I used to be a Toyota fan. I will never ever, purchase a Toyota again. Due to the recall and the fact that Toyota is unable to fix the accelerator problem Toyota is a danger to all of us. The fact that Toyota was unable to find and fix the accelerator problem the US Government should demand that Toyota offer to buy back all the Recall Vehicles. The US Government has a responsibility to insure that vehicles sold in the US are Safe. Toyota should be banned due to Safety issues. A class action lawsuit against Toyota needs to happen and happen now to insure Toyota to buy back all the recall vehicles. Safety is our number one concern. How many people out their that own a recall vehicle feel safe in their recall vehicle? We all need to stand as one and demand the US Government take swift action and protect us all from the dangerous Toyota vehicles on the road.
What a tragic event and my heart goes out to the family – I cannot imagine the fear of the last few minutes of the lives of these people – may they rest in peace. I hope the family wins and wins big. I say this after a friend of mine told me a few weeks ago that when he bought his NEW 2007 Camry 3 years ago, he received a call from the service department asking him to bring the car in to have the accelerator checked as they found issues with them sticking – they knew 3 years ago there was a problem and really didn’t do anything. While I feel bad for the Toyota employees who may lose jobs over this situation because of the financial hit Toyota will take, this family lost everything and will forever be in pain over their loss. I’m not a person who believes in suing, but this is a totally righteous case and I only hope Toyota steps up to the plate and settles quickly so that the family can begin to heal.
Something is missing from this story!!! The customer from 3 days prior was able to put the car in neutral and apply the brakes until he could successfully unjam a gas pedal. However a State Trooper who no doubt has much time spent in vehicle training and experience was unable to accomplish the same feat. Take a look at the March Car & Driver article testing Toyota Camry’s with the gas pedal pinned to the floor, the brakes can overpower the engine everytime. I’m by no means excusing Toyota, but there appears to be an attempt to villify a foreign car company to help save the American car industry. This situation is not quite transparent yet, but give it time, more is bound to come out to clear up some lingering questions!
Living a mile from the crash site and passing it every day, I have read all the articles surrounding this issue. First and foremost, the brakes were so hot on this car that the wheels caught on fire on impact and incinerated the car and the four victims. BTW I believe it is only AUDI and one other manufacturer where the brakes can actually overpower the gas pedal. Also, do not pump your brakes or you will lose the vacuum and you are done for sure.
This was a loaner car with an button ignition that needed to be held down for three seconds to shut the engine off. Due to the high speed, I am sure he did not want to shut off or he would lose his power steering which could be detrimental at 120 MPH. The two circumstances could have been vastly different.
Arm chair quarterbacking what he could have/should have is beside the point. If someone with his experience can perish and it is not the only instance of complaint, then imagine a teenager caught in the same circumstance.
I have owned Toyotas in the past and feel they are one of the best. I agree the media is overblowing, but Toyota knew about this and chose the profit over the fix.
Not it is not ONLY Audi?! The test was done with a Toyota Camry and the car only took an additional 16 feet to stop a car going 70 MPH with the throttle pinned to the floor versus no throttle at all. In fact most new cars (Toyota excluded) have a feature that shuts down the throttle if/when the brakes are applied with enough force.
16 feet does seem a bit longer (almost 10%), but consider – it less then one car length. At 16 feet longer the car is still stopping faster then most SUV’s on the road currently. And honestly while 16 feet may make a difference in bumper to bumper traffic it is still not likely to cause death or even serious injury if the car had been able to stop in time with the throttle not pinned to the floor. Remember we are talking worst case scenario here.
Did Toyota cut some corners to make extra profit? Most definitely, just like every other major corporation in operation today. Is Toyota’s negligence responsible for the death of individuals? I’m not the judge and jury, but not likely! This is a smear campaign where the goal is not safety it is political.
I repeat Toyota is NOT innocent, but there is more going on here then the media is reporting. (Of course I guess that is probably an accurate statement with most major news stories – don’t believe the hype!)
Toyota is updating the software which would indicate mats are NOT the problem and the problem is a software conflict.
The biggest problem is the problems aren’t repeatable (except stuck mats) it may be a rare mechanical problem combined with defective sensors combined with millions of mediocre drivers.
No crime here, just the reality of millions of cars and drivers and the Obama Democratic party need to feed the herd of lawyers.
**** happens, the best solution is to identity the problem and make whole the victims with the least 3rd party beak dipping (lawyers & politicians) as possible.
