House schedules Toyota recall hearing for next month

House schedules Toyota recall hearing for next month

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By Drew Johnson

Adding to Toyota’s ever-growing mountain of trouble, the United States House of Representatives announced on Thursday it will hold a hearing next month to discuss the automaker recent recalls and growing consumer complaints of unintended acceleration.
Scheduled for February 25th, the hearing will be used “to examine the persistent consumer complaints of sudden unintended acceleration in vehicles manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation.”
House Energy and Commerce chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., will oversee the hearing. “Like many consumers, I am concerned by the seriousness and scope of Toyota’s recent recall announcements,” Waxman told The Detroit News. “I look forward to learning more about the steps Toyota is taking to address safety defects, and I hope that the automaker will continue to cooperate with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to get unsafe vehicles off our roads.”
Toyota has found itself at the center of a firestorm following two massive U.S. recalls. The Japanese automaker recalled 5.35 million vehicles late last year due to floor mat issues, and announced a 2.3 million vehicle recall last month. The latest recall forced Toyota to halt sales of eight of its most popular models.
64 COMMENTS
1. NRG182 days ago
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  YESSSSSSSSS. This is exactly what needed to be done. Finally, before more people get killed. It’s about time. Lets just hope this resolves the issue once and for all, but I am not holding my breath.
  
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2. gabnmantha182 days ago
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  I’ll bet we see Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama defend Toyota. There are 5 import plants in Alabama that he helped get billions in tax credits to bring to his state. He will be out to protect Toyota. This is gonna get gooooood!
  
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3. howsmydriving182 days ago
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  This is just political B.S. grandstanding. Our diplomats in Japan are probably cringing.
  
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4. johnnycanuck182 days ago
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  Too bad they can’t hold the hearing in Salem Mass…. if only for the dramatic effect.
  
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5. A4182 days ago
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  Did anyone else see that retard Rick Sanchez “telling America” about the Toyota problem on CNN?
  Someone needs to take that dickhead out back and “handle it” like Old Yeller.
  
  Reply
6. 0-60182 days ago
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  @A4
  I didn’t see it what did he say?
  
  As for the article. They are having a chairman from California handle this. That could be a conflict of interest California is owned by japanese auto companies. That is where they get most of there numbers. I say pick a different chairman.
  
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7. leftwingagenda182 days ago
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  ruh roh…you don’t want waxman on your ass…really, you don’t…
  
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8. sprockkets182 days ago
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  Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, it did!
  
  Reply
9. A4182 days ago
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  He was claiming they had the answer to the problem and what was wrong, and then they went on to “show you how to diagnose it” and just had a camera guy wave around under the steering wheel while some guy from a Toyota dealer fidgeted with the pedal. He just sounded like the usual Rick Sanchez moron that he is, and gave false information.
  If Rick Sanchez claims he can replicate/diagnose the problem, then why is Toyota still having such a hard time? I hate that guy.
  
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10. zoomzoomer182 days ago
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  Things are getting very interesting.. this broadening recall looks like it will be a game changer in the US automotive hierarchy.
  
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11. DB9182 days ago
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  posted by:A4
  
  He was claiming they had the answer to the problem and what was wrong, and then they went on to “show you how to diagnose it” and just had a camera guy wave around under the steering wheel while some guy from a Toyota dealer fidgeted with the pedal. He just sounded like the usual Rick Sanchez moron that he is, and gave false information.
  If Rick Sanchez claims he can replicate/diagnose the problem, then why is Toyota still having such a hard time? I hate that guy.
  _________________________________
  
  Oh come on A4, you know how this works when the press gets a hold of it – they pander to the lowest common denominator and when that doesn’t work, well… we embellish:-))
  
  Remember Audi in the 80’s, Cars just jumped into gear, or my fave Dateline’s exploding GM pickups – they put a bomb in it then showed it exploding on impact – I forget what it cost NBC to settle out of court for that piece of investigative reporting with a little bit of help lol:-))
  
  It’s Toyota’s turn, see it’s all fair: a European, an American and now an Asian – spreadin’ the luv yup;-))
  
  DB9;-)
  
  Reply
12. botafusion182 days ago
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  I saw the piece and actually thought Sanchez was critical on toyota along with his sidekicks. It does not matter now though, it’s a forest fire that has just started and is spreading over the dryest landscape you can imagine. The media has grabbed this story like a rottweiller grabs a steak.
  “Vehicle not for sale” signs are posted in brand new Toyotas, karma is a killer.
  
