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[Charlie Zureki]

  I've been hearing bits and pieces the last few days... haven't been able to watch the Hearings on TV.

 What and when did Toyota and Toyoda know of their Vehicle's alledged short-comings?

 Sounds pretty serious, not good news for them and it's not happy news to any of the Auto Makers.

 Hammer

[Pat Latimer]

I have a feeling that they knew a long time ago of the problem. I guess they only took it serious when people started dying. At first Toyoda said he wasn't attending but some strong persuasion made him think it was a good idea to attend. It will definitely hurt their future sales but I don't know about the other Manufacturers. I would think their business would pick up, considerably.

[Tony "T" Tissot]

Today's comment that they "hadn't ruled out electronics" yet as a cause of the acceleration problem had to be a tough one to reveal.

[Ned Ward]

There are a few textbook examples (currently taught in business schools)  of successfully handling a recall - Johnson & Johnson over the Tylenol scare, and Mattel's recall of lead paint and neodymium magnets in toys.

This is one that will be in textbooks, but for the opposite reason.

[Walter Wright]

didn't toyota have a reputation for rock-solid vehicles forever, only running into trouble in the last few months? was that rep just a world-wide mass delusion?

also, does anyone remember the "epidemic" of "audi sudden acceleration syndrome" a few years back? it seemed like after a couple of reports of the audi 5000 taking off on its own, everyone was coming out of the woodwork with stories of audis crashing into schools and going off bridges and whatnot; i don't think any actual mechanical failure was ever found.

[Mac Kerr]

Walter Wright wrote on Wed, 24 February 2010 00:51

didn't toyota have a reputation for rock-solid vehicles forever, only running into trouble in the last few months? was that rep just a world-wide mass delusion? also, does anyone remember the "epidemic" of "audi sudden acceleration syndrome" a few years back? it seemed like after a couple of reports of the audi 5000 taking off on its own, everyone was coming out of the woodwork with stories of audis crashing into schools and going off bridges and whatnot; i don't think any actual mechanical failure was ever found.

No failure was found, and no provable case of unintended acceleration was ever found either. It still nearly killed the company. It took 15 years for Audi to recover.

While I have not followed the Toyota story closely, my understanding is that there are actual documented problems with the accelerators on some models, and the brakes on others. Toyota seems to be admitting to problems, I don't think Audi ever did.

Mac

http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/cjm_18.htm

[mark anderson]

Remember the 70's Fords that would pop from park to reverse? It happened to my mom. I still remember watching her running after it waving her arms and shouting "stop stop!" It did, when it found a tree.  

[John Roberts {JR}]

I had to turn off the TV yesterday because of the hearings... It turns my stomach for the politicians to rush in to rescue the ignorant public.

If Toyota gets a reputation for crashing, people will stop buying them. Instead are we now to rely on the government to be on top of automotive design?

I really do appreciate things like seat belts and ABS brakes, but this Toyota thing smells like them imposing their will onto one of the few major car companies they don't already have their thumb on.

When I was a kid, we put seat belts in our cars long before it was mandated, and all of these safety innovations, came from industry as features in more expensive models.

Not dying is pretty high on the car feature list.

JR

[Charlie Zureki]

John Roberts  {JR} wrote on Wed, 24 February 2010 08:49

If Toyota gets a reputation for crashing, people will stop buying them. Not dying is pretty high on the car feature list. JR

 Good Morning JR,

 According to the Newspapers, it seems that the consumer HAS stopped buying them...possibly, because "Not dying is pretty high on the car feature list".  

 I heard a couple of clips from the hearings: It seems that Toyota cannot be certain as to exactly what is causing the acceleration problem, and that the proposed fix may be to placate the customer.

 I hope they straighten this out...

 Cheers,
 Hammer

slight jab...mostly aimed at Toyota

[Kristian Johnsen]

Mac Kerr wrote on Wed, 24 February 2010 07:01

Walter Wright wrote on Wed, 24 February 2010 00:51 didn't toyota have a reputation for rock-solid vehicles forever, only running into trouble in the last few months? was that rep just a world-wide mass delusion? also, does anyone remember the "epidemic" of "audi sudden acceleration syndrome" a few years back? it seemed like after a couple of reports of the audi 5000 taking off on its own, everyone was coming out of the woodwork with stories of audis crashing into schools and going off bridges and whatnot; i don't think any actual mechanical failure was ever found. No failure was found, and no provable case of unintended acceleration was ever found either. It still nearly killed the company. It took 15 years for Audi to recover. While I have not followed the Toyota story closely, my understanding is that there are actual documented problems with the accelerators on some models, and the brakes on others. Toyota seems to be admitting to problems, I don't think Audi ever did. Mac http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/cjm_18.htm

I'm a bit of a car buff and haven't even heard of this.  I seriously doubt it was as bad as you describe.