Toyota - Page 5

theholycow · 03-07-2010, 09:08 AM

My opinion:

- Toyota outgrew their reputation a long time ago.

- Toyota has safety recalls just like any other company and usually handles them just like any other company.

- In this case, they may not have taken it seriously enough, and by the time they should have realized that they had a bigger problem on their hands they did what Ford did 30 years ago with the Pinto.

- With Toyota being the biggest target and having that overblown reputation, the media and the people flocked to the issue, finally getting a chance to land a few kicks against the big guy.

In my opinion, it's overblown but they had it coming.

I'll note that this isn't the first time that Toyota hasn't taken seriously the safety of their manufacturing. My dad's 2002 Tundra had a ball joint recall for a manufacturing issue that resulted in catastrophic failures at speed, where the wheel would break off and end up under the vehicle. I found out about the recall when my dad's wheel broke off; luckily he wasn't at highway speed and luckily it laid flat instead of rolling under, which could have flipped the truck. At first it seemed normal that they recalled it and took care of it (as well as collateral damage in my dad's case).

However, after it was well known by Toyota they continued manufacturing them that way.

**bobc455** · 03-08-2010, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowtieguy

does anyone suspect that toyota, because of their rep, has had this "problem" become magnified?

I do!

Honestly, I'm a bit surprised about it too - for years, it seems like they have been a "darling" company of sorts, and now everybody wants to pile on them while they have a chance.

I was going to rant on how they call them cars "made in America" but I've decided against it.

-BC

bowtieguy · 03-09-2010, 03:20 PM

in regard to the report today that a san diego man needed assistance from CHP to stop his pruis...

he mentioned pressing and holding both the brake pedal and e-brake. he was uncertain if he put the car in neutral or not? he did NOT attempt to shut the car off due to loss of steering ON A STRAIGHT ROAD(interstate)???!!!

Project84 · 03-09-2010, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowtieguy

in regard to the report today that a san diego man needed assistance from CHP to stop his pruis...

he mentioned pressing and holding both the brake pedal and e-brake. he was uncertain if he put the car in neutral or not? he did NOT attempt to shut the car off due to loss of steering ON A STRAIGHT ROAD(interstate)???!!!

Story can be read here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100309/..._runaway_prius

**Jay2TheRescue** · 03-09-2010, 04:11 PM

I've shut the engine off on a 6 ton truck (1993 Chevrolet Step Van) going 50 MPH on a curvy 2 lane road once when the accelerator got stuck. Surely a prius would be easier to steer & stop than that, especially since the step van had the same steering wheel they put in the Caprices. Really small wheel for that size truck. Made it especially hard to steer with no power steering.

JanGeo · 03-09-2010, 04:38 PM

Well the difference is that turning off the engine in a conventional car still keeps the engine turning over and thus the power steering is still pumping and working . . . but on the Prius the power steering pump is electric so once you turn off the ignition it no longer pumps and I am not sure what happens to the transmission as far as putting itself into park or not I would think it would not since the 61 year old guy did finally turn off the engine and stop his Prius. I can't imagine why he was passing someone heh heh. Of course BY NOW owners of these cars should have tried turning off the engine on a stretch of open road to get familiar with what happens.

**Jay2TheRescue** · 03-09-2010, 04:52 PM

Maybe its just me, and my EVOC training, but I always learn how my vehicles behave in certain situations beforehand. That way you know what to expect when the unexpected happens.

theholycow · 03-09-2010, 05:12 PM

Prii and many other late-model vehicles do not have electric hydraulic power steering pumps. They have electric power assist without any hydraulics involved.

My VW's electric power steering operates as long as the car is at speed, regardless of whether the engine is running or even if I have the key turned to Off. Once it gets down to a couple mph it abruptly turns off if the engine is already off, so when I EOC into my parking space I sometimes have to manhandle the steering wheel for the last couple feet.

Losing the power in power steering is acceptable unless you're a tiny, weak person. Power steering in modern cars is nearly disabled at high speeds anyway; that's what speed sensitive power steering is all about.