Toyota Quality Is Legendary. Is Toyota Quality slipping? The attached shows how few recalls Toyota has had in the last 20 years compared to the Big 3.  All of this was done while surpassing them in Sales. People Need To See This!…Share This Information!

A new website dedicated to providing update information about the most recent Toyota recall has united Toyota owners from all over the country who are looking for answers to many of their questions. 

 With millions of Toyota vehicles recently recalled, Toyota owners are turning to this website to find Toyota recall update answers to their questions and express their feelings and opinions with fellow consumers.

The dedicated Toyota recall website, http://www.toyotarecall.org, is an independent, consumer to consumer website that is not affiliated with Toyota or the government. It was launched as a way to collect the massive amount of questions and answers that exist online and bring it all to one simple destination for consumers.

The website provides an outlet for Toyota owners through various forums through which consumers can share their comments, opinions and experiences. Current forums being discussed now include:

• Confusion About Toyota Recall Letters
• How Will This Recall Impact Toyota’s Reputation?
• Share Your Experience with Toyota Recall Repairs

One of the most active areas of the Toyota recall update website is the Q&A section where an outpouring of emotions and frustration has been seen.

One consumer wrote in, “Me and my family’s lives are not worth it. In the interest of public safety, none of these cars should even be on the road. The question is whether Toyota is going to do the right thing and allow people out of their contract or is it still going to stonewall everyone and claim that they’re going to work it out.”

Another consumer posed the question, “What is a consumer to do when the dealerships tells me that a letter will be sent out sometime next week/next month to address this problem? Do we keep driving this death trap?”

The website demonstrates visible anger and frustration on the parts of millions of Toyota owners.  Toyota owners who would like to share any information they have received can take part in the online forums by visiting http://www.toyotarecall.org/

Consumers who would like information from Toyota directly can call the official Toyota Customer Care phone number at 1-800-331-4331.

A key Toyota Supplier has a fix for the gas pedal recall issue plaguing 8 core models in the Toyota line up.

Toyota has come up with two possible repairs that dealers could perform. A Spokesman said the company had discussed the potential fixes with U.S. regulators, but declined to add additional information. He stated “Our desire is to repair as many vehicles as possible as quickly as possible. The ball is in our court.”

The supplier behind the pedal fiasco, CTS, is currently building replacement parts after determining condensation was the potential cause for wear to the pedal mechanism. According to the company’s Chairman and CEO, Vinod Khilnani, “That, we believe, is the reason for the slow return of the pedal.”  He continued, “We have the fix. It’s a … robust pedal, which is meeting the tougher specifications by Toyota. All of our three facilities which supply to Toyota are already producing the new pedal.”

Toyota  says it has a fix to the problem with sticking accelerator pedals and will update employees with details today, Friday, January 29, 2010.

The company informed workers Thursday night that it presented a remedy to federal regulators.

The e-mail says that plans are being developed on a variety of fronts. The company says it will update workers on Friday.

The company says its engineers are working around the clock to fix the problem in eight core models, including the top-selling Camry midsize sedan.

Toyota says accelerators rarely stick. But earlier this week the company halted sales and production of the 8 models. It has recalled at least 2.4 million cars and trucks in the U.S., Europe and China to eliminate  the problem.

Update on the Floor Mat Safety Advisory.  Toyota is still working on a remedy for this concern.  Soon Toyota will send a communication to affected owners.  Toyota has determined that this defect does not exist in vehicles in which the driver side floor mat is compatible with the vehicle and is properly secured. 

Toyota strongly recommends that you ensure that the correct floor mat is being used, that it is properly installed and secured, that it is not flipped over with the bottom-side up, and that one floor mat is not stacked over another.

• First, if it is possible and safe to do so, pull back the floor mat and dislodge it from the accelerator pedal; then pull over and stop the vehicle.

• If the floor mat cannot be dislodged, then firmly and steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet. Do NOT pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the effort required to slow the vehicle.

• Shift the transmission gear selector to the Neutral (N) position and use the brakes to make a controlled stop at the side of the road and turn off the engine.

• If unable to put the vehicle in Neutral, turn the engine OFF, or to ACC. This will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the power assist to these systems will be lost.

• If the vehicle is equipped with an Engine Start/Stop button, firmly and steadily push the button for at least three seconds to turn off the engine. Do NOT tap the Engine Start/Stop button.

• If the vehicle is equipped with a conventional key-ignition, turn the ignition key to the ACC position to turn off the engine. Do NOT remove the key from the ignition as this will lock the steering wheel.

Offcially that is a recall, but it’s more of an act out of Responsible Concern for Human Safety and a Positive for the Toyota Brand.

Toyota to recall 3.8M vehicles over loose floor mats that could cause sticking accelerator

Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will recall 3.8 million vehicles in the United States, the company’s largest-ever U.S. recall, to address problems with a removable floor mat that could cause accelerators to get stuck and lead to a crash.

