Toyota recalls 2.3 million more cars with stuck accelerator

[SVT666]

Report: Toyota has accelerator pedal fix in-hand, production resumption still uncertain
01/27/2010, 4:07 PM
BY DREW JOHNSON

 
Production of eight Toyota models has ground to a halt as the result of a 2.3 million unit recall, but the Japanese automaker says it has designed a replacement part for the affected vehicles. Toyota recalled 2.3 million vehicles last week due to a potentially faulty accelerator pedal mechanism.

According to Automotive News, Toyota has completed the design of the replacement part, with the first units believed to be in transit to some Toyota factories. Toyota ? along with parts maker CTS Corp. ? finished the design earlier this week.

Although Toyota now has a solution to the problem in-hand, the company is far from out of the woods. Due to the sheer size of the recall, it could be months before replacement parts can be made for all vehicle involved in the recall, potentially costing the Japanese automakers hundreds of thousands of sales.

?We have to produce more than 2 million pedals,? a source close to the situation told Automotive News. ?That takes a long time. That?s more than we can produce in a year.?

Toyota?s production halt is schedule to continue through February 5th, but could be extended if the replacement parts do not become widely available. An even bigger headache could be on the way for Toyota as it appears its latest recall could cover vehicles in a number of global markets.

[the Teuton]

Rumor has it that Enterprise has pulled all of its Toyota products from the fleet. This means when I show up at work Friday, I won't have to drive any of them, Prius included, even though it's not recalled.

In summary:

[Laconian]

Rumor has it that Enterprise has pulled all of its Toyota products from the fleet. This means when I show up at work Friday, I won't have to drive any of them, Prius included, even though it's not recalled.

In summary:

What, the rest of the rental dreck is more appealing?

[Eye of the Tiger]

I hope Toyota never recovers from this.

[AutobahnSHO]

I hope Toyota never recovers from this.

y?

[Byteme]

Report: Toyota has accelerator pedal fix in-hand, production resumption still uncertain
01/27/2010, 4:07 PM
BY DREW JOHNSON

 
Production of eight Toyota models has ground to a halt as the result of a 2.3 million unit recall, but the Japanese automaker says it has designed a replacement part for the affected vehicles. Toyota recalled 2.3 million vehicles last week due to a potentially faulty accelerator pedal mechanism.

According to Automotive News, Toyota has completed the design of the replacement part, with the first units believed to be in transit to some Toyota factories. Toyota ? along with parts maker CTS Corp. ? finished the design earlier this week.

Although Toyota now has a solution to the problem in-hand, the company is far from out of the woods. Due to the sheer size of the recall, it could be months before replacement parts can be made for all vehicle involved in the recall, potentially costing the Japanese automakers hundreds of thousands of sales.

?We have to produce more than 2 million pedals,? a source close to the situation told Automotive News. ?That takes a long time. That?s more than we can produce in a year.?

Toyota?s production halt is schedule to continue through February 5th, but could be extended if the replacement parts do not become widely available. An even bigger headache could be on the way for Toyota as it appears its latest recall could cover vehicles in a number of global markets.

Anybody want to bet on where the first shipments go?  I'm betting on the factories and dealerships to build new cars and retrofit dealer inventory for sales, not the dealerhsips to repair vehicles already in the hands of consumers.

[CALL_911]

I hope Toyota never recovers from this.

[Byteme]

UPDATE 1-Ford halts production of China van with CTS pedal

* China JV halts production Thursday to study pedal

* JV produced 1,663 Transit Classic vans with CTS pedal

* CTS began supplying pedals to Ford in December

DETROIT, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) and its joint venture partner Jiangling Motors Corp (000550.SZ) halted China production of full-sized Transit Classic diesel commercial vans equipped with CTS Corp (CTS.N) pedals, the automakers said on Thursday.

CTS, which is at the center of a massive Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) recall over potentially faulty accelerator pedals, only began to supply pedals to the commercial van in December and does not supply pedals for any other Ford vehicle, Ford spokesman Said Deep said.

There were 1,663 vehicles produced in China for the Chinese markets using the pedals and production was halted on Thursday, Deep said, adding that it was unclear how many had been delivered to customers or dealers.

The design and engineering of the pedals is unique to Ford, but appears similar to that of the pedal supplied to Toyota and is being studied, Deep said.

In a conference call on Thursday after Ford posted a 2009 profit, its first full-year profit since 2005, Ford Chief Executive Alan Mulally said he believed the China production halt was an isolated incident.

