Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
"imports". Union. Goverment. Domestic
The fundamental difference between GM-Chrysler and Toyota is this:
GM-Chrysler has not been truly profitable for decades and was actually a drain on the economy (and still is, even more so, with God only knows how much taxpayer debt/newly minted Fed money being poured down a rat-hole).
For another fine example of how “well” this worked, look at the history of British Leyland from the early 1970’s on.
Conversely, Toyota (and many other car companies, Hyundai-Kia comes to mind immediately) have been profitable. There is also the fact that “foreign” car companies have been putting jobs INTO the United States (and Canada) for nearly 3 decades, while at the same time Detroit (The Big 3...GM, Ford, Chrysler) has been intentionally sending jobs out of the country. (Mexico) Much of this stems from the stupidity of the unionist who DO believe that they are simply entitled to a wage 300% higher than similar work done by others the next town over in another industry. So, yes, there is a difference. In fact, multiple differences. In a world where business takes chances, wins or loses – the losers go away and their place is taken by someone else who is willing to try anew. It’s a hard life in reality-world. The problem with the government continually picking favorites (which is pretty much well described as Fascism or Socialism – both actually much more similar than you think) is that it stifles this natural business cycle. Hey, if we don’t want normal business cycles, I suppose we could all go back to living in frickin’ caves and dragging our women around by their hair, eh? Which is where the survivors eventually may well end up if trends continue on as they are. Or to be more realistic, have a peek at Somalia some time...
Toyota Recalls Put into Context by Edmunds.com
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:
Jeannine Fallon/Chintan Talati
Edmunds.com Corporate Communications
www.Edmunds.com
Media Hotline: 310-309-4900
pr@edmunds.comToyota Recalls Put into Context by Edmunds.com
SANTA MONICA, Calif. %u2014 February 10, 2010 %u2014 Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, has obtained and reviewed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaint database. A key finding: despite being the subject of intense scrutiny of the company, Toyota ranks 17th among automakers in the overall number of complaints per vehicle sold.
According to the database, which consists of complaints filed by individuals and is not checked for accuracy by NHTSA, Toyota was the subject of 9.1 percent of the complaints from 2001 through 2010 (through February 3). During this period, the company sold 13.5 percent of all new cars in the United States.
Land Rover ranks first among automakers, with 0.6 percent of the complaints compared to only 0.1 percent market share from 2001 through 2010 (through February 3).
The following chart sets forth the results for all automakers:
AUTOMAKER RANK (IN ORDER OF MOST
COMPLAINTS PER MARKET SHARE)PERCENT OF COMPLAINTS
IN NHTSA DATABASEPERCENT OF SALES IN
US MARKETLAND ROVER 1 0.6% 0.1% AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP. 2 0.9% 0.4% ISUZU MANUFACTURING SERVICES OF AMERICA 3 0.3% 0.2% VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC 4 4.1% 2.4% JAGUAR CARS LTD 5 0.4% 0.2% VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC. 6 1.1% 0.7% CHRYSLER LLC 7 16.3% 13.0% MAZDA NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS 8 1.7% 1.5% MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC. 9 1.3% 1.2% FORD MOTOR COMPANY 10 18.3% 17.6% GENERAL MOTORS CORP. 11 25.3% 24.5% NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. 12 5.8% 5.9% HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY 13 4.2% 4.4% BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC 14 1.7% 1.9% SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. 15 1.1% 1.3% AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO. 16 6.8% 9.4% TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION 17 9.1% 13.5% MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. 18 1.0% 1.5% PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC. 19 0.1% 0.2% SMART USA DISTRIBUTOR LLC 20 0.0% 0.0% Edmunds.com analysts also attempted to evaluate the deaths and injuries reported in the NHTSA database, but it quickly became clear that the data is unreliable. For example, one complaint indicated that 99 people had died in one vehicle as a result of an accident. It should also be noted roughly 10 percent of total complaints appear to be duplicates. Finally, this analysis did not rate the reported incidents for severity.
"No one should overlook the issues raised by the Toyota recalls, but it is important to keep things in perspective," reminded Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl. "A broader view shows that consumer complaints reflect an industry issue, not just a Toyota issue. As Toyota's experience in recent months clearly demonstrates, it is no longer an option for car companies to dismiss consumer complaints, even if the event is difficult to replicate or diagnose."
"Edmunds' CarSpace.com Forums have been a venue for driver feedback since 1996," noted Sylvia Marino, Executive Director of Community Operations for Edmunds.com. "Automakers can easily review postings to uncover issues and discuss them with the consumers who have experienced them."
Edmunds.com has created a free resource to keep consumers informed about the 2010 Toyota recall at http://www.edmunds.com/industry-car-news/toyota-recall.html.
