Toyota
PSA: Toyota Hybrid Instructional Video Teaches What to do in Case of Unintended Acceleration
With all the news surrounding Toyota‘s recent recalls and the widely reported story of a runaway Prius in California (now believed to be a hoax), Toyota has decided to issue an instructional video of what to do in case of an, “unintended acceleration.” Toyota continues to insist that the problem is rare and the 2008…
Report: FT-86 Based Subaru Model Dropping AWD in Favor of RWD
Subaru is reportedly looking to scrap plans for an AWD version of the Toyota FT-86 in favor of a rear-drive only model. This is sure to have the marketing department at Subaru up in arms with the accountants, as Subaru’s whole brand identity is based on the company’s Symmetrical AWD setup. Japan’s Best Car is…
Investigation of Runaway Prius Uncovers Incident was a Hoax
Last week James Sikes made headlines when his 2008 Toyota Prius raced out of control of a California highway, with speeds approaching 100 mph. Sikes claimed this was a case of unintended acceleration, with repeated attempts to stop the car not working. A believable story considering Toyota’s long list of recent recalls, it now appears…
Breaking: Orange County District Attorney to Sue Toyota
The Orange County, California, District Attorney has announced plans to file a civil lawsuit against Toyota. The suit is over safety concerns with Toyota vehicles, and comes as Toyota has recalled over eight million vehicles worldwide due to several different safety issues. The suit aims to stop Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. from “continuing to…
Breaking: ABC News Admits to Faking Part of Toyota Acceleration Video
ABC News has now admitted that a part of the video it used to illustrate the unintended acceleration of a Toyota model in a recent report was faked. The video, outlining a tactic used by professor David Gilbert of Southern Illinois University to cause an unintended acceleration in a Toyota product, was not an actual…
Report: Prius Driver Claims Uncontrolled Acceleration as Car Hits 90-mph on San Diego Freeway
A Prius driver claims his 2008 model Toyota accelerated uncontrollably at speeds of up to 90 mph on a San Diego freeway before California High Patrol officers helped him stop his runaway car. The driver, 61-year-old James Sikes, said the acceleration happened when he overtook another car on Interstate 8, after which the car accelerated…
Toyota FT-86 to Bring Back Spirit of AE-86 With Compact Size, Light Weight and Balanced Chassis
With the European debut of the FT-86 Concept, Toyota is looking to keep the hype alive by releasing a new series of photos of the sporty two-door, while dropping a press release that talks more about what we hope the FT-86 will become. Toyota says it has built the concept to embody the spirit of…
Toyota Examines ABC News Expert’s “Unintended Acceleration”, Refutes It
With all of Toyota’s self-induced woes as of late, the biggest problem the company has faced in recent months might just be a report by ABC News in which an expert (Professor David Gilbert of Southern Illinois University) produced an unintended acceleration using a Toyota product. Initially Toyota responded with concerns about the demonstration and…
Geneva 2010: Toyota FT-86 Concept… Still A Concept
Despite rumors that the Toyota FT-86 Concept would debut at the Geneva Auto Show in production form, it appears as though that isn’t the case. As the very first thing show-goers will see when they enter Hall 4 at Europe’s most prestigious motor show, its obvious the importance that Toyota places on this vehicle –…
Toyota Extends Recalled Vehicle Pick-Up and Drop-Off Service Throughout the U.S.
