Toyota

Toyota officially refutes San Diego runaway Toyota Prius claim

A California Highway Patrol officer intercepted the vehicle and instructed the driver to press firmly on the brakes, apply the emergency brake and turn off the car, at which time the Prius came to a safe stop. While a final report is not yet complete, Toyota announced via press release: “There are strong indications that the driver’s account of the event is inconsistent with the findings of the preliminary analysis.” Toyota engineers employed data download/analysis, static and dynamic testing as well as thorough inspections of all relative components. In addition, they retraced the reported driving route taking into account driving time and accounts from the 911 recording. The investigation revealed the following initial findings: * The accelerator pedal was tested

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San Diego runaway Toyota Prius: Could it have been a hoax?

The legitimacy of the story of Jim Sikes, the 61-year-old man who couldn’t stop his 2008 Toyota Prius on a Southern California freeway earlier this month until he was assisted by a California Highway Patrol officer, is now in question. According to a report on CNN.com, technicians who tested the Toyota after its owner claimed its gas pedal stuck were unable to recreate the same condition. The revelation was detailed in a draft of a congressional memo obtained Sunday by CNN. In addition, owner Jim Sikes’ claim that the car kept going even though he slammed on the brake while his gas pedal was stuck to the floor does “not appear to be feasibly possible,” read the memo draft. The

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Runaway Toyota parodied on Saturday Night Live, Ford gets hybrid props

Toyota, in its continuing whirlwind of runaway vehicles, recalls and pending litigation, has received the ultimate compliment. It’s been parodied on Saturday Night Live. In a brief skit on the March 13 show, cast members Kenan Thompson and Abby Elliott are peaceful walk through what appears to be a national park or forest trail. But when the couple returns to their Toyota Prius, parked at the trail head, and leaves the area, the car immediately suffers from the proverbial “unintended acceleration.” The couple panics and shouts mock expletives. Despite the current series of runaway incidents around the country, the skit is hilarious. The commercial ends with the Ford emblem and the words, “We Make Hybrids, Too.” James RaiaA sports, travel

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Total recall: Ford leads General Motors, Toyota, VW, Honda on all-time dubious list

10: Honda, 1995, 3.7 million — Faulty seat belt buckle. Recalled all Honda and Acura made between 1986-1991. 9: Volkswagen, 1972, 3.7 million — Non-functioning windshield wipers. The NHTSA ordered recall all VWs, 1949-1969. 8. General Motors, 1973, 3.7 million — Body had the potential to scrape the ground, prompting gravel to jam steering. Shields installed in full-sized models from 1971-1973, including including the Buick Electra, Riviera and LeSabre, Chevrolet Bel Air, Biscayne, Caprice, Brookwood, Impala, Kingwood and Townsman, the Oldsmobile 88 and 98, and the Pontiac Bonneville, Catalina and Grandville. 7: Ford, 1972, 4 million — Poorly constructed seat belt buckles could. All Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles built in 1970 and 1971 recalled. 6+5: Ford, 2009, 4.5 million,

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Second runaway Toyota Prius in two days, this time in upstate New York

The previous day, a California man said his 2008 Toyota Prius sped out of control on a California freeway. The man, 61, said his car accelerated beyond his control after he overtook another vehicle in San Diego County. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is aware of both incidents and is investigating. In the New York incident, the woman was driving on a long, curving driveway when the Prius accelerated beyond her control. She sped across a two-lane road, described as a “fairly busy” street. She traveled 150 to 200 feet, he said, before the Prius’ front end struck the rock wall —  built with boulders weighing 500 to 1,000 pounds — with such force that it “hurled those boulders

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Toyota recall timeline: apologies, promises and faulty parts

* March 8 — Driver James Sikes speeds along a San Diego County freeway in a 2008 Toyota Prius for 20 minutes, reaching 94 miles per hour, before a Highway Patrol officer helps slow down the car. Toyota, the California Highway Patrol and federal safety officials say they will investigate. * March 2 — U.S. Prius sales rise 10 percent in February despite earlier recalls over faulty brakes and floor mats that can trap gas pedals, causing unwanted acceleration. * Feb. 24 — Toyota President Akio Toyoda apologizes for the Toyota‘s millions of recalls before House Oversight and Reform Committee. * Feb. 23 — Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc. President Jim Lentz says recalls may not “totally solve” sudden acceleration

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Toyota denies another Prius recall set despite Wall Street Journal report

Other models involved in this previously-announced recall include 2007-2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Tundra, 2007-2010 ES 350, 2006-2010 IS 250, and 2006-2010 IS 350.  On January 27, 2010, Toyota expanded the campaign to include the 2008-2010 Highlander, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Venza, 2009-2010 Matrix and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe. Owners who have further questions are asked to visit www.toyota.com or www.lexus.com or contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus Customer Assistance at 1-800-255-3987. Public Web site:  https://www.toyota.com and www.toyota.com/recall Source: PRNewswire.com James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a

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Toyota recalls all 2000-2003 Tundras with potential corrosion, dropping gas tank, spare tire issues

Last November, Toyota recalled 110,000 Tundras sold in 20 cold-weather states, saying exposure to heavy road salt could cause the corrosion. Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons was unable to say how many additional vehicles are now involved. The recall will now expand nationwide, according to announcements mailed to dealers. The manufacturer reported the rear cross-member of the frame of the Tundra could corrode in some cases, and that could cause loss of rear brake circuits, making it harder for drivers to stop. Toyota redesigned the Tundra in 2007 in an attempt in infiltrate the market for full-size work trucks dominated by Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written