About Edmunds.com, Inc. (http://www.edmunds.com/help/about/index.html)
Edmunds.com, Inc. publishes four Web sites that empower, engage and educate automotive consumers and enthusiasts. Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive consumer information, launched in 1995 as the first automotive information Web site. Its most popular feature, the Edmunds.com True Market Value� , is relied upon by millions of people seeking current transaction prices for new and used vehicles. Edmunds.com was named "Best Car Research Site" by Forbes ASAP, has been selected by consumers as the "Most Useful Web Site" according to every J.D. Power and Associates New Autoshopper.com Study(SM), was ranked first in the Survey of Car-Shopping Web Sites by The Wall Street Journal and was rated "#1" in Keynote's study of third-party automotive Web sites. Inside Line launched in January 2005 and is the most-read automotive enthusiast Web site. CarSpace launched in February 2006 and is an automotive social networking Web site and home to the oldest and most established automotive community. AutoObserver.com launched in 2007 and provides insightful automotive industry commentary and analysis. Edmunds Inc. is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and maintains a satellite office in suburban Detroit.
via edmunds.com
You do the math
47 Inch HDTV Rear Projection
47 Inch HDTV Rear Projection - $100 (Williamstown NJ)
Date: 2010-02-27, 10:27AM EST
Reply to: sale-uz8zk-1620261138@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
Panasonic PT-47wx53PostingID: 1620261138Needs new logic board - which they tell me is plug and play. Recently purchased new TV so offering this up. If you have the desire to order the replacement part and put it in, this could be a good deal for you.
Will consider trade for PS3 and Xbox360 Accessories.
Pick up only. Sold as is.
- Location: Williamstown NJ
- it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
Couldnt hurt....
2/25/2010 - Roy Exum: An Oscar For Rhonda - Opinion - Chattanoogan.com
Roy Exum: An Oscar For Rhonda
by Roy Exum
posted February 25, 2010
The 82nd Annual Academy Awards are still 10 days away, but if Rhonda Smith, a Lexus owner from Sevierville doesn't win one after Tuesday's heart-wrenching performance at the Congressional hearings involving Toyota, then shame on every Oscar.
Roy ExumI'm on record as saying I think there is something afoot in the mysterious way Toyota has been slandered in recent weeks. Think about it. Not a year ago the Japanese leader was cited as the industry's benchmark, this just before the government bailed out General Motors and Chrysler. Suddenly this bashing just doesn't make sense and, meanwhile, my "NBS meter" is about to toss a spring.
On Wednesday, as I saw a picture of Rhonda wiping away tears in every newspaper from USA Today to the Chicago Tribune, I assumed my NBS ("nothing but smoke") device might soon be in for a recall. Oh my goodness! Rhonda is still-near hysterical after her accelerator allegedly stuck, but - what? - there wasn't an ambulance or a wrecker involved, nobody got sutures or even got hurt. No policeman wrote a ticket. Her biggest complaint, from all I can read, is that nobody believed her.I don't have any reason not to believe her, but, my stars, I was sitting with my late-afternoon cronies the other day and the conversation turned to that undeniable tingle that befalls a man when a wheel suddenly comes off his car in mid-flight. A stuck accelerator, believe me, ain't nothing compared to the sight of your back wheel skipping past your front door as you zip down the highway.
My boy "Stony" said he was in the back seat of a $400 Jeep when it happened to him. "What did you do?" we all asked. "Kept drinking beer. I just kept sitting as (the driver) got it off the road." What about the wheel? "It hit an oncoming BMW right in the rear-view mirror. But it wasn't a big deal...everybody had insurance. I just sat and drank beer 'til the wrecker came." Then what? "Climbed in the wrecker and drank more beer." (This was before open-container laws.)
In Tuesday's testimony to the Congressional committee, Rhonda - under oath - said when her malady struck she literally called her husband Eddie once her Lexus reached 100 miles an hour "to hear his voice one last time" and thought her car was "possessed."
As I read her saga, my NBS meter was in such a tilt I feared the spring might snap unless, of course, Rhonda is now under the tutelage of a crafty, cash-driven lawyer who feels a certain 2007 Lexus in Sevierville, Tn., needs to be shoe-horned into a new recall pattern.
In my barn-yard way of thinking anybody who dares to call their husband at 100 mph and still cries over an accelerator incident in such a way her picture is splattered on every newspaper in the country actually needs considerably more "professional help" than a Lexus dealer can provide. C'mon, sounds like the "cruise control" hiccuped to me, but, bless her heart, Rhonda is still weeping.
Back to my cronies, another one - Alan - said when his rear wheel "left the vehicle" he was turning off the freeway and the tire caromed into some bushes on the exit. "It was funny, my old Blazer never sagged. The brakes still worked so stopping was easy. I got the loose wheel, called a wrecker, and a mechanic put it back on for $40. The mechanic told me that it isn't all that uncommon."
Well, methinks you are getting the point. Stuff happens - deal with it and move on. Toyota readily admitted "we stumped our toe." I hardly mean to make light of a problem, but, in my opinion, the huge auto giant is now over-responding to the hype and sensationalism of the fickle media. Toyota has recalled millions of vehicles, but, as the records will doubtlessly soon attest, only a very small fraction will actually require attention.
There was another moment in the hearings when David Gilbert, a college professor in automotive technology, testified he was able to get his 2010 Toyota Tundra to misbehave when he tried to do it on purpose. Think about that! Any of us can crash into a tree "on purpose." We can put a car in park while going 30 mph, throw the keys out the window in the middle of a curve, or whatever. The car will mess up. Tell the Prof I don't have his PhD., but I can do a lot "on purpose."
The thrilling part of Dr. Gilbert's appearance was all the dour faces nodded at his testimony, but - get this - not one asked why he, coming before the hearing as an expert, had chosen to buy a Toyota earlier this year when so many other brands and makes were available to his discretion. Hello? Watch my NBS meter dance.
