Knee Jerk Toyota Reactions
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Evidently, this wasn't so knee jerk, afterall. Toyota is in some gruesome hot water! Covering up saving $100MM by replacing floor mats instead of the doing the work to fix the issue is not cool. But, then someone boasted about saving the $100MM! Yowsa~~~~~
And, now the SEC is involved along with the impending Congressional Hearings and the CEO is on his way to the USA! I smell a fleet of rats in this one.
And, now the SEC is involved along with the impending Congressional Hearings and the CEO is on his way to the USA! I smell a fleet of rats in this one.
I still maintain my basic premise that the media and the government are blowing this all out of proportion. Don't get me wrong, Toyota evidently behaved badly and I do not defend their behavior. But I personally don't want congressional hearings for something that has harmed less people than the number of kids who have died from choking on hot dogs.
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I don't disagree.
I was reading the other day about a guy who ended up in jail, leaving his pregnant wife and children to fend for themselves. He was charged with vehicular manslaughter after his Toyota ran through two stop signs and slammed into an oncoming car, killing the occupants. The case is now up for review.
I have to agree with GEO. I have worked for toyota as a tech for 18 years. I have been out of the auto biz for about 6 years now but still have very close friends still in the biz.
In 1999 toyota started using the "drive by wire throttle". It was used on the tundra v8. If you look at the throttle it has a regular mechanical cable, but the cable does not move the throttle plate. the cable moves the electronics that in turn move the throttle. this was done for several reasons, mostly attached to emmission control. The system worked well on tundras for 8 years with no sudden acceleration troubles. were some part failures that made the throttle not work, but NEVER stuck open.
That system provided the basis for the "drive by wire" system used on most Toyotas now. Toyota and Yamaha have worked with this for many years, (they have shared technology since the 70s) and the Yamaha 1000cc sport bike the R1 uses the same system, with very little issue.
I have seen and read the recall technical instructions.
First off, understand that the electronic throttles were designed and built by a long time supplier of toyota Nippondenso to Toyota's specs. All toyotas built in japan (even those shipped here) use the nippondenso throttle. NO JAPAN BUILT TOYOTA IS SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. The recalled throttles were built by another supplier for factories in the states. These are the recalled throttles. The issue is the shpae of the pedal. They are being repaired in 2 ways. The problem is the shape of the pedal. Some pedals are being modified. 1/8 inch of the pedal is being trimmed from the bottom, and a new pad installed. Other vehicles are getting a newly shaped throttle.
The only issuee with the throttle is the shape of the pedal. That's it.
Because toyota is completely safety orientated, along with the pedal changee or mod, the computer logic is being slightly changed...........
Quite simply there is new logic flashed into the ECU, If the brake pedal is applied while the throttle is depressed, the fuel injectors will turn off causing the vehicle to decelerate.
IF you do not have any knowledge on how a vehicle works, you cannot fully inderstand the the importance of this logic and how it will make toyotas the safest car on the road, I'll explain................
Power brakes. the "power assist" is porvided through engine vacum. When you drive, the engine has a high vacum with foot off throttle. when you accelerate by pushing the throttle, there is little or no vacum, so there is no "power assist" to the brakes. So the worst part of a stuck throttle, which has always happened to vehicles on rare occassions since the beginning of cars, is that the brakes do not work.
With Toyota's electronic throttle, and improved safety logic, they will be THE ONLY car on the road that will stop if you happen to experience a stuck throttle for any reason, beit, your own uncleanliness and lack of maintenance to your car, or faulty parts.
I knew in 1999 while being trained to work on the new Tundras with "drive by wire" that this system would cause Toytota problems at some point. Not because of the quality of the system or how it worked, but public perception. Once lawyers or owners found out they have an electric throttle, it was easy for them to take the blame for their own driving and put it on the ghost in the machine. Cars for americans are built like no other product. Cars are supposed to have, safety, power, convience, and style. What do driver's need? a liscence.
