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Toyota Halts Sales of Popular Models - Accelerator Stuck Problem Recall

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Messages Page 161 of 360

#1595 of 3593 Congressional Investigation Hearings Today by sharonkl

Feb 23, 2010 (9:38 pm)

Has anyone watched the hearing today?? I did, and have gotten some preliminary personal opinions forming. I was disappointed in Lentz's testimony and his lack of knowledge regarding the questions asked to him. Today Toyota story once again changed.
(1)Apologies once again.
(2)Made statement all engineering issues, recalls, etc. decisions made in Japan. Will be sort of a swat team set up for complaints. Also will be a special US sort of QA type group to be established.
(3)Background is more business & marketing. Lentz oversees marketing in US.
(4)Today now states recalls will not take care of all issues SUA & UA - seems to be using two different descriptions - And must remember
Toyota got NHTSA to ignore/discard/eliminate from consideration SUA (high speed out of control complaints) in past which probably affected the future way Toyota problems looked at. Wow totally different from past statement - and video shown at today's hearing - him making those statements saying fixes would take care of the SUA/UA issues. Big contradiction! Statements made on their Website newsroom press releases contradict today's statement as well .
(5)States could be other problems, etc. that cause UA/SUA
(6)But at same time he says confident of electronics????? Toyota will always test??? Wow but they didn't until just recently when htey hired Exponent
(7)Mentioned brake override to be implemented most autos by 2011 or end of 2010. Stated just for additional safety only. Confident of electronics.
(8)Could not answer many questions regarding electronics.
(9)Admitted no prior tests done on electronics - none were provided to congress for investigation except for Exponent who they just hired. Congress had asked. Tests were only very basic engineering tests done on only small sample of models. NOTE Toyota claimed publicly tests were done in past public announcements made and has said no problem found - electronics fine. Well no other past tests were done or were just not given to Congress, not sent to congress Lentz now admits today. Just Exponents???? Congress tore report apart!!! Said of no value at all. Faulty. Lentz claims they will do more tests in future??? Wow they have been investigating since August when San Diego accident occurred and all the heat was turned up.
(10)Could not answer why they never took the accident/UA/SUA incident cars to run full engineering tests on. Find out why? One congressman said if he were CEO of Toyota that would have been his first approach. He said he would have gone to get the problem cars! Toyota did not do.
(12)Talked about going forward all the time. Lots of apologies. And found him walking around quite a few of the questions. Avoiding a direct answer.
(13)Had no good answer when asked - why brake override needed if no electronic problem? Just said system would be additional safety measure. Don't forget brake override announced on November 25, 2009 & before recall pedal fix. Congressman said makes people feel there is problem with electronics. Knows brake override will take care of any electronic problems.
(14) Asked about Professor Dave Gilbert findings - he could in laboratory setting induce Toyota into SUA event - not recorded as error in system as error - nor would failsafe modes then be activated as a result..Said last night finally at about midnight hired Exponent was able to duplicate Gilbert's findings. He was gentle on what he thought, but left impression Toyota would have Exponent fight Gilbert's findings. Knowing Exponent's past history of being involved in producing & publishing a fradulant scientific study in California for PGE -(proven by some dedicated scientists I think- forget who proved- let's just say they could have cared less about chromium causing cancer and death - just went out to contradict good valid past scientific research - was big blowup & yes all for money.). Exponent is excellent defense group - just how they defend their clinets I feel is questionable??? My feelings seem to be they did it once, and now I question all of their defense studies/reports. As a prominant UCSF medical school doctor politely said - Exponent is not what he would consider as a neutral group when evaluating any of their reports/etc..
(15) Avoided questions about how much Toyota was paying Exponent for their work??? Mention of $1,000,000 or more. ?? This came about because Sean Kane had paid Gilbert to help finish his work. But Biggest factor is Gilbert started project all on his own, had just bought a Toyota pickup. When he found out something, he called NHTSA, Toyota, and Kane. Kane at Safety Research and Strategy was only one who responded immediately. Kane only paid Gilbert $1800 plus $150 per hour - all approved by University of Illinois. NHTSA only sent email. Only was able to talk with Toyota one week ago. Kane just arranged all quite recently too. One other legislator had accused Kane of manipulating the facts for money. I personally go - h-mmm. Well so is Toyota paying Exponent. One other congressman said Exponent is more of a defense type group - asked why they used Exponent?? Of course no direct answer. Think I believe Gilbert over Exponent knowing their past history. Can't fool me with Exponent's reports!!!!!! Not after what they were involved in in past..
 
