First accelerators, then brakes – now Toyota's steering in spotlight

[GoFlyKiteNow]

First accelerators, then brakes – now Toyota's steering in spotlight

Car-maker recalls 436,000 Prius models as US safety agency investigates Corollas

By Sarah Arnott

Wednesday, 10 February 2010

Toyota, the embattled Japanese car giant, was last night faced with more safety problems. Barely had the dust settled from the company's admission yesterday morning that it was recalling 436,000 Prius hybrids because of braking problems, when the US government's safety agency announced an investigation into steering issues with Toyota's best-selling Corolla.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration inquiry said it has received 80 complaints from drivers reporting difficulties with steering 2009 and 2010 Corollas, with many saying their cars wandered when driving on highways, making it hard to stay in lane.

The Prius problem, which affects around 8,500 British cars, surfaced after drivers complained about temporary brake failure when driving slowly over rough or icy ground. The trouble is with the anti-lock braking system (ABS) designed to prevent skidding. It is unrelated to the accelerator malfunctions and floor-mat issues already wreaking havoc with the reputation of the world's biggest car-maker.

Toyota is adamant that there is no safety issue linked to the Prius's ABS. It is a matter of an "inconsistent brake feel", rather than the actual operation of the brakes, according to the company.

Although Toyota GB said there have been no accidents relating to the problem in Europe, it has been linked with five crashes in the US. Toyota GB will be writing to all 8,500 British Prius owners to request they bring their cars in for a 40-minute software upgrade.

"We are recommending customers take their car in to get it adjusted," a spokesman for Toyota GB said. "The upgrade will improve the quality of the vehicle in terms of the feeling they have but it makes no difference to the performance of the brakes."

The latest debacle takes Toyota's recall tally to more than eight million in the last six months alone, outstripping its total sales in 2009.

The Prius problems come just days after the recall of nearly four million Toyotas of seven different makes because of fears over "sticky" accelerators. Pedals damaged by wear and tear or cold weather were in danger of either getting stuck down or only very slowly returning to the normal position. Around 180,000 British cars were affected, out of 1.7 million across Europe.

Fixing the mechanics is just the start. Although there are no confirmed cases of injury in the UK, the first claim against the company was lodged by a solicitor last week on behalf of a driver in the Midlands who is said to have suffered head injuries when his Toyota hit a wall at 30mph last September.

In the US, the situation is graver still. Congressional officials have said that up to 19 crash deaths could be linked to the pedal problem. And Toyota faces a slew of court cases, including 34 class action lawsuits seeking damages for loss of car value and at least 12 individual claims over death or injury caused by uncontrollable acceleration.

 

[cockcansing]

Honda also recalling for dangerous air bags.



Honda airbag fault fuels woes
_Money|Updated 1 hr ago
By AFP
TOKYO - HONDA, Japan's second-biggest carmaker after crisis-hit Toyota, on Wednesday recalled more than 400,000 vehicles to fix airbags that it said can explode and spray out potentially deadly metal shards.

The recall, the third related to the defect since late 2008, includes top-selling Accord and Civic cars sold in the United States and Canada as well as models marketed in Japan, Mexico, Taiwan and Australia.

Honda said the defective airbag inflators could rupture, 'resulting in metal fragments passing through the airbag cushion material and possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants'.

The expanded recall of 437,763 vehicles covers models made in 2001 and 2002, mostly in North America, and also includes family-friendly models such as the Odyssey and CR-V. Honda said it knew of 12 incidents involving the defect and one fatality, but added that there had been no new reports since last year.

The latest safety recall adds to the woes of Japan's auto industry, a key export earner of Asia's largest economy, with Toyota making global headlines over its faulty accelerator and brake systems.

'The industry perspective of this is no one likes to see another competitor be put through that,' said Mark Reuss, president of GM's North American division. 'We like to have a healthy industry and we like to be able to compete on a level playing field.'

 

[Ash007]

Now when I see Honda/Toyota on the road I siam 1 side or go off as quickly as possible from them. Lucky I drive a turbo charged car.