Of course, the best of all was when Toyota chief operating officer Jim Lentz testified, saying he was embarrassed over "the apparent callousness," and then revealed his brother had died in a car crash 20 years ago and that "there is not a day that goes by I don't think of it." Can anyone honestly believe Jim Lentz would be party to selling an unsafe car?
My stance is that everybody needs to "get over it." Again, not to make light of the problem or deaths that may have occurred, but it's clearly obvious Toyota intends to fix any problems. Here's the truth: "when there are times like these - remember - there have been times like these." As a result, we have always overcome them, be it sticky accelerators, sliding floor mats or wheels that come off of old cars.
My goodness! Let's worry about health care and jobs and education. Let's not allow our eye to drift off the bigger bull's eye. It was also announced on Wednesday that home sales for January hit a record low - let Congress turn its worry to a flood of impending foreclosures because banks aren't lending money. Bottom line - Let Toyota tidy its own shop; they don't need our help.
And when the Oscars are doled out a week from Sunday, don't forget the stirring performance Rhonda gave after her Lexus became "possessed," her 100-mph phone call, and her crumbled Kleenex earlier this week. The envelope please!
via chattanoogan.com
Friday, February 26, 2010
Keep the Current Recalls in Perspective, Toyota Exec Asks | The Pilot
Advertisement
The past few weeks have been challenging for Toyota and its dealerships nationwide. We have seen sales drop because of the temporary stop-sale of eight models while repairs were made. And we have struggled with the fluctuating confidence of prospective customers who have been inundated by aggressive media coverage.
However, we believe Toyota's -remedies only underline the company's commitment to drivers' safety, and we are proud to support their efforts.
As the president of Southeast Toyota Distributors, I am confident in the products we sell and proud of the impact that Toyota has had in America. Toyota recently hit an -exciting milestone - building our 20 millionth North American-produced vehicle. In an annual "American-made" index by Cars.com, the Toyota Camry ranked No. 1.
The company's total U.S. investment has grown to more than $18 billion and, together with dealers and -suppliers, Toyota has helped create more than 200,000 jobs in the U.S. Not only has Toyota contributed nearly half a billion dollars to U.S. charitable organizations in the past 20 years, but our local dealers also lend their -support in many ways.
Recalls are not unprecedented, and many other car makers are currently experiencing them as well. While the number of vehicles that Toyota has recalled may seem significant, it is worth putting this issue in context.
Confirmed incidents of unintended acceleration are a small fraction of Toyota's vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's online database -indicates that most automotive manufacturers have received numerous consumer complaints of unintended acceleration, including the other four with the largest shares of the U.S. market, and have had to recall -vehicles because of this issue.
According to an independent report by Edmunds.com, Toyota still has the fewest complaints of all major automotive manufacturers.
Among the 2.3 million vehicles that were recalled, along with those affected models that were temporarily unable to be sold because of a sticking accelerator pedal, fewer than 20 cases have been confirmed - none of which has resulted in any accident.
While Toyota takes responsibility, we want to remind you that these vehicles were recalled voluntarily because safety and quality are paramount to our company. Toyota is using this time as an opportunity to review all aspects of their vehicles and make them better.
We remain focused on our customers - their safety and satisfaction. All of our dealerships have extended service hours, some operating around the clock with a second shift of technicians, to make sure repairs are as simple and trouble free for customers as possible.
Our loyal customers continue to -support us and express their trust in Toyota. We sincerely thank them and promise that we will do everything in our power to show that it is deserved. The silver lining to recent events has been the renewed opportunity to receive feedback on everything we do.
The situation has also reinvigorated Toyota's commitment to unwavering quality in products, services and the spirit of "customer first."
Nothing is more important to Toyota than the safety and reliability of the vehicles our customers drive. We have a long history of successfully -navigating through difficult business cycles and challenging economic -climates - proof that we'll be here today and tomorrow to bring our -customers the highest level of service that they have come to expect and deserve.
This week, Toyota recalls have been the focus of several congressional hearings. As these issues continue to lead in the press, we hope our elected officials realize that Toyota is doing everything it possibly can in a forthright manner.
It is important for our country and our recovering economy that all of our auto manufacturers succeed. We ask our representatives in Washington for their unbiased, objective consideration during the hearing process.
Ed Sheehy is president of Southeast Toyota Distributors, which serves independent dealers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina, including Pinehurst Toyota.
via thepilot.com
The Toyota Witch Hunt - details. A Business Week article
Copied directly from Businessweek.com..
The Toyota Witch Hunt
Much of the testimony from Congress's Toyota hearings is riveting and
emotional but can't be trusted, writes Ed Wallace
By Ed Wallace
"Several times I have noticed that the acceleration will drop off the
second I take my foot off the pedal. Please advise ASAP!!!!!!!!!"—NHTSA
Toyota Complaint #10302477
"Accelerator stuck, wide-open position, sudden acceleration to high speed,
while driving. Unable to stop vehicle with braking system."—NHTSA Toyota
Complaint #10302541
The above are two of the thousands of complaints registered with the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concerning speed control
issues with late-model Toyota (TM) Camrys. The media keep saying that
"close to 3,000 complaints of uncontrollable unintended acceleration" have
been sent to the NHTSA, and doing so may make their audience think each of
these "complaints" stems from a legitimate problem—maybe even an accident.