This Safety Recall will involve popular models such as the Toyota Camry, the top-selling passenger car in America, and the Toyota Prius, the best-selling gas-electric hybrid.

Toyota said it was still working with officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to find a remedy to fix the problem and said owners could be notified about the recall as early as next week. A Toyota spokesman said until the company finds a fix, owners should take out the removable floor mat on the driver’s side and not replace it.

“A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop a vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death,” Toyota Officials have said.

NHTSA said it had received reports of 102 incidents in which the accelerator may have become stuck on the Toyota vehicles involved. It was unclear how many led to crashes but the inquiry was prompted by a highspeed crash in August in California of a Lexus barreling out of control. As the vehicle hit speeds exceeding 120 mph, family members made a frantic 911 call and said the accelerator was stuck and they couldn’t stop the vehicle.

It is strongly urged that owners of these vehicles should remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration.

The Recall will affect 2007-2010 model year Toyota Camry, 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon, 2004-2009 Toyota Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra, 2007-2010 Lexus ES350 and 2006-2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350.

Toyota warned owners that if they think their vehicle is accelerating out of control, they should check to see whether their floor mat is under the pedal. If a driver can’t remove the floor mat, Toyota advises drivers to

For vehicles with engine start/stop buttons, Toyota said the engine can be shut off by holding the button down for three seconds.

In the August incident close to San Diego, the fiery crash of a 2009 Lexus ES 350 killed California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor, 45, and three members of his family on State Route 125 in Santee. The runaway car was traveling at more than 120 mph when it hit a sport utility vehicle, launched off an embankment, rolled several times and burst into flames. One of the family members called police about a minute before the crash to report the vehicle had no brakes and the accelerator was stuck. The call ended with someone telling people in the car to hold on and pray, followed by a woman’s scream.

NHTSA investigators determined that a rubber all-weather floor mat found in the wreckage was slightly longer than the mat that belonged in the vehicle, something that could have snared or covered the accelerator pedal.

 A final report had not yet been submitted in the California case.

“We don’t know what the actual cause was of that accident other than preliminary reports that have been published so it’s impossible for us to comment on that particular incident,” the nhtsa said.

In mid-September, Toyota ordered 1,400 Toyota and Lexus dealers nationwide to ensure that each new, used and loaner vehicles had the proper floor mats and that the mats were properly secured.

In September 2007, Toyota recalled an accessory all-weather floor mat sold for use in some 2007 and 2008 model year Lexus ES 350 and Toyota Camry vehicles because of similar problems.

For more information, consumers can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s hotline at (888) 327-4236, Toyota at (800) 331-4331 or Lexus at (800) 255-3987.

The Cash for Clunkers program was a big success for Toyota! That’s great Toyota News August 2009. The program generated 690,000 car sales, with Toyota accounting for 19.4 percent of all sales the U.S. Department of Transportation stated during the last week of August 2009.

The Toyota Corolla was the top seller under Cash for Clunkers, closely followed by Toyota Camry and Toyota Prius. Even recently retired Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) traded in his 1991 Chevrolet Suburban for a brand-new Toyota Prius, joking, “You don’t see a lot of Republicans driving a Prius.”

About 84 percent of participating consumers traded in trucks with 59% purchasing more fuel-efficient passenger cars such as Toyota Corolla. More great Toyota News August 2009.

You may have heard that Toyota is recalling about 95,700 Toyota and Scion models in 19 Cold-Weather States because of a possible brake problem. Those models covered are some 2009 and 2010 Corolla and Matrix models as well as some 2008 and 2009 Scion XD models with the 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine.

Toyota told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that at “extremely low ambient temperatures”, around -22 degrees F. and lower,  it is possible the brakes could lose their power-assist which would “lead to lengthened vehicle stopping distances.”

The States covered in this recall are Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming…. 

In a announcement of a different matter and direction, Toyota Motor said Monday it was developing Anti-Drunk Driving Equipment that would lock the ignition of a vehicle if high levels of alcohol are detected in the driver. This Next Generation Ignition Interlock System is very difficult for Drunk Drivers to Fool!
The system features a hand-held breathalyser, equipped with a digital camera, that detects alcohol consumption and photographs the driver’s face for identification, a company statement said.

If the driver tests positive, the system either warns him or her, or locks the vehicle’s ignition depending on the level of alcohol detected, Toyota said.

The carmaker is conducting tests with affiliate truck maker Hino Motors, and will install the equipment in selected trucks and other vehicles of fleet customers that include companies and government organizations.

The device will alert fleet administrators if the driver is detected with excessive alcohol levels, Toyota said.

Stay-Tuned for New 2010 Introductions, New Features, and an All New 2010 4Runner!…