The driver tried liked hell to stop the car. Toyota has known for years of the problem. Yes, the media is leaving some things out, but I don’t think it changes anything. If it were any of your family members, I’m not sure that you all would be excusing Toyota. I think that the fact that he was on the line with 9-1-1 shows that he was still in his right mind and had more than likely tried everything he could .. I mean seriously, what could 911 do for them ? I never for one moment believed it was floor mats – I’m positive that Toyota didn’t either – the fact that they are “fixing the problem” and finding out that there have still been issues with some of the cars fixed is a big part of the story – just heard that in the last couple of days. I hope this never happens to anyone else, but it will – no doubt. If it were me, after trying all the obvious things, panic would have taken over – The fact that he was a trained trooper who probably did know what to do and still couldn’t save himself or his family members leads me to believe that there was no answer – the malfunction couldn’t be fixed while driving. The fact of the matter is that they knew about this years ago and took their chances on the number of problems vs non-problems and for that, they need to put on their big boy pants and make things right. I owned a Toyota years ago also and loved my car, but what really does that have to do with anything ?????
Waterbug … Gee – I’m sure the driver never thought of that … he did all that and it didn’t work !!!!!! What part of that are you NOT understanding ????
Toyota should be banned for safety issues? What about the Ford Explorer tire issue several years ago? With your logic, they should have been banned for safety issues too. Maybe Ford should have bought back all those Explorers.
Toyota was the number one in car sales. Guess who’s directing this campaign against Toyota – the government. Guess who’s now a major invester in the “American” auto industry – the government. Guess who has a BIG stake in Toyota losing their top position – the government. People will believe anything they see in the media.
Article taken from Tennessee newspaper. Before we hammer on alleged foreign products we should look at what they truly do for us. Easy to throw stones at Toyota right now but take a look at other recall history in article. So we should be careful with those stones we throw if we live in a glass house.
Roy Exum: Toyota’s Silent ‘Mule’
by Roy Exum
posted March 3, 2010
Roy Exum
There is a story told about an old prospector ambling into a cowboy town with his pack mule when suddenly the swinging doors at the saloon burst open and a gun-slinging dandy stumbled out to cry, “Hey, old man! Do you know how to dance?” A jeering crowd quickly gathered as the old miner replied, “No, but I’ve always wanted to.”
Well, that young, drunken cowboy then fired both of his shiny pistols towards the ground at the old man’s feet. With the flying bullets kicking up dust, the prospector danced a mighty jig indeed. The crowd loved it and, when the cowboy’s guns finally clicked empty, he spun them just so, jauntily tipped his hat to his gleeful followers, and turned to step back into the saloon.
But as he did, the gaiety suddenly stopped because the cowboy and the crowd alike could clearly hear both big hammers being pulled back on a 12-gauge, double-barreled shotgun that had been in a scabbard on that old smelly mule. As the red-faced cowboy gulped and gingerly turned back to face the old prospector, he was asked the question, “Sonny boy, have you ever kissed the south end of a north-bound mule?”
Indulge me for a moment, but all those people who have laughed and pointed at Toyota’s torment in the past few weeks are getting ready to echo what that cowboy had to tell the prospector: “No sir, but I’ve always wanted to.”
You see, there have been two important events that have already occurred this week if you’ve been following the story of how the world’s largest automotive manufacturer has been ridiculed and debased after recalling 8.5 million automobiles due to a variety of acceleration, transmission and floor mat issues.
First, General Motors just recalled 1.3 million cars on Monday for steering problems. What? You didn’t see that? Where were the TV cameras? Where were the righteous who demanded that, no, the American president of Toyota (Jim Lentz) wasn’t good enough, that our “pound of flesh” must come from the “big man” himself – Akio Toyoda – so that he could be publicly humiliated last week? Don’t dare think the government is going to slap GM after last year’s bail-out.
Secondly, on Monday Toyota announced it will now sell any new car or truck to a qualified buyer by providing that person with a five-year, zero-interest loan. Further, Toyota will change the oil and offer complete maintenance for free for the first two years. And, yes, on top of that there will be rebates up to $3,000 on certain models. That’s strong.
Listen, gunslinger, General Motors doesn’t have bullets like that. Toyota’s third-quarter earnings last year were $1.7 billion, exactly the same amount lost during the third quarter of 2008. The company also just sold 2.07 million vehicles from October to December so, with the recall embarrassment, now there is a firm-jawed resolve to make the overblown travesty “the mother of all recalls.”