  Reply
13. reedfast182 days ago
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  i say we exclude all of the house reps. that drive or own priuses, they obviously lack proper judgement
  
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14. Smegley Wanxalot182 days ago
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  Note to Toyota Execs: DON’T go to DC in corporate jets or the hypocritical jackässes in congress will take you to task for it before they fly home in their taxpayer paid private jets.
  
  Reply
15. torquemonster182 days ago
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  Yup, NBC’s been a real gem of a news org for a long time now. Maybe they’ll do an “investigation” and wrap chewing gum around the accelerator of a Toyota and throw a few fake heads into the passenger compartment and then film it running into a wall at 80 mph with heads flying out.
  
  But on the main topic, as a resident of the state of the Neo-Communists Republic of Kalifornia, I wish Toyota would haul Waxman in front of their board and make him account for the destruction to the state he and his fellow spend-and-spend Left-wing a$$holes have caused.
  
  I hope the Japs tell that little buck-toothed, giant-nostrilled half-man/half-gopher to go eat dirt.
  
  Reply
16. piffster182 days ago
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  Recall hearing? What a joke! Does Waxman think he’s going to browbeat these corporate types into admitting to anything other than the same old “gee we didn’t realize the extent of the problem” and “we are now actively working to solve the problem” rhetoric. Read between the lines, folks, and realize that in the corporate world they are literally given the license to kill. As long as the percentage is small, we allow corporations to get away with murder. I bet Waxman owns a Lexus and is sweating bullets about whether his next trip to a senate hearing might be his last one.
  
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17. Borat182 days ago
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  I love my government solving problems: we are done with economic disaster, jobs are plentiful and 10% population is back to work, now elected officials can fix accelerator pedals, ECU’s and wash car windows once at it.
  Lefty, Waxman on somebody’s ass is much less of a threat as say Barney Frank. That I would not wish on my Brother in Law!
  
  Reply
18. reedfast182 days ago
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  Maybe toyota can employ all of the unemployed people to make new gas pedals, on second thought, that might not be good for quality – or what little of it is left in toyota.
  
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19. RICERisNICER182 days ago
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  Wait what’s happening with Toyota? And what were they making recalls for?
  
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20. The Pill182 days ago
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  I have contacted Consumer Reports about their position on the Toyota Sudden Unintended Acceleration issue and they released a statement contending that Toyota’s are “safe” given the fact according to them, only a “small” number of vehicles have been involved in SUVA incidents.
  
  They mention nothing about the DEATHS of those people KILLED by their Toyotas. So, any objectivity or respect that I had from them, is now lost. Gone forever. They are nothing more than an echo chamber or worse.
  
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21. wideopenthrottle182 days ago
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  reedfast +1
  
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22. GregMlr182 days ago
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  @ The Pill
  
  I’ve never listened to Consumer Reports. It’s actually a toss up which credential I pay any less attention to: one from Consumer Reports or J.D. Power & Assoc.
  
  Reply
23. Troll Killer182 days ago
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  Wow look at all the Toyota articles on the home page! Is that some kind of record?
  
  Reply
24. Troll Killer182 days ago
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  I’ll break up the monotany by saying something good about Toyota…the new Prius looks a million times better than the old one.
  
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25. A4182 days ago
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  That’s like saying it’s the hottest girl at bingo night.
  
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26. audi01182 days ago
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  Mediocre quality, mediocre design, mediocre brand
  
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27. CiNO182 days ago
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  Troll Killer@ LOL…. it surely does…
  
  Reply
28. daiso182 days ago
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  This as not a voluntary recall on Toyota’s part.
  
  Toyota Required to Stop Selling Defective Vehicles, US Says
  http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-27/toyota-required-to-stop-selling-defective-vehicles-u-s-says.html
  
  Reply
29. leftwingagenda182 days ago
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  b, i can’t believe nobody else picked up on that softball i threw out there, but i can count on you!
  
