Toyota may have a new fix for cars that weren't fixed by the first fix.
A growing number of Toyota owners are complaining that the prescribed fix for a sticky accelerator isn’t working – and that’s prompting the embattled automaker to come up with a fix for the fix.
So far, Toyota has announced two separate recalls, since last October, to deal with complaints about so-called unintended acceleration, an issue now linked to dozens of deaths and a growing number of accidents. In the most recent service action, announced on January 21, and originally involving 2.3 million vehicle,, the maker said it would fix potentially sticky accelerator pedals on eight models by inserting a small metal shim designed to resist binding.
But since repairs began, federal regulators have received more than 100 complaints by owners of Toyoa vehicles who say the fix did not solve their problem with sudden acceleration. Now Toyota say it will replace the pedal assembly entirely, if necessary.
“A replacement pedal should only be offered to a customer after the reinforcement bar has been installed and the customer has expressed dissatisfaction with the operation and/or feel of the pedal. (Pedal replacement) is based upon specific customer request only. Dealers are not to solicit pedal replacement,” said an internal Toyota bulletin sent to dealers, which was first uncovered by website Jalopnik.com.
The latest fix should not be confused with the October recall, which originally involved 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus products. That service action was intended to address so-called “carpet entrapment,” where a loose floor mat could jam the accelerator pedal and make it difficult to slow down. That recall was triggered by a fiery crash of a Lexus that killed a California Highway Patrol Officer and three members of his family. Customers were told to remove mats and dealers were then instructed to shave down accelerator pedals to prevent something from getting stuck underneath.
The automaker continues to deny that electronic problems with digital engine control systems are to blame for its sudden acceleration problems, though that possibility remains under investigation.
Meanwhile, lawyers representing potentially hundreds of class action suits and individual claims against Toyota will be meeting in a federal court in San Diego, later this week to begin the process of selecting the attorneys who will ultimately lead the legal challenge against the automaker. A forecast by JP Morgan Chase, earlier this month, estimated that litigation involving various safety claims against Toyota could eventually cost the company as much as $3 billion.
Maker will install new pedal if accelerator repair doesn’t work.
By Paul A. Eisenstein
Posted: 3/24/10
A growing number of Toyota owners are complaining that the prescribed fix for a sticky accelerator isn’t working – and that’s prompting the embattled automaker to come up with a fix for the fix.
So far, Toyota has announced two separate recalls, since last October, to deal with complaints about so-called unintended acceleration, an issue now linked to dozens of deaths and a growing number of accidents. In the most recent service action, announced on January 21, and originally involving 2.3 million vehicle,, the maker said it would fix potentially sticky accelerator pedals on eight models by inserting a small metal shim designed to resist binding.
But since repairs began, federal regulators have received more than 100 complaints by owners of Toyoa vehicles who say the fix did not solve their problem with sudden acceleration. Now Toyota say it will replace the pedal assembly entirely, if necessary.
“A replacement pedal should only be offered to a customer after the reinforcement bar has been installed and the customer has expressed dissatisfaction with the operation and/or feel of the pedal. (Pedal replacement) is based upon specific customer request only. Dealers are not to solicit pedal replacement,” said an internal Toyota bulletin sent to dealers, which was first uncovered by website Jalopnik.com.
The latest fix should not be confused with the October recall, which originally involved 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus products. That service action was intended to address so-called “carpet entrapment,” where a loose floor mat could jam the accelerator pedal and make it difficult to slow down. That recall was triggered by a fiery crash of a Lexus that killed a California Highway Patrol Officer and three members of his family. Customers were told to remove mats and dealers were then instructed to shave down accelerator pedals to prevent something from getting stuck underneath.
The automaker continues to deny that electronic problems with digital engine control systems are to blame for its sudden acceleration problems, though that possibility remains under investigation.
Meanwhile, lawyers representing potentially hundreds of class action suits and individual claims against Toyota will be meeting in a federal court in San Diego, later this week to begin the process of selecting the attorneys who will ultimately lead the legal challenge against the automaker. A forecast by JP Morgan Chase, earlier this month, estimated that litigation involving various safety claims against Toyota could eventually cost the company as much as $3 billion.
