Archive for International News
Toyota’s Brake Override System – How it Works
Posted by: | CommentsAs the sudden unintended acceleration still haunts Toyota, they will begin installing brake override systems in many of their current and previous year models. Toyota said that “The brake override system is not an integral part of the recall remedy, but is instead being added as an extra measure of confidence for Toyota owners” (see Press Release).
So how does it work?
According to Toyota, their brake override system “automatically reduce(s) engine power when the brake pedal and accelerator pedal are applied simultaneously under certain driving conditions.”
The brake override system will work when:
1. The throttle opening is greater than 1/3
2. Vehicle speed is above 5 mph
3. Brakes are applied firmly
To learn more about Toyota’s Brake Override System, click on the image below.
Toyota - Brake Override System
With its proclaimed “Americas Best Warranty“, “Hyundai Assurance“, high quality cars, and a major competitor (Toyota) in public perception nightmare ; Hyundai overtakes Toyota and Honda as the #1 automaker in owner loyalty according to KBB.com.
Hyundai is a Korean company, but with facilities in Alabama (manufacturing), California (proving grounds), Michigan (engineering), half the cars they sell in the U.S. are made in the U.S. They have over 5,000 direct U.S. employees and an additional 20,000 at dealerships. They also embrace diversity…this is how Hyundai puts it “WE’RE NOT ALL THE SAME, BUT WE’RE ALL EQUAL“.
2011 Hyundai Sonata
NBC Today Show – The Runaway Toyota Prius
Posted by: | CommentsThe NBC Today Show reported on a story regarding a runaway Toyota Prius in California. This report, along with numerous others, really questions whether Toyota has figured out its “Sudden Unintended Acceleration” issues. After recalling 8 million+ vehicles for floor mat entrapment and sticky accelerator pedals (by fixing it with shims), have Toyota engineers really diagnosed the problem correctly? It is true that the floor mats and sticky accelerator pedals are probably an issue, but are they the only issue? Is the vehicle electronic throttle control system to blame? Many customers are still experiencing issues even after their vehicle has been “fixed” by the recall. Toyota, in congressional hearings, was confident that the vehicle electronic throttle control system is not to blame. What a nightmare for Toyota, NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), and especially for Toyota owners.
Watch the Today Show video
Runaway Prius
UPDATE:
As reports flourish about this driver’s credibility (see this USA Today Article), Toyota released a video clarifying that hybrid models have a brake override system. Watch below.
Hybrid Vehicle Brake Override System Video
Toyota Under Fire – Listen to the Hearings Live
Posted by: | CommentsToyota is in the hot seat today in Washington, D.C. Who is at the hearing? David Strickland, Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ray LaHood, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation, several members of congress, consumer groups, and family members impacted by runaway accelerators. You can listen live on C-SPAN. Click on the image below.
Toyota Congressional Hearing on C-SPAN
Yesterday Toyota announced another recall (read the press release) of approximately 133,000 Prius (2010) and 14,500 Lexus HS 250h (2010) vehicles to update the ABS software. In the same recall notice Toyota said that they will also inspect another model, the 2010 Camry, for a power steering hose that may be contacting a front brake tube which could lead to a brake fluid leak. Toyota realizes that owners of Toyota vehicles are becoming increasingly anxious about their vehicle quality. In addition to the recall, Toyota posted frequently asked questions about this latest recall, most likely in a hope to sooth consumers.
It is not a secret that Toyota has hurt its public image. Consumers know that and Toyota knows that. For decades Toyota has been a name synonymous with quality – but recent events (millions of vehicles being recalled with a speculation that Toyota drug its feet in alerting owners) has shuddered (at least temporarily) its reputation. The president and heir of the company, Akio Toyoda, wrote an opt-ed piece today in the Washington Post reassuring consumers that Toyota is “taking responsibility for our mistakes, learning from them and acting immediately to address the concerns of consumers and independent government regulators”. Read the complete article.
The major news story recently is focused on how Toyota will address the nightmare of millions of their vehicles being recalled for accelerator issues. Concerned Toyota owners want to know what needs to be done to put their worries at ease. Apparently, a small shim will fix most vehicles (Toyota is betting its reputation on it). Autoblog, an online leader in covering the auto industry, published a slide show illustrating the fix at a Toyota dealer. You can see the process here.
To address the pedal entrapment issue on some vehicles (a separate recall), according to Autoblog, technicians will use a template with a reciprocating saw to reshape the pedal. Read the complete article.