  Reply
30. Troll Killer182 days ago
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  @ A4
  
  LOL. Nah but seriously I think the Prius is the best looking Toyota on the market, along with the Venza. In terms of the exterior styling, I’d give the Prius a 6.5/10 and the Venza a 6/10. That’s pretty good considering I’d rank all other models as 1s or 2s.
  
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31. Troll Killer182 days ago
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  And with the pedal issue, I have a great solution! Toyota should just make all the accelerator pedals permanently floored to the ground. Leave the brake pedal as is. Then add a new pedal that adjusts the electronic speed limiter. Without being pressed, the max speed limit would be 0 mph. When pressed, the electronic speed limit would be raised gradually. And since the car automatically accelerates to that speed, the new pedal basically takes the role of the accelerator. Problem solved! ….kinda…
  
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32. TOZO182 days ago
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  By the time the hearing comes up, many more Toyota drivers will be injured or dead. And drivers in front of Toyotas, and pedestrians in front of Toyotas, and Toyotas in front of other Toyotas. Injured and/or dead.
  
  Reply
33. The Pill182 days ago
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  daiso thank you for posting up the link to that article. A similar story has also been posted here on LLN. But there is still more to come….There is still more to come on Toyota. The cover ups on their poorly designed vehicle roofs thats coming soon as well.
  
  See here is their philosophy. What you see and don’t know about can’t hurt you, it will just KILL you!
  
  Reply
34. cptamazing181 days ago
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  If the U.S had invaded Japan in WW2 you wouldn’t have these problems.
  
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35. josefltbc181 days ago
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  Toyota should hire DrFill as one of their lawyers.
  
  he’s one toyota nuthugger.
  
  and i thought Toyota was this and that as the Dr. would say.
  
  Where are you Dr.Fill?
  
  hopefully the recent turn of events would reduce your fetish for toyota.
  
  Reply
36. Cardemon04181 days ago
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  ok. I loathe Toyota, but not as much as our government. this is getting out of hand… the last thing we need is a bunch of lawyers trying to fix an engineering problem. I also do not wish to see Toyota disappear, competition is a good market force.
  
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37. livelyjay181 days ago
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  I’d still buy a Toyota over a Chevy or Ford.
  
  Reply
38. carstuff181 days ago
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  HMM, strange, since live is in your name.
  
  Reply
39. Smegley Wanxalot181 days ago
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  You’re next, Honda!
  
  http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100129/bs_nm/us_honda_recall
  
  TOKYO (Reuters) – Honda Motor Co (7267.T) said on Friday it would recall a total 646,000 units of the Fit/Jazz and City models globally, including 140,000 in the United States.
  
  The recall covers the models sold in North America, South America, Europe, South Africa and Asia, but not Japan, a spokeswoman said.
  
  The Fit is Honda’s best-selling model in Japan.
  
  Honda said the recall was to fix a defective master switch, which could cause water to enter the power window switch and in some cases cause a fire.
  
  There were three reported cases of fires due to the defect, two in the United States and one in South Africa, the spokeswoman said.
  
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40. 2WheeledSpeed181 days ago
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  People shouldn’t be surprised by Toyotas behavior throughout this, Toyota has a history of covering things up (Engine sludge lawsuit anyone?) and/or blaming other people (The customers in the engine sludge incident).
  
  While I don’t condone Toyotas behavior, I do understand it. They sell cars based partly on their reputation for safety and reliability, what happens to their sales figures if it comes out they sell unreliable unsafe cars?
  
  Reply
41. josefltbc181 days ago
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  suddenly all the toyota nuthuggers are out of the picture.
  
  where are your lyrical lines now, Dr.FILL?
  
  Toyota, who seemed to do no wrong and who were praised and is still being praised now by jarheaded guys like the Dr., is facing a seemingly insurmountable problem.
  
  How do you explain this ~ 2.3 million cars to be recalled Dr. Fill? another first in its class, genius by Toyota?
  well its definitely first in its class.
  
  hmmm reports show that Toyota had knowledge of these technical problems and were already receiving complains since 2007.
  it’s surprising that they only did the recall now.
  