[nickdrinkwater]

Massive Toyota recall spreads to China and Europe


Toyota?s massive recall of more than seven million vehicles in the United States ? sparked by reliability problems with accelerator pedals ? is to be extended to Europe and China, the company revealed today.

The announcements came hours after the company added a further 1.09 million vehicles to the tally of cars involved in its US recall. It is thought that at least 75,000 vehicles will be recalled in China.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/engineering/article7005877.ece

[Morris Minor]

Anybody want to bet on where the first shipments go?  I'm betting on the factories and dealerships to build new cars and retrofit dealer inventory for sales, not the dealerhsips to repair vehicles already in the hands of consumers.

Well, unless they want to turn their disaster into their funeral, they will first deal with the vehicles that are out there on the streets. So I'm betting on their survival instinct.

It's difficult to conjure up millions and millions of throttle assemblies in a few weeks - but they are going to have to do so. As we speak, assembly plants are tooling up all over China  

[SVT666]

Well, unless they want to turn their disaster into their funeral, they will first deal with the vehicles that are out there on the streets. So I'm betting on their survival instinct.

It's difficult to conjure up millions and millions of throttle assemblies in a few weeks - but they are going to have to do so. As we speak, assembly plants are tooling up all over China  

Actually it's 6 plants across North America that are making the new pedal.

[MX793]

y?

It might force them to make interesting cars instead of producing boring crap that people buy only because of the reputation.

[sportyaccordy]

It might force them to make interesting cars instead of producing boring crap that people buy only because of the reputation.

It won't matter if the cars are interesting if people are scared to even drive them. They need to re-establish their reputation.

[Morris Minor]

Thinking about this... I have never seen a Toyota driven at more than what looks to be 1/8 throttle opening.

[CJ]

Thinking about this... I have never seen a Toyota driven at more than what looks to be 1/8 throttle opening.

You've never seen me drive our Camry.  

[2o6]

You've never seen me drive our Camry.  

So.....it's 1/16?

[VTEC_Inside]

:)

[FoMoJo]

:)

[S204STi]

[FoMoJo]

Further to the Ford involvement...Parts supplier ramping up pedal output

Repeatedly stressing that the pedals were made according to Toyota's specifications, he said he doubted his company would face legal liability or suffer major financial losses from the gas pedal fallout.

Still, his company remained front-and-centre Thursday. Not only did Toyota expand its pedal recall into Europe and China, but Ford Motor Co. halted production of a commercial vehicle it builds as part of a joint venture in China because it uses CTS gas pedals. (The vehicle in question is not sold in Canada.)

Asked about Ford, Mr. Khilnani said the problem is strictly limited to Toyota, and that his firm is meeting with Ford to reassure the company. He said he expects similar discussions with other car makers.

?There isn't any crosspollination of this pedal with other pedals,? Mr. Khilnani said. ?They are all designed to their specifications. All the designs are very different.? CTS has between 16 and 20 per cent of the global market for accelerator pedals, and also supplies them to Chrysler, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi, he said.

[SVT666]

House schedules Toyota recall hearing for next month
01/28/2010, 5:43 PM
BY DREW JOHNSON

   
Adding to Toyota?s ever-growing mountain of trouble, the United States House of Representatives announced on Thursday it will hold a hearing next month to discuss the automaker recent recalls and growing consumer complaints of unintended acceleration.

Scheduled for February 25th, the hearing will be used ?to examine the persistent consumer complaints of sudden unintended acceleration in vehicles manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation.?

House Energy and Commerce chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., will oversee the hearing. ?Like many consumers, I am concerned by the seriousness and scope of Toyota?s recent recall announcements,? Waxman told The Detroit News. ?I look forward to learning more about the steps Toyota is taking to address safety defects, and I hope that the automaker will continue to cooperate with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to get unsafe vehicles off our roads.?

Toyota has found itself at the center of a firestorm following two massive U.S. recalls. The Japanese automaker recalled 5.35 million vehicles late last year due to floor mat issues, and announced a 2.3 million vehicle recall last month. The latest recall forced Toyota to halt sales of eight of its most popular models.

[giant_mtb]

So all of a sudden, a shitload of Toyota vehicles are suddenly accelerating?

[the Teuton]

So all of a sudden, a shitload of Toyota vehicles are suddenly accelerating?

I believe the Rolling Stones were once quoted as saying "Once you start me up, I'll never stop." Apparently, neither will Toyotas.