That is all for tonight. More to report but tired. Lastly - want to say personally I was not impressed with Lentz's answers or testimony. Seems like Toyota did drag all out & today seemed to indicate this even more. Even news stations are asking all the electronic questions too?? And Toyota never even addressed engineering tests until just very recently???? Only produced basic tests, which publicly they tried to claim in newspapers recently - no electronic problems found. Congress tore report apart!
 
Darn I was really hoping Toyota would have done better today. But just my personal opinion. Still would love having brake override flashed into my RAV4, but sort of doubt it will be available for me to buy flash.
 
Go check out CNN for tomorrow's hearing. They have it live.
 
NOTE-
And 70% of Toyota complaints are still not addressed by recalls per congress today!!!! Mentioned multiple times!!! And no real answer/solution/finding/approach by Toyota? Just Lentz saying would continue working on

#1596 of 3593 Re: ABC Video University Illinois Professor [wwest] by sharonkl

Feb 23, 2010 (9:58 pm)

Replying to: wwest (Feb 23, 2010 10:10 am)
Today Dave Gilbert said Toyota models were the easiest system to break into. Other manufacturer's systems more difficult. Toyota originally said system could not be affected, could not induce any problems, and always said error would be recorded. This was their claim. Gilbert said his step was only the beginning step ,shows how everyday factors could have possibly caused same events. Gilbert provided detailed report to congress of what he did. NHTSA does have two electrical engineers working for them. This will help with evaluating Toyota defense engineers attacks. Congress was encouraging Toyota to work with Gilbert as they felt would be quite good. Gilbert was receptive. Congress was quite interested in hearing from Gilbert. Gilbert got lots of questions. Well we shall see what comes next. Go CNN.com tomorrow - see it live on your computer.

#1597 of 3593 Re: Congressional Investigation Hearings Today [sharonkl] by revit

Feb 24, 2010 (4:12 am)

Replying to: sharonkl (Feb 23, 2010 9:38 pm)
Today Toyota story once again changed
 
Today? That has happened everyday, for the past several weeks, months, and years on this issue.
 
Toyota - Moving Forward With An Ever Changing Excuse
 
I mean really, come on already LMAO!

#1598 of 3593 Re: Congressional Investigation Hearings Today [sharonkl] by abacomike

Feb 24, 2010 (4:43 am)

Replying to: sharonkl (Feb 23, 2010 9:38 pm)
I agree with all of what you said, HOWEVER, the President of Toyota USA is merely an executive who runs marketing, sales and public relations for Toyota in the United States. It is obvious that he was the wrong person to call up to Capitol Hill for testifying on behalf of Toyota and the recalls. Japan controls every aspect of operations, production, engineeering, etc.
 
In my opinion, it will take many years for Toyota to recover from this mess, if they every fully recover at all. In the meantime, GM, Ford, Nissan and the Korean automobile companies are taking advantage of the situation, as they should. Toyota has been smug about coming clean over the past several years about problems with their vehicles, and now they are going to pay the Piper. Concealing safety issues for over 8 years is what did them in. I only hope the Japanese and particularly Toyota, have learned something from this experience.
 
In the meantime, let's hope GM and Ford also learn from this experience so they don't allow themselves sto fall into the same abyss as did Toyota.

