Toyota suspends u.s. Sales of eight models
Thread Starter
Former Sponsor
Joined: 11-15-2007
Posts: 282
From: Yorkville, IL
As it should be. Endangering one's customers' lives (as well as those of innocent occupants of other vehicles, etc.) is not something one can allow to continue unabated.
Their reputation is already dead; the least they can do is save human lives now.
Their reputation is already dead; the least they can do is save human lives now.
Senior Member
Joined: 07-28-2009
Posts: 203
From: Texas
I did not see anything about the Pontiac Vibe which is basically a Matrix. I guess nobody cares about the poor Vibe. Toyota does not care because it is Pontiac's/GM's responsibility and Pontiac/GM does not care as it is a brand/car that is going away and Toyota is responsible for engineering.
Senior Member
Joined: 08-20-2006
Posts: 21,640
From: Hillsdale, Michigan
The company responsible for the faulty gas pedals CTS Corp. of Elkhart Indiana also makes pedals for Honda Motor Co., Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan Motor Co. and Ford Motor Co. Ford halted production of some vehicles in China because they use CTS gas pedals.
Toyota pedal maker says making redesigned pedals
By TOM KRISHER and KEN THOMAS, AP
WASHINGTON — Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it's closing in on solutions to a gas pedal system problem, but it still had no details on when drivers would see repairs as an embarrassing recall spread to more than 2.4 million vehicles on three continents.
Toyota dealers in the U.S. have been swamped with calls from concerned owners but had few answers as the recalls snowballed. Elkhart, Ind.-based CTS Corp., which made the parts, is cranking out redesigned gas pedal assemblies that fix the problem, which is caused by condensation around an arm attached to the pedal and springs that send the pedal back to the idle position.
Toyota engineers are developing ways to repair the pedal systems in existing cars and trucks, said spokesman Brian Lyons.
No decision has been made yet on whether to repair the pedals or replace them altogether, he said, and he would not estimate how long it will take for customers to see action. Lyons says the automaker has not decided if the new pedals will go to dealers or factories.
Toyota on Thursday extended its recalls to China and Europe, deepening the massive recalls that threatened to undermine the reputation of the world's top automaker as a manufacturer of safe, durable vehicles.
The automaker has informed Chinese authorities it will start a recall in February for 75,500 RAV4 vehicles that were manufactured in China between March 2009 and January 2010, said Toyota spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi. Toyota is still unsure how many vehicles could have the defect in Europe.
ABC News - Toyota's Car Confusion
Earlier this week, the company said it was suspending U.S. sales and production of eight models — including the Camry, America's top-selling car — to fix faulty pedal systems that could stick and cause acceleration without warning.
Toyota then announced an additional recall of 1.09 million vehicles in the United States covering five models — 2008-2010 Highlander, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Venza, 2009-2010 Matrix, and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe, a General Motors Corp. vehicle that shares parts with the Matrix.
A week before the sales suspension, Toyota issued a U.S. recall for the same eight models, affecting 2.3 million vehicles. In late 2009 it recalled 4.2 million vehicles amid concerns that floor mats could bend across gas pedals, causing sudden acceleration. Some of the models overlap.
CTS also makes pedals for Honda Motor Co., Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan Motor Co. and Ford Motor Co., but the company said pedals made for those manufacturers don't have the same design. Still, Ford on Thursday halted production of some full-sized commercial vehicles in China because they contain CTS gas pedals.
CTS officials say they have ramped up production at three factories to manufacture redesigned pedals. The pedals are meant to solve problems with condensation that Toyota has said can cause them to react slowly when a driver presses on the gas. In rare cases, the gas pedals can get stuck.
CTS says it is also working with the Japanese automaker to find a potentially quicker repair for vehicles already on the road.
Lyons says the company's No. 1 priority is figuring out how to repair the largest number of vehicles in the shortest amount of time.
Repairs to the pedals still have to go through the normal durability testing to make sure they work properly, Lyons said. He would not estimate how long it will take for Toyota to decide on repairing versus replacement, nor would he say how long it will be until cars and trucks are fixed.
Toyota officials were meeting Thursday with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to discuss a potential fix for the recalled vehicles.
Since the initial recall last October, the company has held discussions with the government over the accelerator problem, and NHTSA was expected to review a possible remedy for the latest recall.
The sales suspension in the U.S. — Toyota's biggest market — could endanger the company's fledgling earnings recovery. Toyota only returned to the black for the July-September quarter with net income of 21.8 billion yen ($241 million) after three straight losing quarters.
"It is still uncertain how this recall problem will affect Toyota's profits. But investors are worried it could really pressure the company's overall earnings," said Masatoshi Sato, market analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities Co. Ltd.
Fitch Ratings warned Thursday the massive recalls and sales suspension could dent Toyota's recovery, especially in the vital U.S. market.
Fitch placed Toyota's credit rating of 'A+' on watch negative, meaning the rating could be downgraded. That could increase the interest rate Toyota pays on any debt.
"The recalls and sales and production suspension cast a negative light on Toyota's reputation for quality, just as the company emerges from an unprecedented downturn in the auto industry," Fitch said in a statement.
In March of 2007, Toyota started getting reports of gas pedals being slow to rise after being depressed for acceleration. Engineers fixed the problem in the Tundra pickup early in 2008.
But troubles persisted in other models, eventually leading to last week's U.S. recall and the plans to suspend sales and shut down of six factories while Toyota tries to fix the problems.
