Toyota recalls and black box recording device

Carnut · February 09, 2011, 04:49:54 PM

Government: No Electronic Flaws in Toyotas

The Transportation Department, assisted by engineers with NASA, said its 10-month study of Toyota vehicles concluded there was no electronic cause of unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas. The study, which was launched at the request of Congress, responded to consumer complaints that flawed electronics could be the culprit behind Toyota's spate of recalls.

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/02/08/government-electronic-flaws-toyotas/

Uncle Bob · February 10, 2011, 12:50:29 PM

Another look at the details of the Fed report:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704858404576134462507650824.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Well, it looks like I can't get a link to do the subscriber content, the upshot is, no electronic faults but it did say there were a number of driver error incidents, though they hate using that terminology. Driver error doesn't leave much room for politician and lawyerly exploitation. Sigh.

butch27 · February 10, 2011, 10:32:48 PM

I've said it before; "We've destroyed the American car" Who really needs all of the "extras' they put in now? Darn it we're Americans. Drive a rear wheel car with a carb.

Carps · February 11, 2011, 03:15:17 AM

Quote from: "Carnut"Government: No Electronic Flaws in Toyotas

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/02/08/government-electronic-flaws-toyotas/

The words "I told ya so", come to mind.

Mikej · February 11, 2011, 08:46:44 AM

I'm just glad they gave NASA something to do for 8 Months. Seems how the space programs are slowing down. I'm sure they are experts in the automotive world now. The shuttle is probably still using windows 93. I'm also glad the guy thinks his daughter should be driving one. Didn't say he would. Sceptic? Maybe.

Carnut · February 11, 2011, 04:51:40 PM

I was saying 'I told you so' when this unintended acceleration thing first broke out. It was totally reminiscent of the 80's Audi acceleration problem.

It had more to do with 'demographics' than 'mechanics'.

The biggie was the guy in the runaway Prius with the Corvette Jacket who obviously was staging an 'event' for himself.

Heh, heh, here's a cute article on the subject now.

Hit the brakes! Drivers hit the gas instead

http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/11/autos/pedal_misapplication/index.htm

Carps · February 12, 2011, 06:51:49 PM

QuoteThey still continued to sell cars, knowing their was a problem.

They investigated and found no problem.

And of course it it was GM, Ford or Chrysler being accused, they would have immediately stopped building and shipping cars until the situation was resolved to the satisfaction of everybody with a complaint? Yeah sure!

QuoteAnd lied to the public about it, denying there was a problem.

The government's fiding has proven that there was no problem, so how is saying "we can't find anything wrong." lying?.

On the other hand they did recall millions of cars to 'fix' a couple of things that 'migh' cause uninteded acceleration by replacing the accelerator pedals and floor mats that might get caught on them.

In fact the accelerator pedal was completey redesigned to reduce the risk of it becoming trapped by a floor mat.

QuoteCredibility is a fragile commodity.

And the US Gov't now has a lot less than the car maker they accused of lying and then fined millions of dollars for not initiating a recall when they could not find a problem to fix.

Crosley.In.AZ · February 12, 2011, 10:38:38 PM

At this point I can say that Toyota products are still off the table for a new vehicle when I go looking.

tomslik · February 13, 2011, 09:23:42 AM

i work on less late model toyotas than vw/audis...
and i'd take either over a nissan/kia/hyundai/daewoo..

they all suck,it's all in what probems you want to deal with

Crosley.In.AZ · February 13, 2011, 09:34:55 AM

Quote from: "tomslik"i work on less late model toyotas than vw/audis...
and i'd take either over a nissan/kia/hyundai/daewoo..

they all suck,it's all in what probems you want to deal with

think I will look at Ford ... no bail out money taken

tomslik · February 13, 2011, 10:17:46 AM

Quote from: "Crosley"
Quote from: "tomslik"i work on less late model toyotas than vw/audis...
and i'd take either over a nissan/kia/hyundai/daewoo..

they all suck,it's all in what probems you want to deal with

think I will look at Ford ... no bail out money taken

i'd like to, but if there's a worse driving truck out there, i'm not aware of it...
well, that and their spark plug "issues"...and cam drive issues...

next time i need a truck, i'll be looking at a 3/4t avalanche..
ugly but i like some of the features..

DISCLAIMER!!!! just MY opinion...

UGLY OLDS · February 13, 2011, 10:24:32 AM

What he said about "issues".. X5 ^^^^^^^^^^^ :!:

Trust Me .....

Bob.....

Crosley.In.AZ · February 13, 2011, 11:50:58 AM

Quote from: "tomslik"
Quote from: "Crosley"
Quote from: "tomslik"i work on less late model toyotas than vw/audis...
and i'd take either over a nissan/kia/hyundai/daewoo..

they all suck,it's all in what probems you want to deal with

think I will look at Ford ... no bail out money taken

i'd like to, but if there's a worse driving truck out there, i'm not aware of it...
well, that and their spark plug "issues"...and cam drive issues...

next time i need a truck, i'll be looking at a 3/4t avalanche..
ugly but i like some of the features..