Your car, whatever brand it is, is expected to do a lot for you. But most of you cannot even give it your full attention when operating it. A ton of glass and metal with 150 horsepower will not be very forgiving to Texting while driving, drinking and driving, and all the other things you do in your car that take your eyes or mind off of the road. Thesse things are all easily as dangerous, if not more, than Toyota's 1 in 10,000 accelerator problems.
From my experience, the most dangerous part of a car is an uneducated, distracted, driver.
Oh... and if you think that Toyota's problem may be caused by "radio interference" remember all cars have a radio and it's "drive by wire" not "drive by radio"
Drive your toyota. Read the owner's manual, and keep fairly clean. If you have an affected vehicle, get it fixed. for the love of god do not freak out.
In 1999 toyota started using the "drive by wire throttle". It was used on the tundra v8. If you look at the throttle it has a regular mechanical cable, but the cable does not move the throttle plate. the cable moves the electronics that in turn move the throttle. this was done for several reasons, mostly attached to emmission control. The system worked well on tundras for 8 years with no sudden acceleration troubles. were some part failures that made the throttle not work, but NEVER stuck open.
That system provided the basis for the "drive by wire" system used on most Toyotas now. Toyota and Yamaha have worked with this for many years, (they have shared technology since the 70s) and the Yamaha 1000cc sport bike the R1 uses the same system, with very little issue.
I have seen and read the recall technical instructions.
First off, understand that the electronic throttles were designed and built by a long time supplier of toyota Nippondenso to Toyota's specs. All toyotas built in japan (even those shipped here) use the nippondenso throttle. NO JAPAN BUILT TOYOTA IS SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. The recalled throttles were built by another supplier for factories in the states. These are the recalled throttles. The issue is the shpae of the pedal. They are being repaired in 2 ways. The problem is the shape of the pedal. Some pedals are being modified. 1/8 inch of the pedal is being trimmed from the bottom, and a new pad installed. Other vehicles are getting a newly shaped throttle.
The only issuee with the throttle is the shape of the pedal. That's it.
Because toyota is completely safety orientated, along with the pedal changee or mod, the computer logic is being slightly changed...........
Quite simply there is new logic flashed into the ECU, If the brake pedal is applied while the throttle is depressed, the fuel injectors will turn off causing the vehicle to decelerate.
IF you do not have any knowledge on how a vehicle works, you cannot fully inderstand the the importance of this logic and how it will make toyotas the safest car on the road, I'll explain................
Power brakes. the "power assist" is porvided through engine vacum. When you drive, the engine has a high vacum with foot off throttle. when you accelerate by pushing the throttle, there is little or no vacum, so there is no "power assist" to the brakes. So the worst part of a stuck throttle, which has always happened to vehicles on rare occassions since the beginning of cars, is that the brakes do not work.
With Toyota's electronic throttle, and improved safety logic, they will be THE ONLY car on the road that will stop if you happen to experience a stuck throttle for any reason, beit, your own uncleanliness and lack of maintenance to your car, or faulty parts.
I knew in 1999 while being trained to work on the new Tundras with "drive by wire" that this system would cause Toytota problems at some point. Not because of the quality of the system or how it worked, but public perception. Once lawyers or owners found out they have an electric throttle, it was easy for them to take the blame for their own driving and put it on the ghost in the machine. Cars for americans are built like no other product. Cars are supposed to have, safety, power, convience, and style. What do driver's need? a liscence.
Your car, whatever brand it is, is expected to do a lot for you. But most of you cannot even give it your full attention when operating it. A ton of glass and metal with 150 horsepower will not be very forgiving to Texting while driving, drinking and driving, and all the other things you do in your car that take your eyes or mind off of the road. Thesse things are all easily as dangerous, if not more, than Toyota's 1 in 10,000 accelerator problems.
From my experience, the most dangerous part of a car is an uneducated, distracted, driver.
Oh... and if you think that Toyota's problem may be caused by "radio interference" remember all cars have a radio and it's "drive by wire" not "drive by radio"
Drive your toyota. Read the owner's manual, and keep fairly clean. If you have an affected vehicle, get it fixed. for the love of god do not freak out.