Comments on: NHTSA investigates Saab, Toyota vehicles

By: injunraiv

injunraiv — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:23:54 +0000

I believe they are ‘drive by wire’, but I think any problem is more likely to be in the Throttle Position Sensor. We had one recently that went to open when cold and twisted ‘just so’. I don’t know if it would be possible to get to WOT in this manner, but to me it’s the only thing that makes any sense at all (if it is really a problem).

By: chaaalie

chaaalie — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:54:03 +0000

global_lightning: Funny that you say you’ll stay “safely in your Volvo” … Saab’s overall safely ratings are actually better than Volvo’s. (Of course this braking issue might not help that! but it is limited enough – just 5 reports and only one crash related to the complaint – that it could be as simple as over-eager mechanics inadvertantly cracking a fitting or something when making an unrelated repair in the Aero’s more tightly packed engine compartment.)

Not defending them blindly – as they do have a really good track record in the safety department … service is another issue (but they are consistently improving in that area as well.)

By: shumpy

shumpy — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:00:20 +0000

Looks great on toyota. Maybe they can blame these cases on aftermarket flormats with which not all vehicles were equipped.

By: CTS DRIVER

CTS DRIVER — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:55:55 +0000

Are any of theese drive by wire? do you think it can be a software glitch activating the cruise controll? it just seems odd.

By: SwerveEarly

SwerveEarly — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:18:03 +0000

Where the F is Ed and the crew to chop down Toyota like they did Audi?

By: injunraiv

injunraiv — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:49:27 +0000

928dreamer: Not knowing your F-I-L, I’ll have to assume you know of which you speak. But Audi had similar accusations back in the 80s, and they were all unfounded. It is possible that there is something to these complaints, but for my part I don’t believe it.

I am glad it’s Toyota facing this instead of a domestic though…

By: e46Ne90

e46Ne90 — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:07:24 +0000

“unintentional acceleration” i think toyota can blame this one on floormats again. “Its not our fault! its the floormat!! recall the floormats”

By: global_lightning

global_lightning — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 04:29:38 +0000

Dang-it! Saab is the only GM brand I’m evenly remotely interested in, but crap like this keeps me safely in my ovloV.

By: SS4LIFE

SS4LIFE — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 02:43:26 +0000

Actually DrFill at the rate Toyota is going it’s going to be sooner then that. While companies like Honda, and Mazda, and Subaru still have my faith in their quality, Toyota is starting to slip up, a lot. And that’s not good

By: DrFill

DrFill — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 02:03:26 +0000

It would only take a millenium to catch the domestics list of defects.
So call me in 3008 please.
DrFill

By: Commodore

Commodore — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:49:20 +0000

Dr.Fill – correction: Toy’s suck. The floormats are just an excuse so that they don’t have to add the cars to their ever growing recall list

By: 928dreamer

928dreamer — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:47:27 +0000

Come on people, its not the floor mats and in most cases I doubt it is the driver. Toyota has a problem, (probably electrical or computer driven) that causes the cars to Wide Open Throttle without any throttle imput from the driver. This will ultimately cause a recall that affects every model it makes across the board. I believe this because I have read several complaints regarding the Camery and I know my Father in Laws experience with his Avalon. This is going to be big trouble for Toyota.

By: 1c3d0g

1c3d0g — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:37:02 +0000

LMAO…can’t even get that right, can’t ya Toy Ota?!?

By: Veda

Veda — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:36:11 +0000

928dreamer, yea unfortunately as a whole in US, the problem is usually not with the vehicle but with the driver.

By: DrFill

DrFill — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:26:07 +0000

Maybe they’ll unintentionally buy you for the price of a Big Gulp……
And sell you for a $3 profit to Avis for their new Jabroni rental service?
DrFill

By: RicardoHead

RicardoHead — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:05:28 +0000

The unintentional boredom caused by being near a Toyota causes me to intentionally never even consider their crappy vehicles.

By: AxeHead

AxeHead — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:05:43 +0000

What’s next…faulty mud flaps causing unintentional rock chips? no wait…defective genuine Toyota air fresheners causing unintentional nausea? Stupid.

By: DrFill

DrFill — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:28:24 +0000

Need a new mat supplier.
Toyota mats suck!
That’s not cool!
DrFill

By: 928dreamer

928dreamer — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:27:55 +0000

BTW, he did not have the all weather floor mats, and neither did a lot of other reported instances of unintended acceleration.

By: 928dreamer

928dreamer — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:26:51 +0000

I don’t know what happened to my prev post, but this happened in my Father in law’s new V6 Avalon. Toyota gave him no end of crap and he lost thousands of dollars having to trade in an essentailly new car to get something different.

By: 928dreamer

928dreamer — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:21:49 +0000

That is exactly the attitude that Toyota management gave my father in law when he presented his problem. He is an experienced driver and knows how to handle a car. Sure the brakes can overpower the engine output, but…….if you were driving around town in heavy traffic and suddenly your 260 HP V6 went to WOT, it is going to take quick reflexes and FIRM pressure on the brake pedal to stop things before you go too far. This is exactly the senario he was dealing with. Fortunately, he was able to get the car stopped and put the car out of gear before hitting anyone or anything. So, tell me, how confidant would you be driving a car that randomly does this.

Sure in some cases it is a matter of an elderly driver panicing and hitting the wrong pedal, but this is happening in too many cases in too many Toyota models. Mark my words, there is a bigger problem than confused motorists or sticky floor mats.

By: injunraiv

injunraiv — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:56:46 +0000

I tend to think that ‘unintended acceleration’ is a copout from some dumass driver. Any vehicles brakes can overpower its engine, therefore all the driver would have to do is apply some whoa pedal. If they push the floormats up under the pedal, how is this Toyota’s fault? Gawd, where is this country headed?

By: SS4LIFE

SS4LIFE — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:11:08 +0000

right LP640 did you forget about the 362,000 TOYOTA TACOMA’s that were also mentioned??? Or did you just have to bash on the 49,000 Saab 9-3 Aeros being investigated? (That’s what we call selective reading ladies and gentlemen.)

Hmm I almost got an 06 Saab 9-3 Aero too.

Yeah JJT, remember in Toyota’s language for a “faulty accelerator” is “unintentional acceleration” and Toyota won’t issue a “RECALL” but a “Warranty service extension” And we wonder why the press just loves Toyota???

By: jackjimturkey

jackjimturkey — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:07:10 +0000

When I hear of “unintentional acceleration,” i’m inclined to think it’s the driver getting the pedals mixed up

By: CA36GTP

CA36GTP — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:52:34 +0000

Unintentional acceleration AGAIN? Does Toyota learn nothing?

As for Saab, I’ve never heard of them having brake issues before. Saab kind of does their own thing apart from GM in many ways, perhaps they went with a different supplier.

By: A4

A4 — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:43:22 +0000

audi fixed this issue 20 years ago toyota