The Consumer Reports warning not to purchase the Lexus GX 460 SUV is just another blow to Toyota questioning their vehicles safety. It seems that Toyota has learned from their unintended acceleration recall, because they are not only looking into the GX 460 problem, but they will be testing their entire SUV lineup of Toyota and Lexus. Popular models such as the RAV4, 4Runner, and the Highlander will all be scrutinized, said Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons. The automaker will be testing the vehicles’ stability control and aims to replicate the Consumer Reports’ test that first uncovered the problem.
Category Archives: Toyota
Lexus GX 460 Rollover Risk
Toyota will temporarily stop the sales of their 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV, after Consumer Reports magazine recommended consumers do not buy the vehicle due to a rollover risk. Consumer Reports said that “when pushed to its limits, the rear of the Lexus GX slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways before the vehicle’s electronic stability-control system was able to regain control.
“We are taking the situation with the GX 460 very seriously and are determined to identify and correct the issue.” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president. “At this time we have asked our dealers to temporarily suspend sales.” He said that Toyota was confident that the GX meets safety standards and that the automaker’s engineering teams were testing the GX using Consumer Reports’ parameters to see whether they could also detect the problem.
The government advises drivers of the vehicle to use caution, and avoid excessive speed and aggressive maneuvering in order to maintain control of their vehicles,” said Julia Piscitelli, a spokeswoman for a division of the Transportation Department.
Auto Industry Seeing Imprpovements?
General Motors Co. said Tuesday that they plan to pay off their government loans this year, five years ahead of schedule. They say that production and sales have increased in the beginning of 2010 and repaying government loans has been a top priority. The government’s autos task force set a repayment deadline of 2015, but GM has already paid back $2.4 billion and plans to pay the rest by June. The money is expected to come from public stocks which will be offered when the markets and the company are ready.
But GM may have some competition. Ford Motor Co., which didn’t take government aid, reported a $2.7 billion profit for 2009, outselling GM in February for the first time in over a century. Toyota Motor Corp. came close to outselling GM last month when it used heavy incentives to lure buyers after a series of safety recalls.
Things are also on the mend at Chrysler Group LLC, which also went into bankruptcy protection last year and is now managed by Fiat SpA. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said last week that the automaker has $5 billion in cash on hand and expects to break even this year.
But the improvements in the auto industry has come with sacrifices. Auto manufactures were forced to downsize by stopping production or selling off some brands, closing down dealerships and laying off thousands of employees.
Toyota Could Face Fines For Unintended Acceleration
Toyota could be receiving a $16.4 million fine from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for their delay in notifying authorities about problems with acceleration pedals. Additional fines for their handling of the recall and civil suits could add up to millions more. “We now have proof that Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Worse yet, they knowingly hid a dangerous defect for months from U.S. officials and did not take action to protect drivers.”
Toyota said in a statement that it had not received formal notification from NHTSA about the fine, but that it has taken “a number of important steps to improve communications with regulators and customers on safety-related matters as part of strengthened overall commitment to quality assurance.” The steps include appointing a new chief quality officer.
Under federal law, Toyota has five days to agree to the fine or negotiate a different agreement with NHTSA. If it fails to reach an agreement, it can appeal the fine in federal court.
Last Corolla From Nummi Assembly Line
After 25 years, California’s last automobile plant will be closing it’s doors. Toyota announced the closure last year shortly after General Motors Co. pulled out of the facility which was a joint venture between the two companies. The plant made Toyota Tacoma trucks and Corolla sedans. The last Tacoma rolled off the assembly lines last week, and the production of the Corolla ended Thursday. Over four thousand jobs will be lost due to this closure.
Mazda Teams Up With Toyota On Hybrid
Mazda’s long time relationship with Ford is weakening as Mazda looks to Toyota for hybrid drive train technology. In the past Mazda has used Ford’s hybrid system in its sport-utility vehicle, the Tribute, but because Mazda plans to make their new hybrid car in Japan, they decided to lease the technology from Toyota instead. Masaharu Yamaki, Mazda’s executive vice-president, said the group had chosen Toyota’s technology over Ford’s because, “We need to procure components quickly and reliably from domestic suppliers.” The agreement which the two companies had been negotiating since last spring, will include hybrid components such as control systems, inverters and the regenerative braking mechanism.
Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota’s executive vice-president, said the Mazda deal would help lower production costs for Toyota’s own hybrid cars by expanding the market for shared components. As a result, “We hope that the cost of parts will fall and new innovations will emerge.”
Honda Toyota Price Wars
In the recent shadow of Toyota’s unintended acceleration, Toyota has offered price and loan incentives to get customers back in the doors and buying automobiles. Honda, in an attempt to not fall behind, is offering its biggest deals ever, starting a price war which could leave other automobile manufacturers behind. The irony of this price war is that it is being started by Japanese automakers which historically don’t use these types of tactics. American automakers have been cautious about entering the price wars since they do not have a lot of cash to offer incentives.” said Aaron Bragman, auto industry analyst at IHS Global Insight.
These incentives may end up hurting Toyota in the near future. The company has seen sales soar as bargain hunters and loyal customers stream into showrooms to take advantage of the deals. Once that traffic runs out, Toyota will find it even harder to sell to people who are not loyal or who are skeptical of the brand.
Toyota Offers Secondary Fix For Customers
If you have taken your Toyota in for repairs under their January recall for unintended acceleration and you are still unhappy with its operation, Toyota is offering another fix. The Japanese automaker said in a memo obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press that if a customer is unhappy with the feel of the accelerator after the car is repaired, dealers can provide a replacement pedal at no charge. “A replacement pedal should only be offered to a customer after the reinforcement bar has been installed and the customer has expressed dissatisfaction with the operation and/or feel of the pedal,” Toyota said in a memo to dealers, service manager and parts managers.
Over 100 owners have complained about problems with sudden acceleration after Toyota dealers fixed their vehicles. Toyota has said it is confident in its repairs and has found no evidence of other problems. Many feel the problem with the vehicle is not a problem with the accelerator parts but rather with electronic interference. A group of consumer advocates and engineers who contend Toyota has discounted potential electronic problems in problem vehicles planned to hold a news conference Tuesday on the massive recalls.
Kristen Tabar, an electronics general manager with Toyota’s technical center in Ann Arbor, Mich., said in a video clip posted by the company on Monday that the automaker has eight labs in Japan that it uses to bombard vehicles with electronic interference. She said Toyota ensures that “every system in the vehicle operates properly under those conditions.”
Below is a list of Toyota Vehicles recalled:
- 2005-2010 Avalon
- 2007-2010 Camry
- 2009-2010 Corolla
- 2008-2010 Highlander
- 2009-2010 Matrix
- 2004-2009 Prius
- 2010 Prius
- 2009-2010 RAV4
- 2008-2010 Sequoia
- 2005-2010 Tacoma
- 2007-2010 Tundra
- 2009-2010 VENZA