Right now Toyota is processing 50,000 recalled vehicles a day, somewhat easily, too, I might add. To do so, their dealers are loaning cars while repairs are being made, paying rental fees and even taxi receipts. The simple fact is that never in the history of the auto industry has there been such an intense response. General Motors, on the other hand, will not offer a similar assistance program to the 1.3 million owners in this latest recall because, quite frankly, it doesn’t have the clout nor the “want to” that Toyota does right now.
Listen to this – J.D. Power has just announced the best luxury car in the world right now is a Lexus, the premium brand of Toyota that just dominated four of J.D. Power’s five main categories. This week Consumer Reports, not a government agency but one of the most respected quality-assurance sources in our country, returned eight different Toyota models to its “recommended” list. Go ahead, look it up. While you’re at it, buy the Consumer Reports’ car annual; you’ll see for yourself Toyota is a tight No. 3 overall while GM and Chrysler are solidly “dead last.”
What our jeering Congress members actually did last week while ridiculing Toyota was to make the company more determined, more results-driven and, yes, even a bit angry. Those that mock Toyota as “Japanese” are too stupid to realize today there are 175,000 Americans who are paid each day by the auto manufacturer. My goodness, look how many plants they have built in the United States in the last 10 years while American manufacturers have been stagnant.
Those who laugh and point have not yet been to Blue Springs, Miss., a sleepy town in the northeast part of the state. Toyota has just spent $300 million building a new plant in that poverty-riddled area that will soon employ 2,000 job-starved people. Toyota also pledged $50 million to “better educate” potential workers in Mississippi, but had to delay the plant’s opening because of a lagging market and (gulp) the hysteria resulting from the recent recall, which is expected to cost the company $2 billion.
Has this country gone completely crazy? Instead of slapping Toyota around and forcing Mr. Toyoda to bow before a sadly-arrogant Congressional committee, we should instead have gracefully allowed the largest manufacturer in the world to clean up its own mess in the same way we have afforded other car companies to handle their own recalls for years.
What’s that? The other companies? Automotive recalls protect consumers when, in truth, very few actual cases are ever found. But what you need to know is that, in the last 20 years, there have been 569 recalls of Toyota vehicles. At the same time, there have been 3,498 recalls of General Motors vehicles. Yes, there have also been 2,691 Ford recalls and 2,419 Chrysler recalls, too. Do those numbers tell you anything, particularly if you are a fortune-teller?
So now America – our Congress and all of us they call constituents – must “behold the mule.” You see, all Toyota has to do is wait. General Motors doesn’t have “the bullets” to play in a high-stakes card game that offers zero-percent financing, free maintenance, rental cars and taxis, and – most importantly – has its “hold cards” the best-made vehicles with the highest reliability and safety ratings in the whole world.
Just in case you weren’t listening as Aiko Toyoda bowed before Congress last week, you should have heard both big hammers being pulled back. You mark this down; those men in Congress, the ones who took the UAW contributions and strutted about like proud little roosters, should have fallen for the ploy, but, far worse, they should have never laughed.
“Sonny boy, have you ever kissed the south end of a north-bound mule?”
Are you all insane???? It’s very sad that people die in car crashes regardless of the cause.
Any car (including Toyotas) can be stopped with the throttle stuck wide open. Slippingthe car into neutral, turning off the ignition, or just mashing down on the brake pedal really hard will all stop the car. I suggest you all go back and look at the media frenzies over the Audi 5000, Chevrolet/GMC Pickup stories from a few years ago where perfectly good and safe vehicles were villified by the media who were driven on by bottom feeding PI attorneys who revel in human tragedy and get wealthy over other peoples’ misfortunes.
Look at the facts and not just the crap you see on TV.
Toyota recognized a product problem and is dealing with it in a responsible manner. There is no massive coverup or conspiracy.
People who are afraid to drive a Toyota should probably ride the bus.
No, DJ- The drivers DID NOT apply the brakes firmly, turn off the ignition, or slip the cars into neutral.
Not so long ago we blamed accidents on demonic possession or witch craft. Folks who have little or no understanding of how motor vehicles function are quick to blame evil manufacturers of conspiring to kill their own customers.
As I have said before, it is very sad when people are hurt or killed in accidents whether the accident was the result of a mechanical failure or driver error. A jammed throttle is NEVER impossible to overcome. Drivers seldom lose control of their vehicles- the abdicate control.