Like everything else in this fiasco, that's overstated.
What is important to remember is that many of the items included in that
number are not complaints at all. The first one above actually reports that
the accelerator pedal works exactly as it's designed to: It doesn't stick,
it responds instantly.
And many serious-sounding complaints raise questions as to their veracity.
For example, in the second complaint above, in spite of the fact that the
person claimed the throttle was stuck in a full open position, with no
brakes, that file also shows the vehicle was not involved in a wreck. That
is a very strange outcome for a car driving uncontrollably at a high rate
of speed with no working brakes.
"Malfunction Could Not Be Duplicated"
On Feb. 23, a House Energy & Commerce subcommittee held lengthy hearings on
the Toyota situation. Their first witnesses after the committee members'
opening statements were Eddie and Rhonda Smith of Sevierville, Tenn., who
related the story of their 2007 Lexus ES 350.
Ms. Smith claimed she had been driving toward Interstate 40 when,
immediately after entering the highway, her Lexus started accelerating out
of control. Ms. Smith related how the cruise-control light came on, so she
turned that system off. She put the automatic transmission into all of its
gears, including neutral and reserve. She put both feet on the brakes and
still nothing. According to her testimony and an article published at
WATE.com on Aug. 29, 2007, she also engaged the parking brake. She called
her husband—not that she felt he could help, but "just to hear his voice
one more time"—and then, according to her testimony, "prayed for God to
help me." Ms. Smith credited God with intervening after she'd gone six
miles at more than 100 mph. The car simply started slowing down, and she
could finally bring it to a complete stop.
Smith's testimony was riveting and highly emotional, and anyone watching
could see she honestly believed she was relating what actually happened. No
viewer could have been untouched by her sincerity. But that's not the end
of her story.
Her local Lexus dealer examined her car and could find nothing. Then, as
Ms. Smith related, the NHTSA actually sent an employee down to Tennessee to
investigate her complaint. Only the NHTSA concluded that she had two sets
of floor mats in her car—a rubber all-weather floor mat, placed on top of
the standard factory issue—and it was likely that situation had created her
problem. In fact, Smith was quoted in 2007 as saying, "I think it's sad
that these mats were installed like they were."
The Smiths dismissed the dealer's findings, the NHTSA's, and an arbitration
board's by saying that they had been "called liars." More than likely the
investigators simply said that there was no evidence they could find to
explain the situation as she described it.
The Proof Would Be Visible
In a case like this, some physical evidence would remain; and a thorough
investigation should be able to determine what truly took place. Certainly
slamming on the emergency brake, as Smith claimed she had done in 2007,
leaves tangible evidence. Here's why.
The parking brake in a Lexus ES 350 operates separately from the power
brake system. It is a secondary disc/drum brake that is controlled by a
direct link cable—so the car's electronics could not come into play.
Moreover, once that cable-operated brake is fully engaged, it could lock up
the nonpowered rear wheels of the Lexus, effectively negating the antilock
brake system's ability to operate. And locking the real wheels on a Lexus
ES 350 moving at a high rate of speed would "sand" the bottom of the tires
against the pavement. In a partially engaged position, it will heat up and
cause brake damage. But either way, because it is being applied on the rear
wheels—and the Lexus ES is a front-wheel-drive car—it would still slow the
car down.
This is the one thing Rhonda Smith claimed she tried and it didn't work
that no one can blame on ghosts in the electronics.
As for Ms. Smith's position that she threw her car into reverse and it did
nothing to either stop the car or damage the transmission, that's an
incredible claim that so far no mechanic believes. Just as anyone who has
ever tested cars knows that full pressure to the brakes will always
override engine speed. (It should be noted that on Toyota's hybrids you can
put the car in reverse while in motion, and nothing will happen.)
Rhonda Smith thanked Sean Kane, president of for-profit auto industry
safety consultant Safety Research & Strategies Inc. for inviting her to
testify on Tuesday. For those who didn't watch the proceedings, the most
humorous part was Kane trying to get out of answering the direct question,
Did part of his funding come from litigation attorneys who are actively
suing Toyota on this issue? In fact, they do pay him. According to a Feb.
13 article in The Wall Street Journal, the Rehoboth (Mass.)-based company
works with plaintiff's attorneys to file suits against the automakers it
investigates.
Follow-up: The Smiths sold their Lexus after that incident, and, also
according to the Journal, last week the NHTSA checked with the new owners
and "they have had no problems with the Lexus since they bought it with
less than 3,000 miles on the car."
"Findings" Hardly Scientific
Herein lies the problem with congressional hearings on issues like this.
The individuals who should have testified following Eddie and Rhonda Smith
could have been the NHTSA expert who flew to Tennessee, inspected her
vehicle, and concluded that it was likely the double layer of floor mats.
Or the certified mechanic at her Lexus dealership likewise could have told
Congress how he could find no evidence of mechanical failure with her car.
Who knows, their testimony might have validated her claims, had it been
proved that they did little or nothing to truly try to uncover what
happened that day. Conversely, things could have gone the other way. But we
all would have had a better, more balanced understanding of her case as
stated.