DISCLAIMER!!!! just MY opinion...

tom, i value your opinion on vehicles since you work on them and offer a no bull feathers comments on them. that is why I ask you questions via email on various cars

I am not looking at trucks. My Silverado only has 30k miles. I have accepted the fact the throttle needs to be at 3/4 to WOT on slight grades or simple acceleration onto the freeway when the car trailer is hooked up. If I buy another truck it will be diesel HD 3/4 ton so it will pull a GD trailer decently

I need a car, pure utilitarian - drive to work and home vehicle. High MPG is needed. 400 miles a week is minimum we drive. Scion would fit that need, but it is a Yota product. I did not see runaway cars in the Scion line up.... or they did runaway uncontrolled, but no body could tell . LOL

Tom, you do not like Vee Dubs - German cars.. My Vee Dub has been OK for 117k miles cept for the GD 700 dollar flywheel, special oil needed, some times cant find simple parts for them in the aftermarket ( wiper blades, oil filters).. Just had a recall on sensor wire harness in the seats.

Vee Dub still provides 41 - 43 mpg on each tank of diesel. My wife loves the size of the car. Not small , not big. She is happy with it. That means a great deal to me

May look at Honda Civic in a few months.

wayne petty · February 13, 2011, 02:43:44 PM

tony there were several scions that also had a runaway problem...

i would bet that the brake pedal application throttle override will cure the runaway problem... it should be able to be flash programmed into many earlier computers.. as the PCM does look at the brake light circuits..

my thoughts are that something else in the system is blocking the can system with random codes.. i have always wanted to see the data stream from the corvette guys car.. as one reporter said live on camera.. the engineers have seen in the data that he had repeatedly depressed the brake and the throttle multiple times.. but i want to know.. were these times together.. separate... and what was the throttle body blade angle doing.. was it stuck at WOT. while his foot was off the throttle..

one of the reports said that nasa was given access to the electronic throttle data .. but there are a lot of other things on that CAN data line..

it would take some kind of tap into the circuit. and a decent computer to wiretap every command down that wire. while the car is in runaway mode to trap the spurious signals.. i wonder if the blue tooth in the onboard stereo or built in cell phone is on the same can circuit.. some random signal via some cell phones bluetooth might be enough to set it off..

i like toyotas over a bunch of other cars also.. hondas run a close second..
vw's third.. although i was under a late model mitsubishi.. and was really impressed with the beef i saw built into the running gear.. but i only see a few of those... but then.. one has to understand.. i only see them when they are broken... or in for service of some kind..

as for the ford spark plug issue.. some spark plug manufacturer has come out with a one piece spark plug that should not separate when removed... with the amount of miles racked up on cars now a days. i guess i have just been really lucky that i have not broken any off yet..

i thought the run away audis were traced back to a check ball failure in the valve body.. as the gas pedal in the car worked the TV lever on the side of the transmission. that lever also had the shaft to the throttle body .. when pressure was backfed into the probable boost valve.. it actually moved the throttle valve lever opening the throttle body..

i wonder if __________ had a problem with the __________ as the throttle valve rod at the carb is slotted.. so the transmission or any motion of the throttle valve rod could not push the throttle open..

tomslik · February 13, 2011, 04:36:33 PM

Quote from: "Crosley"
Quote from: "tomslik"
Quote from: "Crosley"
Quote from: "tomslik"i work on less late model toyotas than vw/audis...
and i'd take either over a nissan/kia/hyundai/daewoo..

they all suck,it's all in what probems you want to deal with

think I will look at Ford ... no bail out money taken

i'd like to, but if there's a worse driving truck out there, i'm not aware of it...
well, that and their spark plug "issues"...and cam drive issues...

next time i need a truck, i'll be looking at a 3/4t avalanche..
ugly but i like some of the features..

DISCLAIMER!!!! just MY opinion...

tom, i value your opinion on vehicles since you work on them and offer a no bull feathers comments on them. that is why I ask you questions via email on various cars

I am not looking at trucks. My Silverado only has 30k miles. I have accepted the fact the throttle needs to be at 3/4 to WOT on slight grades or simple acceleration onto the freeway when the car trailer is hooked up. If I buy another truck it will be diesel HD 3/4 ton so it will pull a GD trailer decently

I need a car, pure utilitarian - drive to work and home vehicle. High MPG is needed. 400 miles a week is minimum we drive. Scion would fit that need, but it is a Yota product. I did not see runaway cars in the Scion line up.... or they did runaway uncontrolled, but no body could tell . LOL

Tom, you do not like Vee Dubs - German cars.. My Vee Dub has been OK for 117k miles cept for the GD 700 dollar flywheel, special oil needed, some times cant find simple parts for them in the aftermarket ( wiper blades, oil filters).. Just had a recall on sensor wire harness in the seats.

Vee Dub still provides 41 - 43 mpg on each tank of diesel. My wife loves the size of the car. Not small , not big. She is happy with it. That means a great deal to me

May look at Honda Civic in a few months.

ok, ford (car and truck)has their wonderfull plastic intakes that have a silicone o-rings for sealing ports.
not so much a plastic intake problem but an oring problem.
they leak after a while and cause lean codes.
coil packs die fairly regularly, too

like i said, they all have their problems...
btw, my wife's scion has a cable...
can't tell ya a bout the new ones..