I used to be a Toyota fan. I will never ever, purchase a Toyota again. Due to the recall and the fact that Toyota is unable to fix the accelerator problem Toyota is a danger to all of us. The fact that Toyota was unable to find and fix the accelerator problem the US Government should demand that Toyota offer to buy back all the Recall Vehicles. The US Government has a responsibility to insure that vehicles sold in the US are Safe. Toyota should be banned due to Safety issues. A class action lawsuit against Toyota needs to happen and happen now to insure Toyota to buy back all the recall vehicles. Safety is our number one concern. How many people out their that own a recall vehicle feel safe in their recall vehicle? We all need to stand as one and demand the US Government take swift action and protect us all from the dangerous Toyota vehicles on the road.
What a tragic event and my heart goes out to the family – I cannot imagine the fear of the last few minutes of the lives of these people – may they rest in peace. I hope the family wins and wins big. I say this after a friend of mine told me a few weeks ago that when he bought his NEW 2007 Camry 3 years ago, he received a call from the service department asking him to bring the car in to have the accelerator checked as they found issues with them sticking – they knew 3 years ago there was a problem and really didn’t do anything. While I feel bad for the Toyota employees who may lose jobs over this situation because of the financial hit Toyota will take, this family lost everything and will forever be in pain over their loss. I’m not a person who believes in suing, but this is a totally righteous case and I only hope Toyota steps up to the plate and settles quickly so that the family can begin to heal.
Something is missing from this story!!! The customer from 3 days prior was able to put the car in neutral and apply the brakes until he could successfully unjam a gas pedal. However a State Trooper who no doubt has much time spent in vehicle training and experience was unable to accomplish the same feat. Take a look at the March Car & Driver article testing Toyota Camry’s with the gas pedal pinned to the floor, the brakes can overpower the engine everytime. I’m by no means excusing Toyota, but there appears to be an attempt to villify a foreign car company to help save the American car industry. This situation is not quite transparent yet, but give it time, more is bound to come out to clear up some lingering questions!
Living a mile from the crash site and passing it every day, I have read all the articles surrounding this issue. First and foremost, the brakes were so hot on this car that the wheels caught on fire on impact and incinerated the car and the four victims. BTW I believe it is only AUDI and one other manufacturer where the brakes can actually overpower the gas pedal. Also, do not pump your brakes or you will lose the vacuum and you are done for sure.
This was a loaner car with an button ignition that needed to be held down for three seconds to shut the engine off. Due to the high speed, I am sure he did not want to shut off or he would lose his power steering which could be detrimental at 120 MPH. The two circumstances could have been vastly different.
Arm chair quarterbacking what he could have/should have is beside the point. If someone with his experience can perish and it is not the only instance of complaint, then imagine a teenager caught in the same circumstance.
I have owned Toyotas in the past and feel they are one of the best. I agree the media is overblowing, but Toyota knew about this and chose the profit over the fix.
Not it is not ONLY Audi?! The test was done with a Toyota Camry and the car only took an additional 16 feet to stop a car going 70 MPH with the throttle pinned to the floor versus no throttle at all. In fact most new cars (Toyota excluded) have a feature that shuts down the throttle if/when the brakes are applied with enough force.
16 feet??? That’s A LOT at 70 mph when you need to stop immediately and cannot.
16 feet does seem a bit longer (almost 10%), but consider – it less then one car length. At 16 feet longer the car is still stopping faster then most SUV’s on the road currently. And honestly while 16 feet may make a difference in bumper to bumper traffic it is still not likely to cause death or even serious injury if the car had been able to stop in time with the throttle not pinned to the floor. Remember we are talking worst case scenario here.
Did Toyota cut some corners to make extra profit? Most definitely, just like every other major corporation in operation today. Is Toyota’s negligence responsible for the death of individuals? I’m not the judge and jury, but not likely! This is a smear campaign where the goal is not safety it is political.
I repeat Toyota is NOT innocent, but there is more going on here then the media is reporting. (Of course I guess that is probably an accurate statement with most major news stories – don’t believe the hype!)
Toyota is updating the software which would indicate mats are NOT the problem and the problem is a software conflict.
The biggest problem is the problems aren’t repeatable (except stuck mats) it may be a rare mechanical problem combined with defective sensors combined with millions of mediocre drivers.
No crime here, just the reality of millions of cars and drivers and the Obama Democratic party need to feed the herd of lawyers.
**** happens, the best solution is to identity the problem and make whole the victims with the least 3rd party beak dipping (lawyers & politicians) as possible.