  What do you think Dr. Fill?
  cmon i know there’s still something left there in your sleeve.
  or are your words selective only for Hyundai bashing?
  
  Reply
42. campyeac181 days ago
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  Will Consumer Reports, Toyota’s marketing department be called to testify?
  
  Reply
43. Borat181 days ago
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  Lefty, you can count on me , but I am not Frank’s kind of catcher (or pitcher). Speaking of catchers, did you read about Salinger death?
  
  Reply
44. Smegley Wanxalot181 days ago
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  Josef, when it comes to Hyundai, methinks Dr Fill doth protest too much.
  You can tell Dr Fill is running scared. And so is Toyota.
  
  Reply
45. josefltbc181 days ago
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  @ Smegley
  
  i was just curious since usually Dr Fill would always be the first to comment on how bad (insert car brand except toyota) is and how good Toyota is.
  
  but now the Dr. is suddenly missing in action! poor Dr. must be dead by driving his toyota.
  
  Reply
46. Car_guy 001181 days ago
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  I’m no fan or defender of Toyota but don’t people realize if the throttle sticks they can:
  
  1) Shift the car to nuetral.
  2) Turn the car off.
  3) Apply brakes.
  
  It’s not the end of the world and you don’t have to die if your throttle sticks. I get the feeling that this whole thing is blown way out of proportion just like every other safety scare has been for the last 20 years. The govnerment needs to stay out of this all together.
  
  I swear we’ll be driving with helmets before it’s over. you know to SAVE THE CHILDREN.
  
  Reply
47. Long Dong Auto181 days ago
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  Jose,
  DrFill’s accellerator got stuck and killed him, for the same reason his keyboard did. Too much self abuse while reading Toyota brochures.
  
  Reply
48. A4181 days ago
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  Dr Fill is just a baby back bitch. Let him go cower. We all know he’s a big blubbering vagina at this point.
  
  Reply
49. josefltbc181 days ago
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  LongDongAuto,
  
  i just hate the damn faggot. i mean he says this and that and now he’s even using biblical quotes to defend his unconditional love for toyota. how ****ing stupid is that.
  
  as Dr Fill would say,
  i bet Hyundai would never do this in a million years.
  they’re that far behind. Toyota is god.
  
  wait! i know, Dr.Fill may be performing rituals and dancing around his toyota, asking for divine intervention to save himself from the shame and ridicule he and his toyota nuthugger friends have been getting.
  
  Reply
50. leftwingagenda181 days ago
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  yeah, b, not good news…but 91 years and legendary writing is not a bad legacy to leave behind…harper lee is still running around, too, hopefully enjoying the ride as well…
  
  Reply
51. Smegley Wanxalot181 days ago
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  CarGuy, I actually had a Honda Accord accelerate on it’s own on me. I was on the highway and had the cruise sent at 65. Suddenly I felt the thing give gas and it accelerated to about 80 (the highway was empty so I wasn’t panicked). I did just like you wrote – it was a stick so I depressed the clutch and simultaneously switched off the engine (so it wouldn’t overrev), coasted for about 10 seconds, restarted, watched the tach for any unusual revving (was none), and reengaged the gear and cruise control.
  
  Only happened once, but all these people have to do is turn a key and the issue goes away. Maybe use an emergency brake also. But that’s real tough for the average idiot out there.
  
  Reply
52. wideopenthrottle181 days ago
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  @Smegley and Carguy
  
  Supposedly a lot of the Toyota models in question have a neutral interlock so you CAN”T shift the car into neutral while it is in motion….which is a big part of the problem.
  
  Reply
53. Borat181 days ago
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  @Smegley what year?
  
  Reply
54. NRG181 days ago
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  I just read an updated AP article about the upcoming Senate hearing and nowhere does it mention anything about the sudden acceleration problem, which has nothing to do with the so called sticky pedal. I am really wondering now if it will be addressed. FIX THE D@MN COMPUTER MODULES TOYOTA.
  
  @Smegley. The point is that no driver should have to do that. That is a work-around to save a person’s life and I understand that, but it’s not the point, idiot or no idiot.
  
  Reply
55. rarson181 days ago
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  “Supposedly a lot of the Toyota models in question have a neutral interlock so you CAN”T shift the car into neutral while it is in motion….which is a big part of the problem.”
  