Instead, we were treated to Dr. David Gilbert of Southern Illinois
University, also a guest of Mr. Kane's, who claimed to have found how
Toyota's electronic system could totally malfunction, creating a runaway
car—and claimed he'd found the error in less than four hours. Spoiler
alert: Dr. Gilbert was assigned this work by Kane's safety advocacy firm,
with at least partial funding by trial lawyers.
Here, too, is a problem: Dr. Gilbert said he relayed the results of that
test and his concerns directly to Toyota. In short order Toyota looked into
Dr. Gilbert's claims and found them not to be valid in terms of creating
unintended acceleration. Then, to the company's surprise, it watched his
appearance with Brian Ross on ABC News this past Monday night, Feb. 22.
According to Toyota, it now appears that Dr. Gilbert had done something
completely different in order to get a Toyota Avalon to accelerate under
its own power. Toyota offered to evaluate Dr. Gilbert's Avalon, with ABC in
attendance, and see what he did electronically to cause it to accelerate.
Additionally, Toyota is fairly adamant that Gilbert's "test evaluation" on
ABC News was not the original "discovery" he relayed to them on Feb. 16.
Back in the Hot Seat
Back in the congressional hearings, Representative Bobby Rush (D-Ill.)
played another tragedy for the committee. It was the case mentioned in my
last column, that of the Toyota Avalon that on Dec. 26, 2009, went into a
pond and killed four people in Southlake, Tex. Rush apparently felt he
should go on record before Congress about this because one of the
individuals killed in that tragedy had a relative in his district.
Rush's emotionally charged statement concerns a case that continues to
reverberate. Yet it should be noted that Southlake police saw no evidence
that the driver attempted to brake before the Avalon entered the water. One
eyewitness claimed to have passed the car prior to the accident and been
unable to see a driver sitting up.
More troubling is the insinuation in the media by the driver's widow that
the car had been taken several times to Texas Toyota of Grapevine for
unintended acceleration with no problem found. The family's attorney, Randy
Roberts of Tyler, Tex., repeated her allegations this past weekend in the
Fort Worth Star-Telegram. However, Chris Grady, general manager of Texas
Toyota, has already turned over the service records on that Avalon to both
Toyota and Mr. Roberts. And those records show that the Avalon had been in
their shop once and once only—for nothing more than an oil change. There
were no complaints on any malfunction whatsoever.
As it turns out, no Toyota dealer in the whole South Central region had
ever had any complaints about unintended acceleration, before this story
broke nationally. At the Gulf States Toyota mid-winter meeting, attended by
more than 150 dealers, an official asked for a show of hands of any dealers
who'd ever had such a complaint in their service department prior to this
story breaking nationally. And in this closed meeting, according to three
dealers who were present, not one dealer raised a hand.
Furthermore, why didn't Congress simply ask Toyota to provide a complete
list of all warranty claims on this complaint made before the media made
their serious allegations? That would have taken this issue out of the
realm of speculation into one of hard facts.
Forgetting the Question: Is It True?
If only to resolve the rabid focus on Toyota's problems, it's past time to
turn this over to the engineers. Innuendo, emotion, and speculation are not
how one resolves an issue such as this. Even in the hearings in Congress,
it appeared that most witnesses were tied to safety advocates, litigation
attorneys, and traumatized victims; that's like trying a case in court with
no defense attorneys. The outcome is almost preordained.
Maybe that's the point.
Instead of endlessly repeating "the NHTSA has 3,000 or so listed complaints
on this problem," the media should bear in mind that many cases in that
number are not actually "complaints," per se. Continuing to use that
statistic just keeps misleading the audience. So let's cull the reported
number down to just the accidents, those that can't be explained fully, and
study them.
There's no escaping the fact that many of the vehicle-blamed accidents
reported were actually caused by driver error (something Toyota will never
say out loud), and many of the owners of these automobiles know that. As
noted before, brakes always win out over engines, even at full throttle;
that has been tested and proved many times in the past 20 years, including
recent Car and Driver tests on Toyotas. So, if someone claims a car was
speeding out of control and the brakes refused to work, from an engineering
viewpoint that claim is instantly suspect.
Cut to the Bonfire
If Congress really wanted to get at the truth, they should have called
disinterested third-party engineers to study and get their opinion on this
case. Nobody believes Toyota, even if the final facts prove it's correct.
Everyone believes the witnesses, even when the engineering evidence often
disproves their testimony. It is impossible to come to a scientifically
valid conclusion under those two circumstances, which is why many
individuals involved in this issue have described the proceedings as "witch
hunts."
Come to think of it, maybe that's exactly how the hearings should be run
for full entertainment value.
Congress should reconvene the hearings in Salem, Mass. They could tie a
Toyota to a long pole and dunk it into Beverly Harbor. If the Toyota sinks,
then Congress will find the company guilty of all charges. But if the
Toyota floats, we'll find the automaker innocent. This should be done in
real time to get the maximum TV audience; although the outcome would,
again, be predetermined, it should still be a ratings grabber.
The alternative is to let the mechanics and engineers do their jobs and
either find the fault or give everyone a reasonable explanation for what
happened. The only problem with that suggestion is it's already been done.
And no one wants to accept the conclusions.
