Following a similar report by NHTSA, the National Research Council has found that that the electronic throttle-control systems were not the cause of the rash of Toyota accidents in '09-'10.
Part of the report read, "While untraceable electronics faults may be suspected causes of unintended acceleration, this explanation is unsatisfactory when the driver also reports experiencing immediate and full loss of braking. However, such reports are common among complaints of unintended acceleration, and NHTSA attributes them to pedal misapplication when investigations offer no other credible explanation for the catastrophic and coincidental loss of braking."
Read the full story here.
Categories: Auto Industry,Toyota,Toyota Recalls
On November 5, 2010, Paul Van Alfen was killed when his 2008 Toyota Camry accelerated down a highway off-ramp and into a wall in Wendover, Utah. A passenger in the vehicle, Charlene Lloyd, died the following day. Soon thereafter, the family sued Toyota in federal court. The case, Van Alfen v. Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. was expected to begin in 2013 and was set to be the bellwether case for how this Unintended Acceleration thing would shake out on the national stage.
Except now it won't.
Judge James Selna ruled yesterday that his court, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, lacked jurisdiction over the case (because plaintiffs were unable to reach the jurisdictional minimum of $50,000 in damages) and that it should be moved to the Utah state court.
"We are pleased that this jurisdictional issue has been resolved and that the Court agrees with Toyota that the proper forum for this case is Utah state court," said Toyota Spokeswoman Celeste Migliore.
It's another win for Toyota and a reminder that while it's not front-page news anymore, this issue isn't even close to over.
Categories: Toyota,Toyota Recalls
Toyota may be off the hook for any sort of electronic glitch resulting in claimed unintended acceleration events, but the automaker's efforts to shore up the floor mat/accelerator pedal design in its existing fleet wage on to the tune of another 2.2 million vehicles. Today the automaker announced two more recalls and expanded the infamous floormat recall.
Let's run down the list:
20,000 2006-2007 all-wheel-drive GS 300 and GS 350 sedans recalled to modified the shape of a plastic pad embedded in the driver footwell carpeting to keep said pad from interfering with accelerator pedal return (and potentially causing a stuck part-throttle condition). Owner notification to begin in March.
372,000 2004-2007 Lexus RX 330, 350 and 400h SUVs, and 397,000 2004-2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrids, recalled to replace the carpeting in the driver footwell and its two retention clips. If the clips fail, a portion of the carpet cover could interfere with the arm of the top-hinged gas pedal in these vehicles, again creating a stuck part-throttle situation.
761,000 2006-2010 Toyota RAV4s, 603,000 2003-2009 Toyota 4Runners and 17,000 2011 Lexus LX 570s added to floor mat recall.
Toyota and Lexus each have portal sites for owners seeking more information.
More from Inside Line News
Categories: Lexus,Toyota,Toyota Recalls
It seems like an eternity since we've been able to use the 'Toyota Recall' category. But now Toyota has announced a recall of 1.7 million vehicles 245,000 of which are Lexus sedans in the US.
The problem this time is the fuel system. In the US, dealers will inspect the vehicles for a faulty fuel pressure sensor that could be leaking fuel at the gasket. If there's a leak, the gasket will be replaced and the hoses tightened. If there's no leak, they'll simply tighten everything up. This recall is for 2006-2007 Lexus GS300/350 (2008 pictured), 2006-2009 Lexus IS250, 2006-2008 IS350.
The remainder of the vehicles, recalled in a separate action, are being checked for a faulty fuel pipes and fuel check valves but they're not in the US market, so we'll just move along.
Categories: Lexus,Toyota,Toyota Recalls
When Toyota reached an out of court settlement with the families involved in the CHP officer Saylor / ES350 unintended acceleration crash-- the one which killed four and set off a chain reaction of recalls that sent Toyota reeling-- the actual amount of the settlement was not released. At the time of the settlement, Toyota said that they had "reached an amicable agreement in mediation that fully resolves these claims without the need for litigation."
But thanks to Bob Baker Lexus ( the dealership who loaned Saylor the ES 350 with the incorrect floormats ), the Orange County Courts and various media outlets, the amount is now known: $10,000,000.
In a statement, Toyota said, "Toyota and the Saylor and Lastrella families reached a private, amicable settlement through mutual respect and cooperation without the involvement of the courts, so we are disappointed that the amount of this settlement has now been made public against the express wishes of these families and Toyota...Indeed, Bob Baker Lexus already knew the terms of the settlement. However, Mr. Baker now wants the amount publicized in an apparent effort to shift the focus away from his dealership as he continues to litigate this case with the families.
