Toyota to recall 3.8M vehicles over floor mats

[YSSMAN]

Lets add one more problem on the fire:

Toyota Corolla Reportedly Facing Steering Woes


Ruh roh Toyota. I like Jalopnik's "Building Beige Bites Back" campaign. Seems fitting, describes some of the problems that GM had not long ago when they were on the beige train too.

 

[Northstar]

I think Toyota took the criticism on the lack of excitement in their lineup the wrong way.

 

[niky]

Honestly, right now, I'd be buying up all the Toyota stock I could and holding on to it until they eventually rebounded. I wonder if people think the same way I do... *rushes off to check stock market*

(does the same thing...)

Lets add one more problem on the fire:

Toyota Corolla Reportedly Facing Steering Woes


Ruh roh Toyota. I like Jalopnik's "Building Beige Bites Back" campaign. Seems fitting, describes some of the problems that GM had not long ago when they were on the beige train too.

You mean the steering isn't supposed to be loose, ultra-light and shaky at highway speeds? That's actually a defect?

From some of the conditions described... that sounds exactly how the Corolla steers... and I didn't even have a mobile phone docked when we tested the car.


http://bigbigcar.com/ReviewArticle.aspx?id=37 (warning, self-pimpage)

The Corolla's previously heavy steering is now finger-twirl light at parking-lot speeds, which is good, but it's also finger-twirl light at highway speeds, which is bad. Experienced drivers may find the need for constant, fidgety corrections annoying, Inexperienced drivers might find it nerve-wracking.

You know how bad a steering system is when the electric steering in the Honda Fit, which has smaller tires and is more susceptible to crosswinds, feels more stable. In the Fit, you can actually let go of the steering wheel at 50 mph and still track straight. In the Corolla, you can't do the same, even at 30. Even better... there's still no rear anti-roll bar on the Corolla... so once you start overcorrecting, it's the fish's tail for the next half hour...

I much, much prefer the previous generation's steering. Numb and heavy. Didn't make it fun to drive, but you always knew where you were heading. It would actually be nice if this hysteria forced Toyota to recalibrate the stupid rack in the current car.

Still, this sounds more like the "OMG, Toyotas are unsafe! Let's sue" bandwagon effect is taking hold of America... and people are blaming Toyota for making a car that's unsafe to drive if you're driving unsafely (i.e.: using a cellphone, a mobile device, drinking coffee... etcetera...)... One wonders how America ever survived the VW Beetle...

 

[Adamgp]

 

[Bram Turismo]

I think Toyota took the criticism on the lack of excitement in their lineup the wrong way.

Dude! 👍

I do find it funny, however, that ever since the problem with the floor mats began, suddenly every single Toyota in the world stopped working. Either people are looking to squeeze out some extra cash, or some guy has invented a single switch to shut down all Toyotas around the globe...

 

[YSSMAN]

I much, much prefer the previous generation's steering. Numb and heavy. Didn't make it fun to drive, but you always knew where you were heading. It would actually be nice if this hysteria forced Toyota to recalibrate the stupid rack in the current car.

Same here. When I drove that current-gen Camry back home from Michigan City, IN (about 2.25 hrs), I was terrified the whole way home simply because there was so much slack in the steering... Especially compared to the old ('95) Camry we used to have. Toss on there the fact it was raining most of the way, and wow, I'm lucky my own pants were dry by the time I got home.

 

[Jim Prower]

I've been trying to find the gap in the TPS's 14 principles that allowed this to slip through, and the only thing thus far that may create a gap is principle #13:

"Make decisions slowly through consensus, thoroughly considering all options; implement decisions rapidly."

The "decisions slowly" part is where the gap forms...I'm convinced that Toyota STILL doesn't know why the pedal's going "WTF GOGOGOGOGO!," and thus the halfassed fixes thus far, and slow implementation. (Also explains why the LF-A took so long to get to market.)

Yet, the rest of these principles seem as if they should have prevented something like this in the first place. I suppose that no matter how fine a comb you use, the pressure of volume and inevitable problems that such rush causes still allows a few gremlins to get out the door.

and not the AMC sort, either. That was a relatively good car.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Think we should just call this the "Toyota Recall Thread".

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/12/toyota-recalling-8-000-2010-tacoma-4wd-pickups/

 

[buickgnx88]

Actually, Jalopnik has a great article on both Toyota and driving in general.

Beige Bites Back: Is Toyota Paying The Price For Building Dull Cars?

 

[Adamgp]

Interesting story on CNN.

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/02/13/griffin.toyota.electronics.cnn

Industry experts say Toyota doesn't know what the problem is, and therefore does not know how to fix it. Apparently the fix is something other than floor mat zip ties and gas pedal shims. This can be a huge blow to Toyota.