Ed Wallace is a recipient of the the Gerald R. Loeb Award for business
journalism, given by the G. and R. Loeb Foundation, and is a member of the
American Historical Society. His column leads the Fort Worth
Star-Telegram's "Sunday Drive" section. He reviews new cars every Friday
morning at 7:15 on Fox Four's Good Day, contributes articles to
BusinessWeek Online, and hosts the top-rated talk show Wheels Saturdays
from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on 570 KLIF.
Much of the testimony from Congress's Toyota hearings is riveting and
emotional but can't be trusted, writes Ed Wallace
By Ed Wallace
"Several times I have noticed that the acceleration will drop off the
second I take my foot off the pedal. Please advise ASAP!!!!!!!!!"—NHTSA
Toyota Complaint #10302477
"Accelerator stuck, wide-open position, sudden acceleration to high speed,
while driving. Unable to stop vehicle with braking system."—NHTSA Toyota
Complaint #10302541
The above are two of the thousands of complaints registered with the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concerning speed control
issues with late-model Toyota (TM) Camrys. The media keep saying that
"close to 3,000 complaints of uncontrollable unintended acceleration" have
been sent to the NHTSA, and doing so may make their audience think each of
these "complaints" stems from a legitimate problem—maybe even an accident.
Like everything else in this fiasco, that's overstated.
What is important to remember is that many of the items included in that
number are not complaints at all. The first one above actually reports that
the accelerator pedal works exactly as it's designed to: It doesn't stick,
it responds instantly.
And many serious-sounding complaints raise questions as to their veracity.
For example, in the second complaint above, in spite of the fact that the
person claimed the throttle was stuck in a full open position, with no
brakes, that file also shows the vehicle was not involved in a wreck. That
is a very strange outcome for a car driving uncontrollably at a high rate
of speed with no working brakes.
"Malfunction Could Not Be Duplicated"
On Feb. 23, a House Energy & Commerce subcommittee held lengthy hearings on
the Toyota situation. Their first witnesses after the committee members'
opening statements were Eddie and Rhonda Smith of Sevierville, Tenn., who
related the story of their 2007 Lexus ES 350.
Ms. Smith claimed she had been driving toward Interstate 40 when,
immediately after entering the highway, her Lexus started accelerating out
of control. Ms. Smith related how the cruise-control light came on, so she
turned that system off. She put the automatic transmission into all of its
gears, including neutral and reserve. She put both feet on the brakes and
still nothing. According to her testimony and an article published at
WATE.com on Aug. 29, 2007, she also engaged the parking brake. She called
her husband—not that she felt he could help, but "just to hear his voice
one more time"—and then, according to her testimony, "prayed for God to
help me." Ms. Smith credited God with intervening after she'd gone six
miles at more than 100 mph. The car simply started slowing down, and she
could finally bring it to a complete stop.
Smith's testimony was riveting and highly emotional, and anyone watching
could see she honestly believed she was relating what actually happened. No
viewer could have been untouched by her sincerity. But that's not the end
of her story.
Her local Lexus dealer examined her car and could find nothing. Then, as
Ms. Smith related, the NHTSA actually sent an employee down to Tennessee to
investigate her complaint. Only the NHTSA concluded that she had two sets
of floor mats in her car—a rubber all-weather floor mat, placed on top of
the standard factory issue—and it was likely that situation had created her
problem. In fact, Smith was quoted in 2007 as saying, "I think it's sad
that these mats were installed like they were."
The Smiths dismissed the dealer's findings, the NHTSA's, and an arbitration
board's by saying that they had been "called liars." More than likely the
investigators simply said that there was no evidence they could find to
explain the situation as she described it.
The Proof Would Be Visible
In a case like this, some physical evidence would remain; and a thorough
investigation should be able to determine what truly took place. Certainly
slamming on the emergency brake, as Smith claimed she had done in 2007,
leaves tangible evidence. Here's why.
The parking brake in a Lexus ES 350 operates separately from the power
brake system. It is a secondary disc/drum brake that is controlled by a
direct link cable—so the car's electronics could not come into play.
Moreover, once that cable-operated brake is fully engaged, it could lock up
the nonpowered rear wheels of the Lexus, effectively negating the antilock
brake system's ability to operate. And locking the real wheels on a Lexus
ES 350 moving at a high rate of speed would "sand" the bottom of the tires
against the pavement. In a partially engaged position, it will heat up and
cause brake damage. But either way, because it is being applied on the rear
wheels—and the Lexus ES is a front-wheel-drive car—it would still slow the
car down.
This is the one thing Rhonda Smith claimed she tried and it didn't work
that no one can blame on ghosts in the electronics.
As for Ms. Smith's position that she threw her car into reverse and it did
nothing to either stop the car or damage the transmission, that's an
incredible claim that so far no mechanic believes. Just as anyone who has
ever tested cars knows that full pressure to the brakes will always
override engine speed. (It should be noted that on Toyota's hybrids you can
put the car in reverse while in motion, and nothing will happen.)
Rhonda Smith thanked Sean Kane, president of for-profit auto industry
safety consultant Safety Research & Strategies Inc. for inviting her to
testify on Tuesday. For those who didn't watch the proceedings, the most
humorous part was Kane trying to get out of answering the direct question,
Did part of his funding come from litigation attorneys who are actively
suing Toyota on this issue? In fact, they do pay him. According to a Feb.