"Mr. Baker and his dealership continue to ignore the December 2009 San Diego County Sheriff's Department report on the Saylor accident, which determined that the cause was an incompatible all-weather floor mat from a Lexus SUV model that was installed incorrectly in the ES 350 sedan at the dealership then loaned to the Saylor family by Bob Baker Lexus."
Somehow we think this is not the last we've heard of Bob Baker Lexus. To read an interview with Baker from the San Diego Union from September, click here.
Categories: Toyota,Toyota Recalls
Selling the most cars is tricky business and Toyota has issued a repair campaign -- not a recall, there's no government filing or immediate safety risk they say -- for 650,000 of its Toyota Prius hybrids over a cooling pump glitch which could cause the vehicle to overheat and lose power. 378,000 of the vehicles included are in the United States.
Continue reading...
Categories: Toyota,Toyota Recalls
Hot on the heels of a recent Toyota recall of 1.5 million cars and SUVs due to a faulty brake master cylinder seal, Honda today announced a recall of 471,820 vehicles for the same problem.
On the list are 2005-2007 Honda Odyssey minivan, and the 2005-2007 Acura RL sedan. The issue is the same as with Toyota, incorrect brake fluid can corrode the seal causing a small leak that will, over time, cause the brake warning light to come on. If the light is ignored, well, hydraulic fluid is important to the actuation of hydraulic components. Get it checked out.
Related: Comparison Test: 2006 Minivans
Categories: Acura,Honda,Toyota Recalls
(2007 IS 250 shown)
Toyota today announced a voluntary recall of some 1.5 million vehicles to replace a faulty brake master cylinder seal. The recall includes the 2005-06 Toyota Avalon, 2004-06 Toyota Highlander non-hybrid and Lexus RX 330, the 2006 Lexus GS 300, IS 250 and IS 350. The statement said, the recall was "to address the possibility that a small amount of brake fluid could slowly leak from the brake master cylinder, resulting in illumination of the brake warning lamp."
740,000 of the vehicles recalled are in the US and are only being called for the seal. The vehicles recalled in Japan and some of those in the U.K., however, are being recalled because of an electrical fault with the fuel pump that could cause the engine to stall. "Expansion and contraction of the fuel tank," said a statement by Lexus U.K., "may stretch the fuel pump's electrical harness. This may lead to a break in the circuit, causing the fuel pump, and so the engine, to stop without warning."
On this side of the pond, though, only braking is on the table. Toyota says, "If the brake warning lamp has illuminated and the vehicle continues to be operated without refilling the master cylinder brake fluid reservoir, the driver will begin to notice a spongy or soft brake pedal feel and braking performance may gradually decline." Lack of fluid will do that to a hydraulic system...
The NHTSA is not involved-- so far-- with this, but that's not surprising; last time Toyota withheld evidence and delayed a recall they were fined $16m and have been dragged through the mud ever since.
Categories: Toyota,Toyota Recalls
Even as Toyota reports that complaints about sudden, unwanted acceleration in its cars have declined, the lawsuits will go on, at least for now. Allstate is the latest plaintiff to file suit, as the insurance company went to Los Angeles County Superior Court late last week and sued the automaker for $3 million.
That's the amount Allstate claims to have paid out in claims related to approximately 725 accidents allegedly linked to sudden acceleration. Said accidents apparently resulted in 304 injuries and 18 fatalities.
This shouldn't come as a surprise, as another big insurance company, State Farm, made the news back in February, noting that it had received a stream of consumer complaints on this issue as far back as 2007 -- and had notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Bloomberg, LA Times via Autoblog
Categories: Toyota,Toyota Recalls
On August 28, 2009 CHP Officer Mark Saylor was driving a rented Lexus ES 350 when the vehicle accelerated on its own which resulted in a severe crash that took the life of Officer Saylor and three others. It also resulted in Toyota's massive floor mat recall. The vehicle had previously had an incident of UI with another renter.
Last week, Toyota settled a lawsuit from the Saylor and Lastrella families, resolving the product liability claims against both Toyota and Bob Baker Lexus for an undisclosed amount. This is, however, different from the version of the story presented by the Los Angeles Times who claim that the settlement, "has left out co-defendant Bob Baker Lexus." Toyota went on to clarify that, they are not " in a position to address the additional claims the families have against the dealership that are independent of Toyota." We'll update if we get any additional information on the suit against Baker Lexus.
Categories: Lexus,Toyota Recalls
And the hits just keep on coming for Toyota. 1.1 million (1,100,000 ) North American market Matrix and Corolla vehicles from 2005 - 2008 have been recalled due to stalling concerns. Toyota claims the failure stems from improperly manufactured engine control modules. Cracks can develop in the solder forcing the computer to fail even if the vehicle is in motion.