The driver tried liked hell to stop the car. Toyota has known for years of the problem. Yes, the media is leaving some things out, but I don’t think it changes anything. If it were any of your family members, I’m not sure that you all would be excusing Toyota. I think that the fact that he was on the line with 9-1-1 shows that he was still in his right mind and had more than likely tried everything he could .. I mean seriously, what could 911 do for them ? I never for one moment believed it was floor mats – I’m positive that Toyota didn’t either – the fact that they are “fixing the problem” and finding out that there have still been issues with some of the cars fixed is a big part of the story – just heard that in the last couple of days. I hope this never happens to anyone else, but it will – no doubt. If it were me, after trying all the obvious things, panic would have taken over – The fact that he was a trained trooper who probably did know what to do and still couldn’t save himself or his family members leads me to believe that there was no answer – the malfunction couldn’t be fixed while driving. The fact of the matter is that they knew about this years ago and took their chances on the number of problems vs non-problems and for that, they need to put on their big boy pants and make things right. I owned a Toyota years ago also and loved my car, but what really does that have to do with anything ?????
Waterbug … Gee – I’m sure the driver never thought of that … he did all that and it didn’t work !!!!!! What part of that are you NOT understanding ????
Toyota should be banned for safety issues? What about the Ford Explorer tire issue several years ago? With your logic, they should have been banned for safety issues too. Maybe Ford should have bought back all those Explorers.
Toyota was the number one in car sales. Guess who’s directing this campaign against Toyota – the government. Guess who’s now a major invester in the “American” auto industry – the government. Guess who has a BIG stake in Toyota losing their top position – the government. People will believe anything they see in the media.
I am still confused. This was a Lexus a toyota product, but why wasn’t Lexus included in the recall??? Something not right?
Article taken from Tennessee newspaper. Before we hammer on alleged foreign products we should look at what they truly do for us. Easy to throw stones at Toyota right now but take a look at other recall history in article. So we should be careful with those stones we throw if we live in a glass house.
Roy Exum: Toyota’s Silent ‘Mule’
by Roy Exum
posted March 3, 2010
Roy Exum
There is a story told about an old prospector ambling into a cowboy town with his pack mule when suddenly the swinging doors at the saloon burst open and a gun-slinging dandy stumbled out to cry, “Hey, old man! Do you know how to dance?” A jeering crowd quickly gathered as the old miner replied, “No, but I’ve always wanted to.”
Well, that young, drunken cowboy then fired both of his shiny pistols towards the ground at the old man’s feet. With the flying bullets kicking up dust, the prospector danced a mighty jig indeed. The crowd loved it and, when the cowboy’s guns finally clicked empty, he spun them just so, jauntily tipped his hat to his gleeful followers, and turned to step back into the saloon.
But as he did, the gaiety suddenly stopped because the cowboy and the crowd alike could clearly hear both big hammers being pulled back on a 12-gauge, double-barreled shotgun that had been in a scabbard on that old smelly mule. As the red-faced cowboy gulped and gingerly turned back to face the old prospector, he was asked the question, “Sonny boy, have you ever kissed the south end of a north-bound mule?”
Indulge me for a moment, but all those people who have laughed and pointed at Toyota’s torment in the past few weeks are getting ready to echo what that cowboy had to tell the prospector: “No sir, but I’ve always wanted to.”
You see, there have been two important events that have already occurred this week if you’ve been following the story of how the world’s largest automotive manufacturer has been ridiculed and debased after recalling 8.5 million automobiles due to a variety of acceleration, transmission and floor mat issues.
First, General Motors just recalled 1.3 million cars on Monday for steering problems. What? You didn’t see that? Where were the TV cameras? Where were the righteous who demanded that, no, the American president of Toyota (Jim Lentz) wasn’t good enough, that our “pound of flesh” must come from the “big man” himself – Akio Toyoda – so that he could be publicly humiliated last week? Don’t dare think the government is going to slap GM after last year’s bail-out.
Secondly, on Monday Toyota announced it will now sell any new car or truck to a qualified buyer by providing that person with a five-year, zero-interest loan. Further, Toyota will change the oil and offer complete maintenance for free for the first two years. And, yes, on top of that there will be rebates up to $3,000 on certain models. That’s strong.
Listen, gunslinger, General Motors doesn’t have bullets like that. Toyota’s third-quarter earnings last year were $1.7 billion, exactly the same amount lost during the third quarter of 2008. The company also just sold 2.07 million vehicles from October to December so, with the recall embarrassment, now there is a firm-jawed resolve to make the overblown travesty “the mother of all recalls.”