 

[singveld]

toyota will help USA economic , beco USA will sue the japs until they cry.

EL CAJON, Calif. – A California Highway Patrol officer helped slow a runaway Toyota Prius from 94 mph to a safe stop on Monday after the car's accelerator became stuck on a San Diego County freeway, the CHP said.

Prius driver James Sikes called 911 about 1:30 p.m. after accelerating to pass another vehicle on Interstate 8 near La Posta and finding that he could not control his car, the CHP said.

"I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car and it did something kind of funny... it jumped and it just stuck there," the 61-year-old driver said at a news conference. "As it was going, I was trying the brakes...it wasn't stopping, it wasn't doing anything and it just kept speeding up," Sikes said, adding he could smell the brakes burning he was pressing the pedal so hard.

A patrol car pulled alongside the Prius and officers told Sikes over a loudspeaker to push the brake pedal to the floor and apply the emergency brake.

"They also got it going on a steep upgrade," said Officer Jesse Udovich. "Between those three things, they got it to slow down."

After the car decelerated to about 50 mph, Sikes turned off the engine and coasted to a halt.

The officer then maneuvered his car in front of the Prius as a precautionary block, Udovich said.

In a statement, Toyota said it has dispatched a field technical specialist to San Diego to investigate the incident.

Toyota has recalled some 8.5 million vehicles worldwide — more than 6 million in the United States — since last fall because of acceleration problems in multiple models and braking issues in the Prius.

Toyota owners have complained of their vehicles speeding out of control despite efforts to slow down, sometimes resulting in deadly crashes. The government has received complaints of 34 deaths linked to sudden acceleration of Toyota vehicles since 2000.

One of the crashes claimed the life of a CHP officer last August.

Off-duty CHP Officer Mark Saylor was killed along with his wife, her brother and the couple's daughter after their Lexus' accelerator got stuck in La Mesa.

The Toyota-manufactured loaner vehicle slammed into a sport utility vehicle at about 100 mph, careened off the freeway, hit an embankment, overturned and burst into flames.

___

japs being buying USA debts and bonds, now they will help USA once again, by paying them through the courts , thanks to toyota.
i can see the elite of USA dump prius.

 

[johnny333]

There are plenty of Lexus/Toyotas cars on the road in Spore. Have drivers in Spore reported having problems

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

Is Sam Leong coming in to make a statement ?

He has been the unofficial ambassador for 2 products : Mac and Toyota.

 

[singveld]

maybe the older model diesel toyota still can be trusted. not the new type of toyota like the hybrid.

 

[johnny333]

maybe the older model diesel toyota still can be trusted. not the new type of toyota like the hybrid.

The newer hybrids is just the latest models facing problems.

The recalls already covered the Corollas, Lexus,...

If Toyota can't identify the problem, how are they going to fix it

Toyota is a popular brand in Spore. Its just puzzling that only the US seems affected

 

[makapaaa]

Cos the 154th is performing NS to keep the 'feel good' intact?

 

[chewed]

the day Toyota stopped making sports car and focused on volume cars was the day their QC problem started.

Supra, Celica, MR2 are some of the best cars that Toyota ever made

 

[saratogas]

maybe the older model diesel toyota still can be trusted. not the new type of toyota like the hybrid.

Err... many local taxi is Toyota brand... LTA got make sure that our Toyota Taxis don't have such faulty parts or not.

 

[johnny333]

the day Toyota stopped making sports car and focused on volume cars was the day their QC problem started.

Supra, Celica, MR2 are some of the best cars that Toyota ever made

Have owned older Tercel & Corolla & luved them.

Remember driving to Las Vegas in my Tercel & saw many American cars cooling down by the roadside Alot of mileage went into a 2 week trip touring in Canada/USA & after the trip I didn't even have to top up my engine oil

 

[chewed]

Have owned older Tercel & Corolla & luved them.

Remember driving to Las Vegas in my Tercel & saw many American cars cooling down by the roadside Alot of mileage went into a 2 week trip touring in Canada/USA & after the trip I didn't even have to top up my engine oil

then you must have remeber how sleek & deliious the Supras, Celicas were....