Toyota pedal maker says making redesigned pedals
By TOM KRISHER and KEN THOMAS, AP
WASHINGTON — Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it's closing in on solutions to a gas pedal system problem, but it still had no details on when drivers would see repairs as an embarrassing recall spread to more than 2.4 million vehicles on three continents.
Toyota dealers in the U.S. have been swamped with calls from concerned owners but had few answers as the recalls snowballed. Elkhart, Ind.-based CTS Corp., which made the parts, is cranking out redesigned gas pedal assemblies that fix the problem, which is caused by condensation around an arm attached to the pedal and springs that send the pedal back to the idle position.
Toyota engineers are developing ways to repair the pedal systems in existing cars and trucks, said spokesman Brian Lyons.
No decision has been made yet on whether to repair the pedals or replace them altogether, he said, and he would not estimate how long it will take for customers to see action. Lyons says the automaker has not decided if the new pedals will go to dealers or factories.
Toyota on Thursday extended its recalls to China and Europe, deepening the massive recalls that threatened to undermine the reputation of the world's top automaker as a manufacturer of safe, durable vehicles.
The automaker has informed Chinese authorities it will start a recall in February for 75,500 RAV4 vehicles that were manufactured in China between March 2009 and January 2010, said Toyota spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi. Toyota is still unsure how many vehicles could have the defect in Europe.
ABC News - Toyota's Car Confusion
Earlier this week, the company said it was suspending U.S. sales and production of eight models — including the Camry, America's top-selling car — to fix faulty pedal systems that could stick and cause acceleration without warning.
Toyota then announced an additional recall of 1.09 million vehicles in the United States covering five models — 2008-2010 Highlander, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Venza, 2009-2010 Matrix, and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe, a General Motors Corp. vehicle that shares parts with the Matrix.
A week before the sales suspension, Toyota issued a U.S. recall for the same eight models, affecting 2.3 million vehicles. In late 2009 it recalled 4.2 million vehicles amid concerns that floor mats could bend across gas pedals, causing sudden acceleration. Some of the models overlap.
CTS also makes pedals for Honda Motor Co., Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan Motor Co. and Ford Motor Co., but the company said pedals made for those manufacturers don't have the same design. Still, Ford on Thursday halted production of some full-sized commercial vehicles in China because they contain CTS gas pedals.
CTS officials say they have ramped up production at three factories to manufacture redesigned pedals. The pedals are meant to solve problems with condensation that Toyota has said can cause them to react slowly when a driver presses on the gas. In rare cases, the gas pedals can get stuck.
CTS says it is also working with the Japanese automaker to find a potentially quicker repair for vehicles already on the road.
Lyons says the company's No. 1 priority is figuring out how to repair the largest number of vehicles in the shortest amount of time.
Repairs to the pedals still have to go through the normal durability testing to make sure they work properly, Lyons said. He would not estimate how long it will take for Toyota to decide on repairing versus replacement, nor would he say how long it will be until cars and trucks are fixed.
Toyota officials were meeting Thursday with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to discuss a potential fix for the recalled vehicles.
Since the initial recall last October, the company has held discussions with the government over the accelerator problem, and NHTSA was expected to review a possible remedy for the latest recall.
The sales suspension in the U.S. — Toyota's biggest market — could endanger the company's fledgling earnings recovery. Toyota only returned to the black for the July-September quarter with net income of 21.8 billion yen ($241 million) after three straight losing quarters.
"It is still uncertain how this recall problem will affect Toyota's profits. But investors are worried it could really pressure the company's overall earnings," said Masatoshi Sato, market analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities Co. Ltd.
Fitch Ratings warned Thursday the massive recalls and sales suspension could dent Toyota's recovery, especially in the vital U.S. market.
Fitch placed Toyota's credit rating of 'A+' on watch negative, meaning the rating could be downgraded. That could increase the interest rate Toyota pays on any debt.
"The recalls and sales and production suspension cast a negative light on Toyota's reputation for quality, just as the company emerges from an unprecedented downturn in the auto industry," Fitch said in a statement.
In March of 2007, Toyota started getting reports of gas pedals being slow to rise after being depressed for acceleration. Engineers fixed the problem in the Tundra pickup early in 2008.
But troubles persisted in other models, eventually leading to last week's U.S. recall and the plans to suspend sales and shut down of six factories while Toyota tries to fix the problems.
Senior Member
Joined: 11-15-2008
Posts: 1,599
From: Newburgh, NY
Thread Starter
Former Sponsor
Joined: 11-15-2007
Posts: 282
From: Yorkville, IL
Probably not...fact is, most of the people Toyota will lose are bound to migrate to another Jap brand. However, even Honda announced a recall today of almost three-quarters of a million...
Ladies and gents, we may be witnessing the beginning of the inevitable leveling out. Even Jap companies have had to cust costs and cheapen parts in an attempt to make more money and compete. It seems that no matter what nation a car company is from, that largesse translates to problems sooner or later. I hope American cars can finally stop taking such a media drubbing as a result. It's long overdue.
Ladies and gents, we may be witnessing the beginning of the inevitable leveling out. Even Jap companies have had to cust costs and cheapen parts in an attempt to make more money and compete. It seems that no matter what nation a car company is from, that largesse translates to problems sooner or later. I hope American cars can finally stop taking such a media drubbing as a result. It's long overdue.