#1599 of 3593 Re: Congressional Investigation Hearings Today [abacomike] by revit

Feb 24, 2010 (4:56 am)

Replying to: abacomike (Feb 24, 2010 4:43 am)
I only hope the Japanese and particularly Toyota, have learned something from this experience.
 
Learned something? Come on!
 
They still don't even know the problem and if they had their way, they would still be blaming the customer, the supplier, the floor mats, the pedals, and the list goes on.
 
Toyota will not change from this. They are simply trying to tell the public what they want to hear to put the issue to rest as they did with the recall on the pedals.
 
What's that? The pedal recall won't really fix the issue??? What a surprise! LMAO

#1600 of 3593 Introducing the Toyota "Won'tberecalleda", by revit

Feb 24, 2010 (5:04 am)

Now introducing the Toyota "Won'tberecalleda", there is no acceleration or braking so it should not need to be.
 

compliments of www.thespoof.com

#1601 of 3593 Re: Congressional Investigation Hearings Today [revit] by hackattack5

Feb 24, 2010 (5:10 am)

Replying to: revit (Feb 24, 2010 4:56 am)
"I only hope the Japanese and particularly Toyota, have learned something from this experience"
 
I heard on the local radio station here in Cincy that all the local Toyota dealerships are complaining that Corporate Toyota is getting treated unfair by the government and it because the government owns GM. I don't think this is a good defense to use in America "you are picking on me because" You pulled me over because" You fired me because" Come on Toyota don't you remember Ford's Pinto Fiasco? The government filed criminal charges against Ford executives for the same thing you guys are doing

#1602 of 3593 Re: Congressional Investigation Hearings Today [hackattack5] by uplanderguy

Feb 24, 2010 (5:57 am)

Replying to: hackattack5 (Feb 24, 2010 5:10 am)
Whenever I hear people saying 'Toyota is being picked on because the government owns GM', I just have to shake my head. If that was the case, does anyone think the government would have 'let' the Cash for Clunkers program include cars from foreign manufacturers as it did? They cleaned the clocks of the domestic manufacturers during that program...unfortunately.
 
Bill

#1603 of 3593 Re: Congressional Investigation Hearings Today [sharonkl] by imidazol97

Feb 24, 2010 (6:36 am)

Replying to: sharonkl (Feb 23, 2010 9:38 pm)
Conclusions:
 
Gilbert is a star because he verified there is a problem with the binary code in toyota's main computer.
 
Kane as an attorney showed his true concern for safety of drivers. He had been attacked as a shyster, ambulance chaser here by some. He has helped bring attention to the accumulating unintended accelerations that weren't hidden by being told at the dealer that it was their imagination, they hit the wrong pedal, it was the floor mat, etc.
 
The real shyster was Lentz. he used weasel words to make past presidents sound honest by comparison. He carefully inserted adjectives to change the meaning of what was said and let it sound like what hopeful owners wanted to hear. But only 30% of the UA cases might be attributed to the two fake fixes toyota has run by the american public.

#1604 of 3593 Re: Congressional Investigation Hearings Today [sharonkl] by mikefm58

Feb 24, 2010 (7:21 am)

Replying to: sharonkl (Feb 23, 2010 9:38 pm)
Some of the questions asked are kind of ridiculous, like asking an airline executive, "Can you gaurantee to me today that your planes will not crash ever?". Lentz and Toyota have done the best they can but the deck is really stacked against them, way too much political power with Govt. Motors. Some of the testimony was incredible, like that ladies Lexus had a mind of it's own. Floor mats and sticky gas pedals can't cause that.
 
But I have seen enough to cross Toyota off my list of vehicles I'd consider buying again, new or used. Between this and the arrogant dealers in my area, they don't deserve my business. Way too many other good choices out there. I'm going to be in the market for a small truck in a year or so, and had it narrowed down to the Tacoma and the Ford Ranger. Tha Tacoma is now off the list.

Messages Page 161 of 360

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