Toyota Statement on Replacing Accelerator Pedals:
Some news accounts have misinterpreted a letter sent by Toyota to its dealers regarding an improved parts ordering process for accelerator pedals to suggest that this represents a change in Toyota’s policies regarding the remedies for its recent recalls.
Toyota is confident that the remedies it has announced to address sticking accelerator pedals and floor mat entrapment represent a comprehensive solution to these issues. However, if a customer is not satisfied with the modification to his or her repaired accelerator pedal, dealers will replace it at no charge.
This policy was included in Toyota’s Defect Information Reports (DIR) filed with NHTSA in November regarding floor mat entrapment and in February regarding sticking accelerator pedals and is also contained in the official owners letters for those recalls.
Toyota release following is noted here with this comment. It appears that recall decisions still reside in Japan. I inferred from Toyota executive testimony in front of the U.S. Congress that the U.S. would be given recall authority. Say it ain’t so…
March 25, 2010 – ERLANGER, Ky. – Toyota announced today that it has formed a new North American Quality Task Force led by senior automobile manufacturing executive Steve St. Angelo, who is Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA). He will guide the implementation of regional improvements in concert with the Special Committee for Global Quality led by Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda.
Mr. St. Angelo was appointed to the new role of Chief Quality Officer for North America. He will serve with counterparts from the other regions on Mr. Toyoda’s committee, which meets for the first time on March 30 in Japan.
Each regional task force is specifically charged with executing a six-point action plan outlined by Mr. Toyoda on February 5. Its elements include improved quality assurance; enhanced customer research; strengthened quality management training; incorporation of best practices through outside professionals; closer cooperation with regulatory authorities; and improved regional autonomy.
“We are making fundamental changes in the way our company operates in order to ensure that Toyota sets an even higher standard for vehicle safety and reliability, responsiveness to customers, and transparency with regulators,” Mr. St. Angelo said. “The new organization will open the lines of communication globally and enable us to respond faster here in North America to any concerns about our vehicles. In keeping with Akio Toyoda’s mandate, North America will have greater autonomy and play a critical role in decision making on recalls and other safety issues.”
The North American Quality Task Force will bring together the senior executive management of Toyota’s research and development, manufacturing, sales, and regulatory divisions and include a newly appointed Regional Product Safety Executive. Dino Triantafyllos, the vice president of quality at TEMA, will oversee the processes that improve the visibility of customer concerns, expedite North American safety-related proposals, and play a key role in decision-making with regard to recalls and other safety issues in the field.
“The aim of our new quality task force is to assure that all of us in North America listen and respond to the voice of the customer,” said Mr. Triantafyllos. “My primary responsibility is to assure that we utilize all of the data at our disposal and that we promptly decide the appropriate action.”
The North American Quality Task Force will work closely with former U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, whom Toyota named on March 2 to lead an independent North American Quality Advisory Panel. Mr. Slater is working with Toyota to appoint additional independent members to the panel.
Perhaps what is needed is for the pedals to be further apart from one another, so drivers will hit only the brake or only the gas.
Interesting suggestion, TAP. If you look back to the sudden acceleration crisis that consumed Audi, back in the late 1980s, they eventually made changes to their own pedal layout to reduce the likelihood of a driver inadvertently stepping on the wrong pedal. For those not familiar with the Audi case, the automaker was eventually cleared of responsibility by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which found no cause for claims of runaway cars — primarily the old Audi 5000 sedan. Unfortunately for the automaker, its handling of the situation was a textbook example of what not to do and despite being cleared by federal investigators, it took years for that to get through to the public. In the early ’90s, with sales off by more than 80%, the luxury brand gave serious thought to abandoning the American market. It decided to stay but has never regained the momentum it had before the 5000 got caught in the spotlight.
Paul A. Eisenstein
Publisher, TheDetroitBureau.com