Is this the best fix? Toyota hopes so. If I was a Toyota owner I would like a new gas pedal assembly instead of a modified one.
Toyota’s Problem Big Enough to Shut Down Production
Posted by: | CommentsI have been following the sticking accelerator fiasco at Toyota for months (Read two previous blogs: Floor mat Safety – Check your car’s floor mats! and It’s Not Just the Floor Mats: Toyota Recalls 2.3 million Vehicles for Sticking Accelerator Pedal). Yesterday Toyota released a bombshell – they are suspending sales of some of their most popular models and shutting down production to pinpoint the problem. This means that for the last 6 months or so, they still don’t know exactly what is causing the accelerator to stick or don’t have great confidence that this can be fixed at the dealership level efficiently. (Or they were required to shut down production from the Federal Government – read this story from The Detroit News). Here is a quote from the latest press release: “This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized. We’re making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible.”
I am sure the dealerships are fuming about this…they can’t sell a large portion of Toyota’s most popular vehicles. And, what long term damage has this done. Sure they are now addressing the problem head on…but why did it take so long? Some potential Toyota customers will now question Toyota quality and may look at other manufacturers. Ford and Honda may benefit the greatest from the Toyota nightmare.
The following vehicles are effected:
2009-2010 RAV4
2009-2010 Corolla
2009-2010 Matrix
2005-2010 Avalon
Certain 2007-2010 Camry
2010 Highlander
2007-2010 Tundra
2008-2010 Sequoia
During the week of February 1st, Toyota plans on shutting down production lines at the following plants:
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Canada (Corolla, Matrix, and RAV4)
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (Sequoia and Highlander)
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky – Line 1 (Camry and Avalon)
Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (Camry)
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas (Tundra)
Still have questions? Call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Last year Toyota recalled 4.2 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles regarding floor mats that could cause the gas (accelerator) pedal to stick. (I wrote a blog about it titled Floor mat safety – Check your car’s floor mats!) Today’s recall, Toyota says (see the official press release), is separate from last year’s recall…even though about 1.7 million vehicles are subject to both recalls.
Here’s the official quote regarding the situation:
“In recent months, Toyota has investigated isolated reports of sticking accelerator pedal mechanisms in certain vehicles without the presence of floor mats,” said TMS Group Vice President Irv Miller. “Our investigation indicates that there is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position. Consistent with our commitment to the safety of our cars and our customers, we have initiated this voluntary recall action.”
Does your vehicle have a recall? The following vehicles are impacted:
• 2009-2010 RAV4
• 2009-2010 Corolla
• 2009-2010 Matrix
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2010 Highlander
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2008-2010 Sequoia
If you are unsure if your vehicle qualifies, contact your local Toyota dealer or Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
Frankfurt Motor Show 2009 – Video Highlights
Posted by: | CommentsIf you couldn’t afford to make the trip to Frankfurt, Germany, it is still easy to see what is happening at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Take a quick tour on YouTube and you can get highlights without leaving the seat of your office computer.
Here are a few short clips:
Car-News.TV – Green Cars at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show
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AUTOCAR.CO.UK – Highlights from the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show
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Edmunds.com Inside Line – Highlights from Day 1
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Associated Press – New Hybrids and Electric Vehicles
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Car-News.TV – Highlights from the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show
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To find more video clips of the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, go to YouTube. No jet lag, no airport security lines, no hotel fees…this is the way to travel during a recession.
Mahindra! Who? Who is Mahindra? Trucks coming to the United States
Posted by: | Comments
MahindraNA.com
What do you think? Will Mahindra make an impact in the United States like Hyundai and Kia?
Is there really a domestic automaker anymore?
Posted by: | Comments
GMChina.com
Not really. In the past the big three in the United States were Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. Chrysler is now 20% owned by Fiat. The Japanese big three automakers are Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. Many companies that were once thought of as making foreign cars are made in the United States. Among other places Hondas are made in Ohio, Toyotas in Indiana, and Nissans are manufactured in Tennessee. United States automakers manufacture vehicles or parts in other countries – for example some Fords are manufactured in Mexico and GMs in China. If you are concerned about “Made in USA”, you need to look at the specific model and find out what percentage of the vehicle was manufactured and assembled in the United States. In reality, we are in a global economy where products are manufactured and sold throughout the world.
