Ongoing Throttle Problems Indicate Toyota Has Not Identified What’s Wrong with their Cars

[Omaha Steve]

See paragraph 3!

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/05/prweb4030104.htm

Personal injury lawyer with Fox Goldblatt & Singer says consumers should be especially cautious on the roads

St. Louis, Missouri (PRWEB) May 25, 2010 -- Drivers’ continued difficulties and an automotive technology professor’s rebuttal of claims that mechanical problems are the root of problems in several models of Toyota are cause for continued concern about the public’s safety, says a Missouri law firm that assists personal injury victims.

“It is increasingly clear that Toyota does not have a handle on what is causing potentially deadly problems in its vehicles,” said Jeff Singer, an attorney with Fox, Singer & Goldlatt, P.C., of St. Louis. “Drivers across the country continue to report terrifying incidents of sudden acceleration and braking problems.”

David W. Gilbert, an automotive technology professor at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, has created sudden acceleration in a Toyota Tundra by short-circuiting the electronics behind the gas pedal — without triggering any trouble codes in the truck's computer, according to an Associated Press report.

Toyota, which has recalled 8 million cars and trucks, initially said faulty gas pedals and floor mats were the cause of sudden acceleration problems. The company has repaired millions of vehicles, but several drivers have reported problems that were supposed to have been resolved.

Several news organizations have cited incidents of Toyota drivers experiencing acceleration and braking problems after their recalled vehicles were repaired in such places as southern California; Harrison, N.Y.; Purchase, N.Y.; and Yarmouth, Mass.


FULL story at link.

[Tesha]

1. You're reduced to citing PR placements from personal injury lawyers?

You might want to consider giving up your Toyota
obsession now.

Tesha

[Omaha Steve]

10. Why stop when I'm on a roll?

This is NEW info. Unless somebody else beat me to it? It does happen.

David W. Gilbert, an automotive technology professor at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, has created sudden acceleration in a Toyota Tundra by short-circuiting the electronics behind the gas pedal — without triggering any trouble codes in the truck's computer, according to an Associated Press report.

But maybe you don't consider this significant?

[Tesha]

11. No, as a matter of fact I *DON'T* consider that significant.

Correctly rewired, *ANY* car can be made to accelerate.
It's basic electronics hackery that any competent EE could
accomplish. That it can be done for a Toyota proves exactly
*NOTHING*.

Tesha

[depakid]

2. Curiously, we haven't had these problems in Australia

I wonder what the differences in the vehicles might be? Might be something for engineers to look at.

[Tesha]

3. It's probably due to a tragic shortage of personal accident injury attorneys.

Or maybe you folks still learn how to drive a car
attentively?

Tesha

[liberal N proud]

4. Problem, Theres no stinking problem

Just ignore it and the eventually, all the cars with problems will either crash or just be taken off the road at the end of their natural life.

Toyota has no intention of solving this problem, they are just hoping it fades back into obscurity where they can deceive the customer as normal business practice.

If all else fails claim those who experience problems are liars.

A friend told me where there was a cheap Lexus for sale. Some friend, I thought.

[depakid]

6. As a rational person with no particular bias one way or another- I'd kind of like to know

why we haven't seen these problems in Australia.

This country takes its road toll far more seriously than the US- and if there's some problem in the vehicles on this continent, we'd surely hear about it.

So the question- and the mystery stands. As I mentioned, maybe there's a difference in some parts? To my knowledge, the matter remains unexplained.

[Tesha]

7. Seriously...

You probably never got any of the CTS gas pedals (that
seem to be a major root cause of the US problem).

Your weather may be better (or at least different). Moisture
was a factor in the gas pedal problem.

Perhaps the accessory floor mats were different.

And I wasn't joking up above; it may well be they you folks
still know how to drive so a minor event doesn't become a
twenty minute 120 MPH prime-time TV tragedy.

And you may not have lawyers stirring the pot for financial
gain.

Tesha

[depakid]

8. As to moisture

it rains more around here than it does in Oregon- and cars travel through water far more often (this is a big reason why we have snorkles on our 4x4's- and why smart folks have differential breathers, too).

CTS gas pedals- could be that's something. Dunno.

Mats? I always thought that was ridiculous- though who knows. Put enough people in a car and you're bound to get a couple incidents.

It's true that we don't have PI attorneys doing accidents to anywhere near the extent in the US (chalk that efficiency up to a truly robust public option and insurance regulation) -though I doubt that alone would account for the differences we have seen.

Better drivers? Maybe, maybe not. We have far worse roads outside of urban areas- and looking at it as neutrally as I can, I would say from my observations and experiences that American truckers are far more considerate and safer, whereas the usual auto driver here is somewhat more capable in multiple conditions.

The latter may have to do with the drivers' licensing process- which involves a series of learners and provisional "p-plates" before one gets a full license.

[Tesha]

9. Mats aren't ridiculous.

Mr. Tesha's Porsche had floor mats that worry me!

His gas pedal is hinged from the bottom, so it's not such
a huge deal, but the floor mats that came with his used '968
are definitely not adequately secured and tend to slide forward
over the pedal. He's learned to routinely pull them back with
his heel, but I don't drive the car often enough for that to be
"automatic" with me.

(And then there's the placement of reverse almost in the same
place as first gear; it's just a slightly-harder shove against the
spring and you get the very-wrong gear!)

Tesha

[Kip Humphrey]

5. Their cars & car network have been hacked, IMO.