This latest recall brings the total number of Toyotas recalled to 12.3 million since November, 2009.
More than 1,000 complaints about Matrix and Corolla stalling were reported.
Categories: Toyota,Toyota Recalls
By now we're all pretty clear on this unintended acceleration business and it being, well, mostly driver error. But Toyota hasn't forgotten the debacle and it certainly hasn't stopped receiving and responding to consumer complaints. And there's only so many times you can answer the same questions before you give up, make a FAQ page and just direct people there.
So now Toyota has a FAQ on engine speed!
"Modern technology in today's automobiles can cause engine rpm to increase slightly without warning, but don't panic. There's a reason for this and once you understand why, you won't be surprised when it happens."
::facepalm::
Just follow the jump for more of this...
Continue reading...
Categories: Toyota,Toyota Recalls
Last Thursday, Aug 5, Koua Fong Lee was released from prison after serving 2.5 years after a fatal Toyota crash that took the life of three people--Jarvis Trice Adams (33), Jarvis Adams Jr. (10) and Devyn Bolton (6)-- and injured two others.
Lee was exiting the freeway when his car accelerated to "between 70 and 90 mph" in his 1996 Camry and struck the back of an Oldsmobile stopped at a red light.
During the initial trial, Lee's attorney, Tracy Eichhorn-Hicks, made the argument that Lee may have stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake pedal.
In the Minnesota Court's decision dated, August 9, Judge Joanne M. Smith wrote, "First of all, Mr. Lee has raised the issue of newly discovered evidence..."
Hm. Newly discovered evidence?
Continue reading...
Categories: Toyota Recalls
Electronic problems were not to blame in 58 Toyota crashes reviewed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and NHTSA Administrator David Strickland told members of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee in a briefing today.
Five of the 58 black box recorders that NHTSA examined had no data. Of the remaining 53, 35 indicated that the brakes were not applied. Fourteen more showed evidence of partial braking. Data was inconclusive on one black box, and another included evidence from an unrelated crash. The remaining two black boxes reportedly showed evidence of simultaneous brake and throttle application.
Bear in mind that these are just NHTSA's preliminary findings. The agency has teamed up with NASA engineers to study the electronic throttle design in Toyotas and determine if they are inordinately susceptible to malfunction and subsequent unintended acceleration.
Detroit News
IL Feature: 2010 Toyota Camry Stuck-Throttle Brake Test
Categories: Toyota,Toyota Recalls
One of the leading theories behind the Toyota recalls is that drivers were confused and hit the wrong pedal. Afterall, both pedals are on the floor. Both are made of a similar material. Both are actuated with a downward motion and deactivated via an upwards one.
I'm surprised we haven't all been killed yet.
Thankfully, Japanese Inventor Masuyuki Naruse has a solution that does away with this frightening coplanarity.
Naruse's design has a traditional brake pedal as ""We have a natural tendency to stomp down when we panic," he says. (Though we must interject here: When was the last time you panicked due to say, a mugger holding a gun and stomped? Stomping seems like a learned reaction and if we're really talking knee-jerk reactions, the brakes should be activated by squeezing the hell out of the steering wheel or shrieking like a small girl.)
So taking into account our natural wont to stomp the yard, and our inability to differentiate between left and right pedals, how do you manage the throttle? Right. Make it go sideways. Try that now. How much outward rotation do you have with your foot compared with up/down? That doesn't seem like a lot of motion for good throttle control to me.
We have a natural tendency to hate this idea. Not because the way we have it is perfect, but because driving is dangerous-- cars are heavy and really, really fast -- and the lazier we make it and the more we blame the machine instead of the man, the worse its all going to get.
( New York Times )
Continue reading...
Categories: Toyota Recalls
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a former NHTSA official, George Person, has accused the Department of Transportation and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, of withholding the report.
"The information was compiled. The report was finished and submitted. When I asked why it hadn't been published, i was told that the Secretary's office didn't want to release it." said Person. According to Person, NHTSA examined 40 Toyotas, 23 of which had accelerated suddenly. In all 23 the vehicles showed a wide-open-throttle and no brake application leading them to speculate the fault was driver error instead of a ghost in the machine.
Person feels that this blockage is politically motivated, as "there is a lot of anger towards Toyota," and that the DOT "are hoping against hope that they find something that points back to a flaw in Toyota vehicles." In February, Inside Line reported on the potential "cozy relationship" that NHTSA may have with the auto makers. Certainly that coziness isn't off the minds of LaHood and his department.