What do you think? Is there really a domestic automaker anymore?
Watch out Corolla and Civic, there’s a new Sheriff in town!
Posted by: | Comments
2010 Kia Forte
Let’s do a brief comparison:
2010 Kia Forte EX
2.0 L / 156 hp engine
Optional 5 speed Automatic
EPA Fuel Economy 27 city/36 highway
MSRP with Fuel Economy Package $17,395 + destination charges
Warranty: 10 year/100,000 mile Limited Powertrain Warranty and 5 year/60,000 mile Limited Basic Warranty
2009 Honda Civic EX
1.8 L / 140 hp engine
Optional 5 speed Automatic
EPA Fuel Economy 25 city/36 highway
MSRP $20,105 + destination charges
Warranty: 5 year/60,000 mile Powertrain Limited Warranty and 3 year/36,000 mile Bumper-to-Bumper Limited Warranty
2010 Toyota Corolla XLE
1.8 L / 132 hp engine
4 speed Automatic
EPA Fuel Economy 26 city/34 highway
MSRP $17,650 + destination charges
Warranty: 5 year/60,000 mile Powertrain Warranty and 3 year/36,000 Basic Warranty
And to top it off, Kia Forte will also be available as a 2 door coupe in August.
What do you think? Will the Kia Forte give the Civic and Corolla a run for their money?
Are cars selling? A look at a few companies…
Posted by: | CommentsYou would think that in the middle of the worst economic downturn since the great depression that nobody would be purchasing cars. But that isn’t the case. Cars are still selling.
Ford Motor Company, the only United States “Big Three” automaker not to file Chapter 11, has increased its market share. Ford announced that it “achieve(d) its highest market share in three years” and May 2009 “sales totaled 155,954, up 20 percent versus April, and the highest sales for any month since July 2008”. See the official press release.
Toyota Motor Sales sold 152,583 vehicles in May 2009. Even though this is down significantly from May 2008 sales, it is a 20% increase from April 2009. See the official press release.
General Motors, now in Chapter 11, sold 191,875 vehicles in May 2009. Like other automakers, they are down significantly from last year sales, but from April 2009 to May 2009 they have seen an 11% increase. See the official press release.
The major players are showing an increase in sales from April to May. Is this a sign that the economy is turning around? Or is it just because some autos are selling at sale fired prices?
What do you think? Has the economy hit rock bottom? Are car sales a sign of a turnaround?
Nano numbers are staggering – Over 500 million dollars in orders in a month!
Posted by: | CommentsOn May 4th, 2009 Tata Motors indicated that they received “2.03 lakh fully paid bookings” (For those of us in the Western Hemisphere, 1 lakh = 100,000; so 2.03 lakh = 203,000) for the Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest car, since “bookings” started on April 9th. Tata has collected Rs.2,500 crores (1 crore = 10,000,000; so 25,000,000,000 rupees is about 506 million US dollars. See the press release here.
TataNano.com
Tata Motors, India’s largest automaker, is smart. They are getting paid for cars before they produce them. Would that approach work in the United States? Maybe we will see a paradigm shift from choosing a car already on the lot to ordering one over the internet. This business model works for other products…one that comes to mind is Dell Computers.
Who is Fiat?
Posted by: | Comments
Fiat.com
The Fiat Group, who owns Fiat automobiles, also owns Maserati and an 85% state in Ferrari. They also produce agricultural and construction equipment (CNH – Case Corporation, New Holland, Kobelco, and Steyr) along with trucks and commercial vehicles (Iveco). Here are links to presentations about Fiat Group and a history (with videos) about Fiat.
History of Fiat
Fast forward 110 years. Today Fiat takes “Eco-driving” tips to the next level by using “eco:Drive”. Using a USB thumbdrive that collects information as you drive, you then plug your thumbdrive into your computer. The Fiat application software on your computer helps you determine how to improve your fuel economy by analyzing your driving habits – reducing your carbon footprint. Watch the video about eco:Drive.
So now it is Fiat, Chrysler, Maserati, and Ferrari. Not a bad combination. However, I seem to remember not too long ago (1998) a company called DaimlerChrysler was formed. DaimlerChrysler only lasted until 2007, when Chrysler was sold to Cerberus Capital Management of New York – forming Chrysler LLC. So my question is…if Daimler AG couldn’t turn Chrysler around, will Fiat be able to? I hope so.
What do you think? Will the Fiat alliance work?
