Toyota, FAIL!

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I hope they resolve on that before it get worst somehow....hope no more recalls in near future.
 
Yeah, looks like Toyota's reputation will be a big hurt with a giant bandaid on it. :lol: :aw:
 
update from yahoo news

Toyota chief apologizes for global recalls
Toyota chief apologizes for global recalls - Yahoo! News

TOKYO – Toyota's president apologized Friday for the massive global recalls over sticking gas pedals as the automaker scrambles to repair a damaged reputation and sliding sales.

But Akio Toyoda, appointed to the top job at Toyota Motor Corp. last June, said the company is still deciding what steps to take to fix brake problems in the popular Prius gas-electric hybrid.

Speaking at a hastily announced news conference that lasted an hour, a stern-looking Toyoda promised to beef up quality control.

"We are facing a crisis," he said, publicly confronting the automaker's safety problems for the first time since a global recall affecting 4.5 million vehicles was announced Jan. 21.

He bowed in customary Japanese-style greeting at the start of the televised news conference at Toyota's Nagoya headquarters but did not bow deeply when offering an apology as some executives, including his predecessor Katsuaki Watanabe, have done when under fire.

Toyoda, 53, said the company is setting up a special committee he would head himself.

It would review internal checks, go over consumer complaints and listen to outside experts to come up with a solution to the widening quality problems.

"I offer my apologies for the worries," he said. "Many customers are wondering whether their cars are OK."

Toyoda, grandson of the automaker's founder, has been criticized for not coming out sooner to answer questions about the flood of quality problems that have hit Toyota.

Masaaki Sato, an auto industry expert who has written books on Toyota and its Japanese rival Honda, said Friday's appearance was the company's last chance to keep the situation from worsening.

"He should have come out a week ago," Sato said of Toyoda during an appearance on a popular late night news program following the press conference. "After all the foot dragging, he was pushed into a corner."

Sato also criticized Toyoda for having to be prodded into action in the U.S. by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who called the Toyota president for talks.

"The issue is a huge problem in the U.S., far more serious than you might think," Sato said. "Those who are driving Toyota cars must be worried, and as Toyota CEO he has a responsibility to address their concerns and provide an explanation to the U.S. government."

There is also top level government concern in Japan about Toyota's quality fiasco.

Transport Minister Seiji Maehara has urged Toyota to consider a recall for the Prius brake problem. The transport ministry oversees recalls and other auto regulation.

Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada expressed concern about the impact of the gas pedal recalls on Japan-US economic ties.

"Diplomatically, it's not an issue of a single company," Okada said, Kyodo News agency reported. "The issue is about trust in Japan's entire auto industry and Japanese products overall."

Toyoda said the company was moving quickly on the global recalls covering 4.5 million vehicles for sticking gas pedals, about half of them in the U.S.

Dealers are scrambling to make repairs on the gas pedals, which need a new steel part to solve the sticking problem.

Toyota would fully cooperate with the investigation by U.S. federal authorities into Prius problems, Toyoda said.

There have been nearly 200 complaints in Japan and the U.S. of drivers experiencing a short delay before the brakes kick in — a problem that can be fixed with a software programming change.

The automaker has fixed the programming glitch in Prius models that went on sale since last month, but has done nothing yet on 270,000 Prius cars sold last year in Japan and the U.S. The remodeled third-generation Prius went on sale in May last year.

A less-than-perfect Prius, the vehicle of choice for Hollywood movie stars like Leonardo Dicaprio, threatens to be an even more serious blow for Toyota's image than the gas pedal recalls. The hybrid is a symbol of Toyota's technological prowess and ambitions to lead the auto industry in green, low-pollution cars.

Toyota is also investigating possible brake problems with its luxury Lexus hybrid and the Sai compact sedan, both of which use the same brake system as the Prius. Toyota has not received any complaints about the Lexus HS250h and the probe is to ensure safety, it has said. The Sai is not sold outside Japan.

Shinichi Sasaki, executive vice president overseeing quality control, told the news conference he was grateful that LaHood had pressed Toyota to go ahead quickly with the gas pedal recalls in the U.S.

Toyota did not have a fix for the problem at the time, and it is relatively unusual to announce a recall without a plan for a remedy. Toyota did not come out with a fix for more than a week, further frustrating customers. It also suspended sales and production on eight models in the U.S.

"It would have become even harder to win back the trust of customers, and the damage to the Toyota brand would have been greater," Sasaki said solemnly. "It was hard but in hindsight I am grateful to Mr. LaHood."

U.S. officials have blessed Toyota's solution to the gas pedal problem, a small piece of steel designed to eliminate excess friction in the pedal mechanism, but have criticized Toyota for being too slow in responding to customer complaints.
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update from cnn

if you owned toyota cars,trucks and suvs must take to dealership ASAP than nothing!! For fix

Toyota trouble round-up: What to do now
Toyota trouble round-up: What to do now - Feb. 5, 2010

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Problems with Toyota cars are cropping up faster than the automaker can deal with them. Following two different recalls for problems involving accelerator pedals on various models comes the revelation of braking problems in the iconic Prius.

Here's a rundown of the problems, the cars involved and what to do if your car's caught up in any of this.

Prius brakes

What's the problem? Under certain conditions, particularly at relatively low speeds when traveling over rough or potholed roads, drivers have complained of a brief, but significant, delay in brake performance.

