my expenses. Reminded 'em, I did, of the continuing problems I'm having with the engine they rebuilt. Unfortunately - as I've noted elsewhere on this blog - multiple engine failures are not uncommon. And incidentally, when it comes to hurt feelings, my feelings were also a wee bit challenged when I had to fork over thousands of dollars due to Toyota's improperly designed engine.
Point is, Toyota shouldn't profit from their design defect, and potential reimbursement shouldn't be held as a club over a customer's head. C'mon, Toyota. Clean up your act.
This week, documents surfaced showing that on two occasions, Toyota service personnel drove vehicles to investigate customer complaints of sudden acceleration and verified that the customers' claims were correct. Toyota repurchased the vehicles and urged both customers to keep quiet, even requiring one of them to sign a confidentiality agreement.
Yahoo News censored my comments about this matter, and is now refusing to publish any comments I submit, regardless of the topic.
On 5/12/09, which was less than a week after I began directing people to this blog, I got a telephone c
all from Mr. Dave Adams - Southeast Toyota's "Customer Loyalty" guy - claiming he wanted to "help me get some of my money back." But it turned out to be exactly the kind of bullying I've come to expect from Toyota. Specifics - if you can call them that - were kept verbal (the trademark of someone who's tryin' to scam you), I would be expected to accept considerably less than my expenses, and I would be required to tow the line in terms of loyalty to Toyota. They don't call him the "Customer Loyalty" guy for nothin'. To ensure that Toyota was making a "good investment," I would "say nice things" about Toyota when I visited their dealerships, and this blog "might have to come down." Seems I also needed to "learn how to be a gentleman." Any more picketing, and the Customer Loyalty rep would see to it that I didn't get a dime. Even gave me a couple of days, he did, to "think things over." Yessir, he put on quite a performance. Flogged me good n proper for darin' to criticize Toyota, and simultaneously whined that my remarks about Toyota had "hurt his feelings." Touchy folks, these "Customer Loyalty" guys. But things could have been worse. At least I wasn't required to buy a new Toyota...Since Toyota refused to offer bonafide specifics and put them in writing, I finally made my position crystal clear. Sent 'em an e-mail stating that I better not settle for anything less than reimbursement for all of my expenses. Reminded 'em, I did, of the continuing problems I'm having with the engine they rebuilt. Unfortunately - as I've noted elsewhere on this blog - multiple engine failures are not uncommon. And incidentally, when it comes to hurt feelings, my feelings were also a wee bit challenged when I had to fork over thousands of dollars due to Toyota's improperly designed engine.
Point is, Toyota shouldn't profit from their design defect, and potential reimbursement shouldn't be held as a club over a customer's head. C'mon, Toyota. Clean up your act.
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