Toyota investigates Corolla steering problems

[OneBlueSky]

what the hell is going on with Toyota??? . . .

http://www.optimum.net/News/AP/Article?fmId=2390068

WASHINGTON, Wed Feb 17, 06:36 PM
First it was gas pedals, then brakes. Now Toyota and the government are looking into complaints that the popular Corolla is difficult to steer straight, raising a new safety concern ahead of next week's congressional hearing about the automakers recalls.

But how worried should drivers be? Or is this an example of how any problem at the Japanese company now gets intense scrutiny?

The executive in charge of quality control said the company is reviewing fewer than 100 complaints about power steering in the Corolla. Toyota sold nearly 1.3 million Corollas worldwide last year, including nearly 300,000 in the United States, where it trailed only Camry as Toyota's most popular model.

The executive, Shinichi Sasaki, said drivers may feel as though they are losing control over the steering, but it was unclear why. He mentioned problems with the braking system or tires as possible underlying causes. U.S. officials are also investigating.

- more . . .

http://www.optimum.net/News/AP/Article?fmId=2390068

[rcrush]

1. ruh roh

[WVRICK13]

2. Software Issues Are Possibly Cause

How I long for a car with a throttle cable, that is not drive by wire, crank windows, brakes that work on mechanics and manual steering. Seriously, for an every day commuter, taking all of this electronic crap off of the car and making it basic and dependable would massively lower the cost and make it more trustworthy. I went from a decked out Mercedes to a bottom line VW Jetta in 1997 and the WV was by far the better car, it just ran. The dealer thought I was crazy but at least I didn't make twice monthly trips to the service department.

The problem with everything being electronic is software glitches that may only happen if you do things in a combination and it may never happen again until you do the same thing again in that exact sequence. Imagine the acceleration problem. It might take pushing the auto open button on the sun roof at the same time the AC fan is on the third setting while you are opening the right rear window. Complex combinations could be the weak spot in the programming and it would be almost impossible to predict, prevent or correct. I don't think this is just a Toyota problem, we may all be driving time bombs waiting for the correct (or horrible) sequence of events to malfunction. How dependable are computers? They lock up, crash, close programs while running etc. and we trust this same technology with our lives when we drive computer controlled cars.

[FarCenter]

10. Please discontinue use of all electronic devices before driving away

Just like airplanes, there are enough funny things happening with auto computer systems that you might consider turning off anything that produces electromagnetic emissions.

There are reports, for example, of cellphone emissions locking or unlocking doors!

[Omaha Steve]

3. Toyota is reaching critical mass with everyone

With much of the info coming out on hiding problems for years, lack of action, hiring former US regulators to stop investigations, the iceberg is getting much bigger.

[DainBramaged]

7. This thread, as all of the other threads I have posted, will die a quick death

Toyota, oh excuse me, equates to god on the DU, they makeie the Peeus which gives fakers green cred everywhere...... :shrug:


Just check my journal........


:hi:


PS, owns me a Cobalt SS now I does........and the upgrades are a coming......

[NightWatcher]

4. 1.3 mil sold and less than 100 complaints

wow, everyone with a toyota is calling in their minute complaints to be investigated.

my cup holder made a squeak, RECALL IT

[DainBramaged]

5. ONE person injured or killed makes ANY recall worthwhile to protect others

no matter who makes the car. What a terrible, terrible and callous attitude.


:puke:


Toyota has been hiding problems for nearly 20 years, and a LOT of people have died because of their inaction.

[NightWatcher]

6. it reminds me of Fight Club

Narrator: A new car built by my company leaves somewhere traveling at 60 mph. The rear differential locks up. The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now, should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one.
Business woman on plane: Are there a lot of these kinds of accidents?
Narrator: You wouldn't believe.
Business woman on plane: Which car company do you work for?
Narrator: A major one

[rcrush]

14. HAH

I know a guy that worked for "A major car company" who said that was right on when he saw that movie.

[Romulox]

8. Your calculus is disgusting. Try this: Lots of people smoke. So I get (only!) ONE free murder!

Does that "logic" work for you? Do you understand why covering up a critical defect can oftentimes be a bigger crime than an "honest" mistake? :hi:

[FarCenter]

9. Sounds like they've taken all the caster out of the front suspension

From and Edmunds review: http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/corolla/2009/testdrive.html

When it comes to handling, all are in agreement that the Corolla is not up to the task — especially its lifeless electric steering. Chief Road Test Editor Chris Walton put it best when he wrote, "To say the Corolla's steering feel is vague would be to credit it with any feel, of which it has none." Practically no information is transmitted from the tires to the driver's hands, leaving you to guess and approximate how much turning is needed — it can feel like a video game, and that's not a good thing. A spongy suspension doesn't help either, although its marshmallow ride was welcome on pockmarked roads.

Like the rest of the car, the nice-and-easy steering weighting and comfort-first ride should be appreciated by older drivers who are looking for a budget-priced Buick. This was a sentiment shared by our real-world consumer testers (from a variety of age demographics), who were nevertheless universally unimpressed by the Corolla's dynamic abilities. They felt less in control than in the other cars in the test (Civic, Mazda Mazda3), with noticeable body roll and unresponsive steering being frequently mentioned detractors.

They've removed all the road feel from the steering to make it "easy". But you need some feedback to the driver and you need caster in the front suspension so that the car returns to straight ahead if you take your hands off the wheel. This problem may be exacerbated into a severe wander on vehicles with a badly aligned rear axle.

[DainBramaged]

11. I'd like to know what happened to all of the 'BLAME CTS' screechers

seems that CTS isn't to blame for any of this, it's the bean counters at Yota who expect cheaper and cheaper parts every year (ala WalMart) yet expect that the manufacturers shouldn't make a profit and have to maintain maximum quality.

[Kablooie]

12. Toyota is now recalling the Toyopet. They found that seatbelts weren't installed properly.

[cherokeeprogressive]

13. Who could POSSIBLY think it a good idea to remove all mechanical links between

1. the gas pedal and the throttle body

or

2. the steering wheel and the power steering pump

What. The. Fuck? Shall we remove all mechanical links from the brake pedal to the brakes as well?