The DOT maintains that the report is not complete.
Person, 67, is as of July 3 retired from NHTSA after 27 years. He was chief of the Recall Management Division and retired in good standing with the department.
( Wall Street Journal )
Categories: Toyota,Toyota Recalls
A reporter with Just-auto spoke with a representative from the NHTSA who claims that Toyota was the sole source of information asserting driver-error as the cause of all sudden acceleration claims.
"That story was planted by Toyota," an NHTSA spokeswoman in Washington told just-auto. "Toyota is the source - yes we know that for definite.
"It is [the] Toyota PR machine. We knew they were going to put it out."
If the official word is driver error, we aren't likely to know about it any time soon. The NHTSA and DOT are still working with NASA amongst other groups, and have yet to announce final conclusions. Official updates can be found on the NHTSA special Toyota Recall and Investigation page.
(Source: http://www.just-auto.com/news/nhtsa_id105109.aspx )
Mike Magrath, Associate Editor, Inside Line
Categories: Auto Industry,Toyota,Toyota Recalls
Department of Transportation engineers have combed over the black-box recorder data for dozens of fatal crashes involving Toyotas in which "unintended acceleration" was alleged. And in all but one instance, DOT staffers have confirmed that the driver confused the gas pedal for the brake pedal, the Wall Street Journal reported.
That one exception is the sad story of California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor and his family. Rather than pedal confusion, the culprit in that fatal accident involving a Lexus ES 350 dealer courtesy car was indeed an ill-fitting driver floor mat belonging to an RX 400h. Toyota and Lexus subsequently initiated a widescale floor mat recall. The "sticky" throttle pedal recall is a separate issue and was not a factor in any of the 75 "unintended acceleration" crashes.
The DOT's findings don't let Toyota off the hook for any of the recent recalls, but for the moment, they suggest it might be a good idea to take a step back from the fear-mongering over electronic throttles. Mind you, there are good reasons to dislike drive-by-wire, but now it appears that Toyota Camrys and Priuses have met the same fate as the Audi 5000, and last time we checked, that car had a throttle cable.
Wall Street Journal (sub.req'd)
Categories: Lexus,Toyota,Toyota Recalls
Lexus has issued the list of vehicles that will be covered by an upcoming valve spring recall on the company's 3.5-liter V6 (north-south version only) and 4.6-liter V8 engines. The 5.0-liter V8 is also included, but only the version in the LS 600h. Yamaha builds the 5.0-liter in the IS-F and so a different valve spring supplier is used, Toyota's Bill Kwong told us. Toyota says it has notified NHTSA of its intent to file a Defect Investigation Report on July 5.
The recall will cover 138,000 cars in the U.S. Lexus estimates there's a 0.2 percent chance that any of these vehicles will actually experience a problem. Yes. That statistic is in the press release.
| Model |
Model Year |
| GS 350 |
2007 |
| 2008 |
| GS 450h |
2007 |
| 2008 |
| GS 460 |
2008 |
| IS 350 |
2006 |
| 2007 |
| 2008 |
| LS 460 |
2007 |
| 2008 |
| LS 460 L |
2007 |
| 2008 |
| LS 600h L |
2008 |
Categories: Lexus,Sedans,Toyota Recalls
Another (rare) bad day in the illustrious history of Lexus. Parent company Toyota announced it will issue a recall its 3.5-liter V6 and 4.6-liter V8 engines. This will affect 270,000 vehicles worldwide, primarily in Japan (90,000) and the United States (137,000).
Faulty valve springs are the concern in these engines. A press released issued by Toyota Motor Sales USA reads: "Due to slight variations during the manufacturing process, some foreign material may have contaminated the valve springs resulting in potential breakage."
Obvious symptoms of the problem include "abnormal" noises or idling behavior, or in some instances, random stalling.
No 2010 or 2011 vehicles will be part of the recall. However, if you own a Lexus IS 350, GS 350, GS 460, GS 450h, LS 460 or LS 600h of any earlier model year, don't be surprised if a letter comes in the mail. The Japanese-market Toyota Crown is also part of the recall. Note that only the longitudinal (rear-drive) version of the 3.5-liter V6 is affected, so the front-drive-based ES 350, RX 350 and RX 450h won't be part of the recall.
You don't need to wait for a letter, of course, as Lexus dealers will open their doors to any and all concerned owners. The Wall Street Journal cited a Tokyo-based Toyota spokesperson who said the automaker has gotten 200 complaints worldwide.
Inside Line News
Categories: Lexus,Luxury Cars,Sedans,Toyota Recalls