13 article in The Wall Street Journal, the Rehoboth (Mass.)-based company
works with plaintiff's attorneys to file suits against the automakers it
investigates.
Follow-up: The Smiths sold their Lexus after that incident, and, also
according to the Journal, last week the NHTSA checked with the new owners
and "they have had no problems with the Lexus since they bought it with
less than 3,000 miles on the car."
"Findings" Hardly Scientific
Herein lies the problem with congressional hearings on issues like this.
The individuals who should have testified following Eddie and Rhonda Smith
could have been the NHTSA expert who flew to Tennessee, inspected her
vehicle, and concluded that it was likely the double layer of floor mats.
Or the certified mechanic at her Lexus dealership likewise could have told
Congress how he could find no evidence of mechanical failure with her car.
Who knows, their testimony might have validated her claims, had it been
proved that they did little or nothing to truly try to uncover what
happened that day. Conversely, things could have gone the other way. But we
all would have had a better, more balanced understanding of her case as
stated.
Instead, we were treated to Dr. David Gilbert of Southern Illinois
University, also a guest of Mr. Kane's, who claimed to have found how
Toyota's electronic system could totally malfunction, creating a runaway
car—and claimed he'd found the error in less than four hours. Spoiler
alert: Dr. Gilbert was assigned this work by Kane's safety advocacy firm,
with at least partial funding by trial lawyers.
Here, too, is a problem: Dr. Gilbert said he relayed the results of that
test and his concerns directly to Toyota. In short order Toyota looked into
Dr. Gilbert's claims and found them not to be valid in terms of creating
unintended acceleration. Then, to the company's surprise, it watched his
appearance with Brian Ross on ABC News this past Monday night, Feb. 22.
According to Toyota, it now appears that Dr. Gilbert had done something
completely different in order to get a Toyota Avalon to accelerate under
its own power. Toyota offered to evaluate Dr. Gilbert's Avalon, with ABC in
attendance, and see what he did electronically to cause it to accelerate.
Additionally, Toyota is fairly adamant that Gilbert's "test evaluation" on
ABC News was not the original "discovery" he relayed to them on Feb. 16.
Back in the Hot Seat
Back in the congressional hearings, Representative Bobby Rush (D-Ill.)
played another tragedy for the committee. It was the case mentioned in my
last column, that of the Toyota Avalon that on Dec. 26, 2009, went into a
pond and killed four people in Southlake, Tex. Rush apparently felt he
should go on record before Congress about this because one of the
individuals killed in that tragedy had a relative in his district.
Rush's emotionally charged statement concerns a case that continues to
reverberate. Yet it should be noted that Southlake police saw no evidence
that the driver attempted to brake before the Avalon entered the water. One
eyewitness claimed to have passed the car prior to the accident and been
unable to see a driver sitting up.
More troubling is the insinuation in the media by the driver's widow that
the car had been taken several times to Texas Toyota of Grapevine for
unintended acceleration with no problem found. The family's attorney, Randy
Roberts of Tyler, Tex., repeated her allegations this past weekend in the
Fort Worth Star-Telegram. However, Chris Grady, general manager of Texas
Toyota, has already turned over the service records on that Avalon to both
Toyota and Mr. Roberts. And those records show that the Avalon had been in
their shop once and once only—for nothing more than an oil change. There
were no complaints on any malfunction whatsoever.
As it turns out, no Toyota dealer in the whole South Central region had
ever had any complaints about unintended acceleration, before this story
broke nationally. At the Gulf States Toyota mid-winter meeting, attended by
more than 150 dealers, an official asked for a show of hands of any dealers
who'd ever had such a complaint in their service department prior to this
story breaking nationally. And in this closed meeting, according to three
dealers who were present, not one dealer raised a hand.
Furthermore, why didn't Congress simply ask Toyota to provide a complete
list of all warranty claims on this complaint made before the media made
their serious allegations? That would have taken this issue out of the
realm of speculation into one of hard facts.
Forgetting the Question: Is It True?
If only to resolve the rabid focus on Toyota's problems, it's past time to
turn this over to the engineers. Innuendo, emotion, and speculation are not
how one resolves an issue such as this. Even in the hearings in Congress,
it appeared that most witnesses were tied to safety advocates, litigation
attorneys, and traumatized victims; that's like trying a case in court with
no defense attorneys. The outcome is almost preordained.
Maybe that's the point.
Instead of endlessly repeating "the NHTSA has 3,000 or so listed complaints
on this problem," the media should bear in mind that many cases in that
number are not actually "complaints," per se. Continuing to use that
statistic just keeps misleading the audience. So let's cull the reported
number down to just the accidents, those that can't be explained fully, and
study them.
There's no escaping the fact that many of the vehicle-blamed accidents
reported were actually caused by driver error (something Toyota will never
say out loud), and many of the owners of these automobiles know that. As
noted before, brakes always win out over engines, even at full throttle;
that has been tested and proved many times in the past 20 years, including
recent Car and Driver tests on Toyotas. So, if someone claims a car was
speeding out of control and the brakes refused to work, from an engineering
viewpoint that claim is instantly suspect.
