Toyota

[cheeky monkey]

the Toyota coverage in last few days is amazing. Does anyone here have a model thats effected?

I'm nearly old enough to remember the Lancia recall in the 70's. I know it made the BBC  news, the Daily Mail newspaper and the BBC programme 'Thats Life'.. i only vaguely remember the dog that was forced to say 'sausages'.   

the car in front is a 'beta' .... but i wish i'd kept my Datsun 120Y

[rossocorsa]

but i wish i'd kept my Datsun 120Y

now there's a PROPER rust bucket!! but no one these days sees a Nissan and thinks rust do they?

as regards Toyota I think it will be very short term their advertising budgets are too high

[TreviDash]

they'll recover and it will all bve forgotten

It's not like in 30 years time Practical Classics will talk Toyota and mention throttle pedals in the same small paragraph 

[MattNoVAT]

Its the usual media generated storm...... theres been 30 cars in the USA with the problem.

It's progressive problem rather than a sudden instant failure (sticking accelerator)

As usual, Toyota are trying to do the right thing by recalling, but they have to get owners info from DVLA so they can contact them..... aha... theres the delay!  Having to deal with the DVLA!!

But of course the media will not mention the DVLA are about as fast as dead badger, as it's much better to whip up a storm and direct it a Toyota.

[hongkongphooey]

Does anyone remember Audi recalling the TT to fit a rear lip spoiler because they were unstable without? That didn't seem to do then much damage. But i guess it's down to how hard the media pushes this. They're moving on to the Prius now.

[MattNoVAT]

Or the BMW ABS issue where you stand on the brake pedal and the ABS allowed the pedal to travel into the carpet and..... then you have no brakes.....

The Suzuki Jeep thing that used to topple if you turned sharply at speed. 

Am sure there are dozens more but if the press are having a quiet day then it's gonna get big visibility.

 

[rossocorsa]

with humble apologises to any American Beta owning folks on here but isn't it strange that it always the dumb ass and litigious Americans who have a problem I seem to recall something similar with runaway Audis years ago no real cases in Europe but in America cars zooming off the drive way all the time but I suppose you can't blame them after the blazing petrol tank ford pinto issues

[HFStuart]

I seem to recall something similar with runaway Audis years ago no real cases in Europe but in America cars zooming off the drive way all the time

That'll be the case where the judge came to the conclusion that 'pedal missaplication' was the problem not the car. ie they were stamping on the gas rather than the brake and then tried to sue Audi for it.

[MattNoVAT]

Had a really interesting conversation and found out a few facts from one of my best mates who is the Customer Service / After Sales Manager at a large Toyota Dealership.

Re: the brake pedal issues
Its not a safety recall, its a product update - braking effectiveness / safety is never degraded.  Its called a product update because Toyota run a continues improvemnt program and customer feedback was that people did not like the "feel" of the pedal return, so they changed the software and the hinge point on the brake pedal itself.

The part is not manufactured by Toyota its made by Denso (IIRC & have spelt it correctly) and the same parts are used by the entire motoring manufacturing industry (Toyotas proportion of their business is only 3%).

Of course that kind of information does not sell newspapers.

Oh and the guy in the USA in the Lexus that crashed killing him & his wife (I think it was) It was found that he had fitted aftermarket / non OEM floor mats, which jammed the accerator pedal because the mat was not secured to the floor at all and it had ridden up into such a position as to cause the pedal to stick on. 

Personally, I fail to see how that can be the fault of the manufacturer.

[thecolonel]

Well, I get software updates virtually every week from microsoft so does that mean their
system is faulty,  OK bad example......

Seriously though Avast security updates arrive everyday, they're improvements not faults.

the americans do seem to jump on any reason to knock foreign imports

[MattNoVAT]

Yes and they do love a bit of litigation our US friends!