  Bull****. I’ve heard a lot of people parroting this, and yet not a single person can point to concrete evidence of such an interlock actually existing, nor can they provide any logical reason why the manufacturer would install such interlock in the first place.
  
  It’s not even a plausible statement to make, considering that a neutral interlock would be unsafe and serve absolutely no useful purpose.
  
  Reply
56. j-dubb181 days ago
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  well Obama is in office now, which makes the stakes that much higher since he is pro-American and rightfully so, Its about time these foreign companys (Toyota) be held accountable for their actions
  
  Reply
57. rarson181 days ago
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  “The point is that no driver should have to do that.”
  
  The point is that people should know how to do that, and know how to react if their vehicle does something unexpected, because guess what? Accidents happen, and nothing is 100% failure-proof. Cars are found to have defects all the time, and a knowledgeable driver is often the difference between life and death.
  
  I agree that Toyota needs to fix this problem. However, I disagree that it’s Toyota’s fault if a death occurs due to an unknown defect when that death could have been prevented by smart driver responses.
  
  Reply
58. plainspoken181 days ago
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  @rarson What if it is a known defect? Well this was a known defect. And it was covered up and the people that had reported it to the comany were ridiculed. Next time your on the road driving, just accelerate to 60 MPH and keep it there while swerving in and out of traffic, and when the road has a stop sign at the end of it, let me know how your perfect driving instincts save your life. Then relay it back to all of us idiots.
  
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59. plainspoken181 days ago
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  @rarson the family that died in one of these death traps had a california highway patrol officer at the wheel. Are you really saying he would not know how to accomplish your simplistic instructions. Do you think he would agree with your assertions? Maybe you could ask him what he and his family think of your brilliance. Oh that is right you cannot ask them because they are DEAD.
  
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60. ajm11181 days ago
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  @rarson – Here is a thought, go out and borrow a Toyota and drive at 60-70 mph in traffic and try shifting into Neutral. See if it is easy or can be done. Then you will know for sure if it is true or not.
  
  Reply
61. torquemonster181 days ago
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  I have a relevant confession to make here, then, as one data point: I test-drove a 2010 Scion tC automatic a few months ago, and seriously planning on buying one (and I did), I wanted to make sure it would allow this, just in case, so I tried it. I was going about 55-60 mph, with light throttle holding that speed, and bumped the shifter (straight up) to neutral. The engine wound to red-line and I quickly let off the gas, satisfied in feeling no resistance in going to neutral in this case.
  
  Whether it would work at WOT, I don’t know, I did this maneuver very quickly so maybe the salesguy in the backseat would be looking out the window and wouldn’t notice. And I read a rumor about maybe it wouldn’t allow this above 5K rpm, which I didn’t try — the automatic version turns at less than 3K rpm at 70 mph. But I doubt there’s a lockout for neutral, as there would really be no purpose for one.
  
  Reply
62. rarson180 days ago
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  “Next time your on the road driving, just accelerate to 60 MPH and keep it there while swerving in and out of traffic, and when the road has a stop sign at the end of it, let me know how your perfect driving instincts save your life”
  
  That’s absurd. The whole point is that someone who knows how to properly react ISN’T going to be stuck at speed.
  
  “the family that died in one of these death traps had a california highway patrol officer at the wheel. Are you really saying he would not know how to accomplish your simplistic instructions.”
  
  YES. He didn’t even know how to use the push button start to shut the car off. Clearly he wasn’t prepared to operate the vehicle.
  
  Just because someone is a cop does not necessarily mean they are a good driver. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite in my experience.
  
  Reply
63. rarson180 days ago
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  “Here is a thought, go out and borrow a Toyota and drive at 60-70 mph in traffic and try shifting into Neutral. See if it is easy or can be done. Then you will know for sure if it is true or not.”
  
  I know it can be done because there’s absolutely no useful purpose for having a neutral interlock.
  
  If you guys are so worried about this issue, you could always try driving a manual transmission.
  
  Reply
64. Car_guy 001178 days ago
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  If Toyota is stupid enough to put a neutral interlock in there cars then they deserve to lose the lawsuits that should follow.
  
  Reply
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