Toyota today confirmed that it will extend the pick-up and drop-off of vehicles involved in the recent recalls to all its customers in the United States. Earlier in week, Toyota announced the program of extraordinary service for its customers in the New York region. Services provided by Toyota include a pick up and return of…
Toyota Withheld Relevant Documents, Broke the Law, Says Recall Committee Chairman
Toyota “withheld relevant electronic records” that it was required, by law, to produce said Rep. Ed Towns, Chairman of the committee looking into Toyota’s current recall woes. Towns, (D-N.Y.), made the comments today during the continuing House Oversight and Government Reform Committee meetings that earlier this week saw Toyota CEO Akia Toyoda grilled by lawmakers…
Autoline’s John McElroy Calls Out ABC News Over Toyota Unintended Acceleration Story
While the mainstream media continues to pour fuel on the raging fire that is Toyota these days, the embattled automaker is finding, if not allies, then at least defenders in the journalists most educated on the topics at hand: automotive journalists. In an editorial by Autoline Detroit‘s own John McElroy, posted on Autoblog, this industry…
Toyota Critic Safety Research & Strategies Founder Admits Report Funding Came From Firms Suing Toyota
During questioning at the House Committee’s investigation into Toyota’s ongoing recall crisis, safety advocate group Safety Research & Strategies founder Sean Kane admitted that his group is hardly an unbiased participant. In fact, Kane admitted that a recent report outlining Toyota’s faults was funded by five different law firms, all of which are currently engaged…
Toyota President Jim Lentz Reiterates Recall is Mechanical Not Electric in House Committee Testimony
In a prepared statement before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Toyota President Jim Lentz reiterated Toyota’s continued stand that the issue with its many recalled Toyota models is mechanical and not electronic. Lentz commented that Toyota hired Exponent, a top engineering and scientific consulting firm, to examine its electronic throttle system to see…
Toyota Fights Back, Challenging ABC News and Expert Over Recreated Sudden Acceleration
After ABC News aired a segment yesterday where an expert was able to recreate a case of unintended acceleration, Toyota has taken to the offensive and challenged the news outlet and its source. In a video segment (see below), David Gilbert, an automotive technology professor at Southern Illinois University, recreates the problem in a Toyota…
Toyota Expands Brake Override Feature to Tacoma, Venza and Sequoia
As hearings into Toyota’s recall woes begin today in Washington, the automaker has announced that it will install a new brake override feature on an expanded range of vehicles. The feature, initially announced for the 2007-2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, and the 2007-2010 Lexus ES 350, 2006-2010 IS 350 and 2006-2010 IS 250 models, will also…
Breaking: Toyota Recall Documents Subpoenaed by U.S. Grand Jury, SEC
Toyota has announced that it has received subpoenas from both the U.S. Grand Jury and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over documents related to “unintended acceleration” issues with millions or cars, as well as the braking system on the Prius. This news comes a day before congressional hearings on the matter and a day…
Breaking: Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda Will Testify at U.S. Recall Hearings
Just days after he said he wouldn’t, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda has accepted an invitation to testify before the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform, which will examine the automaker’s recent spate of recalls. “I have received Congressman Towns’ invitation to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on February 24…
NHTSA Probe to Investigate Timeliness of Toyota Recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a probe to investigate if Toyota issued its recalls in a timely manner. The NHTSA will use its statutory powers to obtain documents from Toyota and investigate how it learned of the defects in vehicles and when it knew about them. Automakers are required by law…
Leaked: 2011 Toyota RAV4 Euro-Spec Uncovered Ahead of Geneva Debut
Toyota, a company that is notoriously good at keeping its vehicles secret until the very last minute, has apparently let down its guard, with a few pictures of the facelifted 2011 RAV4 finding their way onto the net. With a new grille and headlights, the cute-ute gets a little less cute a it more muscular….
Report: Toyota Turns-Down Award for Recalled Prius
Toyota has made the bold move to turn down a prestigious Japanese automotive award, given to the automaker for the new Prius model just days after a recall was announced for the hybrid’s ABS brake system. The award, handed out annually by the Japanese Ministry of the Economy, Trade and Industry celebrates a vehicle’s energy…
Chicago 2010: 2011 Toyota Avalon World Premiere
Toyota has just taken the wraps off the all-new 2011 Avalon. The changes certainly aren’t dramatic, but this is the Avalon after all. In other words, it’s a Japanese Buick. We don’t have much info on the vehicle as Toyota hasn’t even released any official specs, but from the press conference at the Chicago Auto…
Breaking: Toyota Facing Possible NHTSA Investigation Over Corolla Electric Steering Issues
According to a spokeswoman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Toyota may face yet another investigation, this time over steering-related issues with the 2009 and 2010 Corolla model. The NHTSA has recorded 83 power steering related complaints on the 2009-10 models, which use an electric power steering system. Toyota switched to electric power…
Recall Notice: Toyota Officially Recalls 2010 Prius and Lexus HS250h for ABS Brake Issues
As expected, Toyota has announced a recall for the 2010 Prius hybrid, as well as the 2010 Lexus HS250h model. The recall affects 133,000 Prius models as well as 14,500 HS250 models so that the automaker can update the car’s ABS software. The recall does not affect previous generation Prius models or any other Toyota,…