[Raza]

Why is the House involved now?  Also, why was the Senate involved in the baseball steroid hearings?

[SVT666]

They want to feel important.  It's all about ego.

[Byteme]

And in the news today an additional 1.8 million cars in Europe are recalled as well:  Note the part I put in bold.  just as I suspected, Toyota is weighing whether to use the first parts to install in the production line or in new cars on the dealer lots.  What about the poor schmucks who put their trust in Toyota and bought those shit boxes.  I'd expect Toyota to take care of them first.

BRUSSELS (AP) -- Toyota's recall of eight models in Europe over faulty gas pedals will involve up to 1.8 million cars, the world's largest automaker said Friday.

It said it will recall the Yaris -- its biggest seller in the region -- Corolla, Aygo, iQ, Auris, Verso, Avensis and the RAV4 sports utility vehicle.

The move extends an embarrassing recall that has already spread to more than 2.4 million vehicles on three continents, threatening to undermine the reputation of the world's top auto maker as a manufacturer of safe, durable vehicles.

A company statement said that because it was still checking how many cars were involved it could not give a more precise number. No Lexus and no other Toyota models are affected, it said.

Tadashi Arashima, the president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corp.'s European operations, said a problem with a gas pedal that can stick when partly depressed or return slowly to the idle position "only occurs in very rare circumstances."

Toyota said it had "identified a remedy for this issue" and it will communicate that to all customers as soon as it has finished evaluations. It gave no more details.

It said only a limited number of incidents had been reported in Europe and it was not aware of any accidents caused by the problem. Toyota factories are already using different parts and "therefore there is no need or intention to stop production in Europe," it said.

The company on Tuesday suspended U.S. sales of eight models -- including the Camry, America's top-selling car -- and told Chinese authorities that it would recall RAV4 vehicles made in China.

Elkhart, Indiana-based CTS Corp., which made the parts, is cranking out redesigned gas pedal assemblies that fix the problem, which is caused by condensation around an arm attached to the pedal and springs that send the pedal back to the idle position.

Toyota has said it is weighing up repairing the pedals or replacing them -- or whether the new pedals will go first to factories to production of new models can resume or straight to dealers to modify new cars on their lots.

Also this week, Toyota announced the recall of 1.09 million vehicles in the United States over concerns that floor mats could bend across gas pedals, causing sudden acceleration.

CTS also makes pedals for Honda Motor Co., Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan Motor Co. and Ford Motor Co. in China, but the company said pedals made for those manufacturers don't have the same design. Still, Ford on Thursday halted production of some full-sized commercial vehicles in China because they contain CTS gas pedals.

Toyota is not a major player in Europe, where it ranked No. 8 by sales last year, with a 5 percent share of the market. Its models have fared badly as customers were nudged toward smaller fuel-efficient models by cash-for-clunkers government handouts.

Its bestseller in the region is the Yaris, which shifted some 215,921 units last year. The company sold 730,831 cars in the 27-nation European Union, Norway and Iceland in 2009 -- down 4.7 percent from a year earlier. Sales of the luxury Lexus line fell by more than a quarter.

     

[shp4man]

Like I said when the Lexus first crashed, it's more than just floormats. Japanese engineers are human, just like everybody else.

[r0tor]

Further to the Ford involvement...Parts supplier ramping up pedal output

Repeatedly stressing that the pedals were made according to Toyota's specifications, he said he doubted his company would face legal liability or suffer major financial losses from the gas pedal fallout.

Still, his company remained front-and-centre Thursday. Not only did Toyota expand its pedal recall into Europe and China, but Ford Motor Co. halted production of a commercial vehicle it builds as part of a joint venture in China because it uses CTS gas pedals. (The vehicle in question is not sold in Canada.)

Asked about Ford, Mr. Khilnani said the problem is strictly limited to Toyota, and that his firm is meeting with Ford to reassure the company. He said he expects similar discussions with other car makers.

?There isn't any crosspollination of this pedal with other pedals,? Mr. Khilnani said. ?They are all designed to their specifications. All the designs are very different.? CTS has between 16 and 20 per cent of the global market for accelerator pedals, and also supplies them to Chrysler, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi, he said.

like anyone in china cares about consumer safety... 

[Raza]

like anyone in china cares about consumer safety... 

There are some people here who think Chinese cars will be safe to drive.

[hotrodalex]

Why is the House involved now?  Also, why was the Senate involved in the baseball steroid hearings?

Seriously. It's absolutely idiotic. They have no clue about these issues, they should stay out. It's not their job.