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Runaway Toyota Prius incident in California now under federal investigation

Toyota said its nspectors are also trying to determine what caused the 2008 Prius to surge uncontrollably as it was being driven by owner James Sikes, age 61. The high-speed incident, which involved a dramatic pursuit by a highway patrol car, has raised new questions about the automaker’s damaging string of recent recalls and whether Toyota has done enough to address consumer complaints about unintended acceleration that have damaged its reputation and sales. The Prius was taken to a Toyota dealership in El Cajon, California, where Toyota investigators were examining the car, Toyota spokeswoman Celeste Migliore said. A CHP spokesman in San Diego said the cause of the runaway car incident remains under investigation. “We do not have any initial

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Runaway Toyota Prius reaches 94 mph, CHP helps driver safely stop (video)

The incident occurred in the same county where an off-duty CHP trooper and three family members were killed last August in an incident that brought the issue to national attention and led to the first major recall over unintended acceleration. Sikes said he had received a recall notice to take his car into a Toyota dealership, but upon arrival he was told his car was not on recall lists, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. The automaker has not recalled the 2008 Prius. During his incident, Sikes overtook another car on Interstate 8 near San Diego, and then the Prius accelerated beyond his control, according to his report filed to the California Highway Patrol. Sikes said he sped 30 miles along

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Stuck accelerator problems include Honda, Volkswagen, Volvo

The just-released NPR report details consumer complaints to federal regulators regarding accelerator issues have also been problematic for Volkswagen, Volvo and Honda, among other manufacturers. The analysis covers about 15,000 complaints filed over the past decade, covering cars back to the 1990 model year. The complaints were filed with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) which regulates auto safety. In 2009 models, for example, NHTSA  identified 251 complaints alleging sudden acceleration and related problems. To read the NPR account of unintended acceleration, visit: Unitended Acceleration To view a year-by-year individual manufacturer list of complaints, visit: Complaints James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver

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Ford has dramatic sales increase, Toyota tumbles again

Ford announced sales rose to 137,644 vehicles for its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands and it plans to build 595,000 in North America in the second quarter and increase of 32 percent from 2009. The industry’s sales were announced following one if them most turbulent months for the car industry, particularly for Toyota and other manufacturers facing recalls. Despite the tumultuous times, Ford sales in February rose for every brand when compared to the same month last year.  It was the first month since 1998 that Ford outsold General Motors, the biggest U.S. carmaker. General Motors reported its February U.S. sales rose 12 percent to 141,951 vehicles with its four core brands – Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac increasing by

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Gas mileage by the numbers: 15 most fuel-efficient 2010 cars

But EPA city and hwy mileage average are the most prominent numbers listed on an manufacturer’s monroney sticker. Someone purchasing a Hummer is as interested in the numbers as someone buying a Honda Insight, but odds are they’ll still look at the averages. All things considered, here are top 15 most fuel efficient cars, ranked in increasingly efficient order based on city mpg. 15. The Hyundai Elantra Blue (manual), MPG: 26 city, 35 highway Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $14,145; 14. Mini Cooper (manual) MPG: 28 city, 37 highway; MSRP: $19,500. 13. Toyota Yaris (manual), MPG: 29 city, 36 highway; MSRP: $12,905; 12 (tie): Volkswagen Jetta TDI (manual) MPG: 30 city, 41 highway, MSRP: $22,830; 12. Volkswagen Golf TDI (manual), MPG:

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Toyota troubles again: Potential oil leak in more than 900,000 cars, Avalon to Camry

Toyota notified its dealers of the issue March 1, according to Reuters. The potential oil leak problem has not prompted a recall, the issue is not a major safety concern and has been described as a “limited service campaign.” The oil hose service campaign covers 2007-2010 model year Camry, 2005-2009 Avalon, 2006-2009 Rav4, 2007-2008 Lexus ES 350 and 2007-2009 RX 350 vehicles. The leak would likely be noticed by drivers as the condition may cause abnormal engine noise or cause the oil pressure light to illuminate. Toyota owners who need the oil hose replaced can do so without charge at Toyota dealerships until March 31, 2013. The service takes about an hour. Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons confirmed the company had

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Toyota incentive plan: lure back customers with five-year, zero percent financing on recalled models

The new incentives will start March 2 and continue through March. Toyota will offer zero-percent financing for 60 months on some 2010 model year vehicles, including its most popular Camry and Corolla sedans and other vehicles involved in the recalls that involved faulty accelerator pedals. Returning Toyota customers will also receive a complimentary two-year “Toyota Auto Care Premium Package” that includes oil changes and other maintenance services, in addition to cash rebates. Akio Toyoda, whose grandfather founded Toyota, spoke before the U.S. Congress last week in Washington. D.C., to address the recall of more than 8.5 million cars, including several of Toyota’s best-selling vehicles, including the Prius, Corolla, Camry and Lexus, among others. A Toyota spokeswoman said the company planned

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Toyota recall: How fair was Congress to Akio Toyoda?

That’s the way it is with many well-published hearings in Washington, D.C. Some observers feel politicians use the public platform to “grandstand.” Some news networks believe politicians are indebted to special interest groups. Newsy.com videos analyze and synthesize news coverage from multiple sources.  Its unique method of showing how different media cover the news helps viewers better understand complex stories. In this instance, according to a Newsy.com representative, “The video shows a clip from his actual speech as well as a few different opinions on the speech, Toyoda, and Congress/reporters’ aggressiveness or appropriateness in interviewing him.” For new car reviews, videos and other automotive content, visit: dev.theweeklydriver.com James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James

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