Toyota Circles the Wagons to Defend its Brand

Toyota continues its campaign to get out of the automaker penalty box and to defend the quality of its electronic systems. According to the Wall Street Journal, Toyota will address the media on March 8 and its suppliers on March 9. Toyota President Akio Toyoda will try to reassure the world that Toyota's products are safe and the company is doing all in its power to resolve the safety problems that involve more than 8 million vehicles.

It's an uphill battle for Toyota, with Congressional committees probing the company, lawmakers accusing the company of deceptive practices and a growing number of lawsuits.

Toyota is facing at least 70 lawsuits, which could become a class-action, claiming injury from the alleged unintended acceleration. More than 60 Toyota customers who had their recalled cars fixed have reported that the vehicles still exhibit the unintended acceleration. Toyota says that it is investigating the reported incidents, and is submitting its evaluations to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but maintains that most of the reports are unverified.

The NHTSA has linked consumer complaints to 43 crashes that caused 52 deaths and 38 injuries.

In addition, Toyota claims that the study and testimony in a Congressional hearing by Professor David Gilbert of Southern Illinois University that found apparent unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus vehicles is flawed: 

In evaluating Professor Gilbert's claims, Exponent [a testing firm employed by Toyota] also analyzed the footage of Professor Gilbert's appearance on ABC News on February 22, 2010. Toyota has also supplied the results of these evaluations to the appropriate Congressional Committees. The analysis of Professor'?s Gilbert's demonstration establishes that he has reengineered and rewired the signals from the accelerator pedal. This rewired circuit is highly unlikely to occur naturally and can only be contrived in a laboratory. There is no evidence to suggest that this highly unlikely scenario has ever occurred in the real world. As shown in the Exponent and Toyota evaluations, with such artificial modifications, similar results can be obtained in other vehicles. 

In addition, a review by the Associated Press found that Toyota has been inconsistent and sometimes contradictory regarding its black box, which records data, such as whether brake or accelerator pedals were depressed when a crash occurred.

[tsigili]

One thing we do know....Toyota has a serious problem, and so far, they don't have a serious fix.

[omnibus66]

Almost all cars have floor mats, so why hasn't this shown up in other brands? Floor mats is a red herring, and the real culprit is probably a glitch in the cars computers. But that would cost millions to fix, so we continue to get bs from Toyota. If I owned one of the cars in question, I would spend 20 bucks for a kill switch, and show anyone who might drive how to use it.

[rwsmith29456]

"...reassure the world that Toyota's products are safe and the company is doing all in its power to resolve the safety problems." Ok, which one is it? Toyota is still leaving us unimpressed and unconvinced and it's not because WE are stubborn.

[kassandrasdu]

Everyone needs to get some context on this media blitz by reading the Business Week story by award-winning journalist Ed Wallace, "The Toyota Witch Hunt".
The two most famous Toyota SUA cases , that of Rhonda Smith and Officer Saylor, either have been explained entirely (Smith had TWO floor mats blocking her gas pedal) or have such inconsistencies as to point to driver error (Saylor was in an unfamiliar loaner car and was apparently unaware of the method of powering off the engine. He also apparently did not lock up the e-brake suggesting he did not engage it. Has a toxicology test been done on his remains to find alcohol? He was with his family and in-law at the dinner hour 6:30 pm when the crash occured. The facts support in his case floor mat obstruction combined with driver error.)

[tooloose2]

Now the real lies start from Toyota. They would be better served to cut the lies and fix the deathtraps they've sold to the public. Remember, a guilty dog always barks the loudest. It's time to stop barking Toyota.

[kassandrasdu]

"Dr. Gilbert" is being paid by an outfit working for the trial lawyers. He patently RIGGED his test vehicle to suddenly accerlate. If anyone is lying, it is he, because the financial benefit is his to make, not Toyotas. They lose money with each accusation. The trial lawyers and their "experts" can only gain.
If you know anything about automobiles throttle systems you cannot seriously claim mysterious software "glitches" (gremlins on the wing) are doing something no one in the media have clearly explained. Sudden unintended acceleration occurs with ALL makes of vehicles and has for DECADES, and is almost ALWAYS driver error (stepping on the gas instead of the brake). Each case is different and the media are lumping them all together, even cases shown to have been floor mats, in what amounts to a witch hunt. Beware media distortion, a few televised cases seen through the camera lense falsely distort the perception of what millions upon millions of Toyota drivers without problems really looks like.

[pcevet4]

Toyota reached it peak in the mid to late 80's. My 89 Toyota Camry that gave me 250K miles of cheap, reliable transportation is gone. That quality is not coming back. Toyota has joined the rest of the world auto industry at a common level of mediocrity. I stick with Toyota because I think that, statistically, my odds of having a reliable, safe care are somewhat in their favor.

Those of us piling onto Toyota should think about the self-destructing engines and transmissions of the Big 3 over the past 4 decades. These kinds of malfunctions are not dangerous?