Is it being blamed for crashes? Yes, at least four crashes in the U.S. have been reported, allegedly as a result of this problem.

What cars are involved? 2010 model year Toyota Priuses made before January, 2010. Toyota is also investigating whether the Lexus HS250h hybrid, which shares its mechanical parts with the Toyota Prius, might have a similar problem.

Is there a recall? No, at least not yet.

Is there a fix for it? None has been announced yet, but Toyota has fixed the problem on cars coming off the assembly, so there does seem to be some sort of solution. Now Toyota has to figure out how to get that change made to cars already on the road.


How Toyota can fix its troubles
What should I do? The safest thing to do, of course, would be not to drive the car until the problem has been fixed. If you do drive, be aware of the problem and allow extra following distance and be begin to stop a little sooner for red lights and stop signs, especially if the road is choppy.

Sticky gas pedals

What's the problem? Over time, gas pedals in some cars become sticky. At first, they just become a little harder to push down and when you lift your foot off the gas, they're slower to come back up. In the worst case, the pedal on these cars can become stuck part way down.

Is it being blamed for crashes? There have been no crashes or injuries reported as a result of this problem.

What cars are involved? Toyota's 2009-2010 RAV4, Corolla and Matrix models; the 2005-2010 Avalon; 2010 Highlander; 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia; and some 2007-2010 Camrys (only those with gas pedal assemblies made by a specific Toyota supplier; your dealer can check). No Lexus or Scion models are involved.

Is there a recall? Yes , 2.3 million vehicles.

Is there a fix for it? Yes. Toyota dealers can install a small metal plate that reduces wear on the plastic parts involved.

What should I do? Get your car fixed as soon as you can. If your gas pedal starts to feel sticky, stop driving immediately, Toyota says. Pull over in a safe place, then call a dealer.

If the pedal becomes stuck part way down, applying the brakes should be enough to slow the car and bring it under control. Don't pump the brakes, though. That will just weaken your power brakes. Instead, press and hold the brakes. Also, at the same time, you can shift the transmission into neutral, which will stop the engine from driving the wheels.

David Champion, Consumer Reports' head of auto testing, also reminds drivers not to lift off the brake pedal if they feel a loss of power. Instead, keep your foot pressed down hard on the brake pedal and don't pump the brakes.

Keep in mind that these situations are rare occurrences.

Floor mat pedal entrapment

What's the problem? In some cars, gas pedals can become stuck on the edge of afloor mat, particularly when thick all-weather floor mats are used or when floor mats are stacked on top of one another. In this case, the pedal can be stuck almost all the way to the floor, creating a particularly dangerous situation.

Is it being blamed for crashes? Yes, there have been crashes and some deaths on account of this problem.

What cars are involved? 2008-2010 Highlander, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Venza, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe (a version of the Matrix), 2007-2010 Toyota Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2004-2009 Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2007-2010 Lexus ES350, 2006-2010 IS250 and the 2006-2010 IS350.

Is there a recall? Yes 5.3 million vehicles have been recalled for floor mats.

Is there a fix for it? Yes. Dealers will alter the shape of the gas pedal to prevent it becoming stuck on the floor mat even when thick or stacked floor mats are used. In some cars, the floor area under the gas pedal may also be reshaped slightly to make more room.

What should I do? Get your car fixed as soon as possible. If your car hasn't been fixed yet remove your floor mats.

If your gas pedal becomes stuck in the "floored" position, immediately shift the transmission to "Neutral" and press hard on the brake pedal. Don't pump the brakes but apply even, firm pressure.
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Gawd, Toyota really fucked up big time recalling in the 2010 Prius and the Lexus hs250h for the brake problems this morning...

Toyota Details Hybrid Recall in Attempt to Contain Crisis - NYTimes.com

TOKYO — Toyota said Tuesday it would recall 437,000 of its 2010 flagship Prius hybrid and other gas-electric models worldwide to fix a glitch in the braking system, as the Japanese automaker moved to contain a crisis over defects in a range of its vehicles.


The 2010 HS250h was introduced at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Toyota, which owns Lexus, said Tuesday that it has halted shipments of its HS250h and Sai hybrids.

About 223,000 of the cars recalled are in Japan. Some 155,000 are in the United States and another 53,000 in Europe.

In addition to the standard 2010 Priuses, Toyota is recalling 270 plug-in Priuses, 28,000 Lexus HS250hs, and 11,000 Sai hybrids. Older Priuses are unaffected by the problem, Toyota has said.

Separately, Toyota also recalled 7,300 of its latest-model Camrys in the United States to fix a power steering pressure hose in the engine compartment that may be the incorrect length. This could cause a hole in the brake tube and deplete the braking fluid, interfering with braking, Toyota said in a statement.
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I have 2004 Highlander with no problem. Not impressed with this news though...
 
Catmandu said:
I have 2004 Highlander with no problem. Not impressed with this news though...
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Well, Toyota is impressed, err, I mean depressed, :lol: First year ever that they have sold less than 100K cars and an American maker overtook their spot.....they will probably pull thru but looking at the numbers for them.....ouch
 
What's next, Toyota Yaris steering wheels gone bad or something? :roll:

I get tired to see of "Toyota's Recall"!!! :pissed: And I need a long good nap. :io:
 
I always look at Toyota, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, Daewoo as wal-martish cars.
 
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