Cut to the Bonfire
If Congress really wanted to get at the truth, they should have called
disinterested third-party engineers to study and get their opinion on this
case. Nobody believes Toyota, even if the final facts prove it's correct.
Everyone believes the witnesses, even when the engineering evidence often
disproves their testimony. It is impossible to come to a scientifically
valid conclusion under those two circumstances, which is why many
individuals involved in this issue have described the proceedings as "witch
hunts."
Come to think of it, maybe that's exactly how the hearings should be run
for full entertainment value.
Congress should reconvene the hearings in Salem, Mass. They could tie a
Toyota to a long pole and dunk it into Beverly Harbor. If the Toyota sinks,
then Congress will find the company guilty of all charges. But if the
Toyota floats, we'll find the automaker innocent. This should be done in
real time to get the maximum TV audience; although the outcome would,
again, be predetermined, it should still be a ratings grabber.
The alternative is to let the mechanics and engineers do their jobs and
either find the fault or give everyone a reasonable explanation for what
happened. The only problem with that suggestion is it's already been done.
And no one wants to accept the conclusions.
Ed Wallace is a recipient of the the Gerald R. Loeb Award for business
journalism, given by the G. and R. Loeb Foundation, and is a member of the
American Historical Society. His column leads the Fort Worth
Star-Telegram's "Sunday Drive" section. He reviews new cars every Friday
morning at 7:15 on Fox Four's Good Day, contributes articles to
BusinessWeek Online, and hosts the top-rated talk show Wheels Saturdays
from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on 570 KLIF.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Looking for top tier digital marketing expert or search industry expert to speak at upcoming OEM automotive dealer group session. Read more for details.
Putting together an eBusiness 20 group of east coast Toyota dealers. Looking to have a June meeting with either "search" or "social media"
as the topic. Currently working with Google as well as Kevin T Root for speaker
positions but we would like to add another. If you, or someone you know, can be considered a top professional in
the automotive search or social media field and would like to be
considered for a guest speaker spot, please get in touch with me. Feel free to forward this to those who Kay be interested.
Read more!
as the topic. Currently working with Google as well as Kevin T Root for speaker
positions but we would like to add another. If you, or someone you know, can be considered a top professional in
the automotive search or social media field and would like to be
considered for a guest speaker spot, please get in touch with me. Feel free to forward this to those who Kay be interested.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Won't Get Fooled Again by Axel Rudi Pell
If you have Midomi SoundHound on your iPhone, click here to open this song in SoundHound. Or click here to download SoundHound now. You can also check out the song Won't Get Fooled Again by Axel Rudi Pell on midomi.com.
Read more!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
B.Y.O.B. by System of a Down
If you have Midomi SoundHound on your iPhone, click here to open this song in SoundHound. Or click here to download SoundHound now. You can also check out the song B.Y.O.B. by System of a Down on midomi.com.
Read more!
Watch Over You by Alter Bridge
If you have Midomi SoundHound on your iPhone, click here to open this song in SoundHound. Or click here to download SoundHound now. You can also check out the song Watch Over You by Alter Bridge on midomi.com.
Read more!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Toyota FACTS.
"Without minimizing the issue, we are talking 19 alleged fatalities among
roughly 20 million Toyotas sold here over the last 10 years. That's roughly
one death linked to the recall for every million cars Toyota has sold.
That's small comfort for those victims, of course, but your lifetime odds
of dying in a plane crash (1 in 6,137 flights), a lightning strike (1 in
56,439) or an earthquake (1 in 120,161) are all vastly worse than your
chances of dying in a runaway Toyota.
Or, contrast Toyota's 19 deaths with the roughly 250 fatalities linked to
an exponentially smaller number of Ford Explorers equipped with defective
Firestone tires a decade ago. When those old-school Explorers were flipping
en masse, shining a spotlight on the dangers of SUV rollovers — or when
Ford pickups were spontaneously catching fire, due to a
faulty-ignition-switch whose recall Ford has dragged out for more than a
decade — you didn't see Toyota trying to take advantage of the situation."
http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1128584#atoolb
Read more!
roughly 20 million Toyotas sold here over the last 10 years. That's roughly
one death linked to the recall for every million cars Toyota has sold.
That's small comfort for those victims, of course, but your lifetime odds
of dying in a plane crash (1 in 6,137 flights), a lightning strike (1 in
56,439) or an earthquake (1 in 120,161) are all vastly worse than your
chances of dying in a runaway Toyota.
Or, contrast Toyota's 19 deaths with the roughly 250 fatalities linked to
an exponentially smaller number of Ford Explorers equipped with defective
Firestone tires a decade ago. When those old-school Explorers were flipping
en masse, shining a spotlight on the dangers of SUV rollovers — or when
Ford pickups were spontaneously catching fire, due to a
faulty-ignition-switch whose recall Ford has dragged out for more than a
decade — you didn't see Toyota trying to take advantage of the situation."
http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1128584#atoolb
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Toyotas official statement on LaHood and his statement and his apology/retraction
Im post this again in case you missed it About 900,000 Chevy Cobalts in probe
Apparently ABC only cares about you if it has to do with non GM
products. http://cnnmoney.mobi/money/latest_news/latest_news/detail/194508
Read more!
products. http://cnnmoney.mobi/money/latest_news/latest_news/detail/194508
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Toyota to borrow Wozs Prius
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