Right now Toyota is processing 50,000 recalled vehicles a day, somewhat easily, too, I might add. To do so, their dealers are loaning cars while repairs are being made, paying rental fees and even taxi receipts. The simple fact is that never in the history of the auto industry has there been such an intense response. General Motors, on the other hand, will not offer a similar assistance program to the 1.3 million owners in this latest recall because, quite frankly, it doesn’t have the clout nor the “want to” that Toyota does right now.
Listen to this – J.D. Power has just announced the best luxury car in the world right now is a Lexus, the premium brand of Toyota that just dominated four of J.D. Power’s five main categories. This week Consumer Reports, not a government agency but one of the most respected quality-assurance sources in our country, returned eight different Toyota models to its “recommended” list. Go ahead, look it up. While you’re at it, buy the Consumer Reports’ car annual; you’ll see for yourself Toyota is a tight No. 3 overall while GM and Chrysler are solidly “dead last.”
What our jeering Congress members actually did last week while ridiculing Toyota was to make the company more determined, more results-driven and, yes, even a bit angry. Those that mock Toyota as “Japanese” are too stupid to realize today there are 175,000 Americans who are paid each day by the auto manufacturer. My goodness, look how many plants they have built in the United States in the last 10 years while American manufacturers have been stagnant.
Those who laugh and point have not yet been to Blue Springs, Miss., a sleepy town in the northeast part of the state. Toyota has just spent $300 million building a new plant in that poverty-riddled area that will soon employ 2,000 job-starved people. Toyota also pledged $50 million to “better educate” potential workers in Mississippi, but had to delay the plant’s opening because of a lagging market and (gulp) the hysteria resulting from the recent recall, which is expected to cost the company $2 billion.
Has this country gone completely crazy? Instead of slapping Toyota around and forcing Mr. Toyoda to bow before a sadly-arrogant Congressional committee, we should instead have gracefully allowed the largest manufacturer in the world to clean up its own mess in the same way we have afforded other car companies to handle their own recalls for years.
What’s that? The other companies? Automotive recalls protect consumers when, in truth, very few actual cases are ever found. But what you need to know is that, in the last 20 years, there have been 569 recalls of Toyota vehicles. At the same time, there have been 3,498 recalls of General Motors vehicles. Yes, there have also been 2,691 Ford recalls and 2,419 Chrysler recalls, too. Do those numbers tell you anything, particularly if you are a fortune-teller?
So now America – our Congress and all of us they call constituents – must “behold the mule.” You see, all Toyota has to do is wait. General Motors doesn’t have “the bullets” to play in a high-stakes card game that offers zero-percent financing, free maintenance, rental cars and taxis, and – most importantly – has its “hold cards” the best-made vehicles with the highest reliability and safety ratings in the whole world.
Just in case you weren’t listening as Aiko Toyoda bowed before Congress last week, you should have heard both big hammers being pulled back. You mark this down; those men in Congress, the ones who took the UAW contributions and strutted about like proud little roosters, should have fallen for the ploy, but, far worse, they should have never laughed.
“Sonny boy, have you ever kissed the south end of a north-bound mule?”
Are you all insane???? It’s very sad that people die in car crashes regardless of the cause.
Any car (including Toyotas) can be stopped with the throttle stuck wide open. Slippingthe car into neutral, turning off the ignition, or just mashing down on the brake pedal really hard will all stop the car. I suggest you all go back and look at the media frenzies over the Audi 5000, Chevrolet/GMC Pickup stories from a few years ago where perfectly good and safe vehicles were villified by the media who were driven on by bottom feeding PI attorneys who revel in human tragedy and get wealthy over other peoples’ misfortunes.
Look at the facts and not just the crap you see on TV.
Toyota recognized a product problem and is dealing with it in a responsible manner. There is no massive coverup or conspiracy.
People who are afraid to drive a Toyota should probably ride the bus.
No, DJ- The drivers DID NOT apply the brakes firmly, turn off the ignition, or slip the cars into neutral.
Not so long ago we blamed accidents on demonic possession or witch craft. Folks who have little or no understanding of how motor vehicles function are quick to blame evil manufacturers of conspiring to kill their own customers.
As I have said before, it is very sad when people are hurt or killed in accidents whether the accident was the result of a mechanical failure or driver error. A jammed throttle is NEVER impossible to overcome. Drivers seldom lose control of their vehicles- the abdicate control.