 

[Joey D]

It was only a matter of time before Toyota joined the ranks of GM and Chrysler as being utter crap. You can't be that big for that long and not start half assing things for a bigger profit. Ford used to be like that but ever since they got Alan Mulally on board their company has sucked less and less.

 

[Tornado]

I thought the shim thing was supposedly absolutely going to work. Hm.

So where do things go from here?

 

[FoolKiller]

So where do things go from here?

Forward?

 

[Eric.]

Ba-dum-tish.

 

[eSZee]

Yep, saw those earlier. It boils down to "Yeah we didn't live up to your expectations this time as Toyota but we're fixing it, okay?"

I saw on the news that employees at the plants that suspended production had to take unpaid leave or use their vacation days.

These shut downs were planned last year before the recalls were anywhere on the radar.. My GF works for a toyota parts supplier, and Toyota let them know in July of last year that they will be shutting down plants.

 

[FoolKiller]

Ba-dum-tish.

I'm here all week.

Unfortunately, I am not too popular in Kentucky with my sense of humor, as the Georgetown plant is being hit hard by this.

 

[YSSMAN]

So where do things go from here?

I'm guessing that we're going to see Toyota pretty extensively damaged for the foreseeable future. I'm thinking in much the same way Audi was with their unintended acceleration junk back in the '80s. Generally speaking, Toyota is going to have to re-invent the wheel and make cars that people will actually want to buy again. Oh, and cars that won't kill those lovely people who have the stones to get one. Building excellent vehicles has radically transformed Audi in the past ten years, Toyota will have to drink from the same cup to go back to where they used to be... In the (early) 1990s.

 

[eSZee]

my parents got rear ended by a 2007 toyota SUV, police report doesn't say which. I'm waiting to hear from the guilty party's insurance saying it was the car's fault.

 

[Raitziger]

Heel and toe is not possible with new toyotas as they said pressing brake and gas at the same time will cut the gas away in the future.

 

[eSZee]

lol, heel/toe in a toyota, why?

 

[Joey D]

lol, heel/toe in a toyota, why?

Because they made/make some sporty-ish cars?

 

[Eric.]

Well you apparently can't heel-toe in a G37 either. Car and Driver had an article testing out the stopping power of several cars under full throttle and the G37 cuts throttle the moment there's braking.

 

[YSSMAN]

Because they made/make some sporty-ish cars?

True. But they'd have to get pedal positions correct in them. Comparing the newer cars with the older ones that we own/owned, the brake pedal is moving further to the left and moving higher so you don't mistake it for the brake (ironic, I know).

I personally find it extremely difficult to heel/toe in my car, so I tend not to do it.

 

[Philly]

Because they made/make some sporty-ish cars?

Don't you also normally heel and toe in a manual? I'm fairly sure that nobody would buy a Toyota with a manual gearbox outside the Yaris and Matrix. Even though they apparently sell the Camry with one...

I think that a throttle cutoff if the brake pedal is pressed is an excellent idea too. As rare as it is, there are still people who think they're Micheal Schumacher who ride the brake with their left foot as they drive. Following somebody like that is one of the most scary things I've done while driving.

 

[Northstar]

There might be some more recalls, this time for steering on Corolla's.

Link

 

[niky]

Noted pages ago.

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showpost.php?p=3750002&postcount=151
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=120897&page=8

That one is probably a dead-end. The current Corolla has crappy steering, period. Numb, loose and waaaaaaay overboosted at highway speeds. Take your hands off the wheel on the highway and you could end up in the weeds if somebody sneezes.

Even if it isn't a defect, I hope they fix it. It's idiotic that even Kia knows that you should lessen electric power assist at highway speeds (listen, if the steering has no haptic feedback, this is necessary), yet Toyota doesn't.

 

[Northstar]

That link just said there were issues, not that Toyota was doing anything about it. The link I posted said they are doing something about it.

 

[niky]

They're "looking into it". Same thing as before... everyone's just "looking into it."

Still think there's no issue, but you never know...

 

[Northstar]

Toyota is always "looking into things" until the feds say "do something".

 

[Adamgp]

Apparently Mr. Toyoda won't be attending the U.S. Congressional hearings next week.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/02/17/japan.toyota.press.conference/index.html

Interesting videos in the link too.

EDIT: I just saw on the news that he will show up. Perhaps to help explain this:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/ambs8icm3pyy

Toyota got busted for hiring ex-NHTSA employees to get rid of atleast 4 U.S. investigations of unintended acceleration over the past decade.