It’s happening again. Toyota is expanding it’s recall program even further, this time covering 2000-03 Toyota Tundras for frame rot. The problem stems from complaints of premature frame rusting on trucks sold in Northern states, primarily around the rear crossmembers and spare tire mounts. Toyota, in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, originally issued...
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With recent reports that development costs are driving up the price of the FT-86 sports car, Toyota is rumored to be planing to bring a smaller and less powerful version of the FT-86 to market. According to Road & Track it will be roughly 150-inches in length and should cost $5,000 less than the currently...
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Toyota‘s new spokesman suggested that their “unintended acceleration” could be caused by consumers misunderstanding of their vehicle’s radar-guided cruise control system. The cruise control, which speeds up or slows the vehicle down depending on its proximity to other cars, might not have been properly explained to customers, leading to concerns about unintended acceleration, said Steve...
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Lexus‘ HS250h hybrid sedan is having trouble meeting sales targets, due to the strength of the Prius as well as demand for the HS250h in Japan. Lexus is on track to sell about 14,000 HS250h hybrids this year, well below the projections of 20-22,000. So far just 4529 HS250h’s have been sold. In an interview...
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The marketing folks for Toyota are taking a unique approach to the new Sienna minivan, opting to raise interest (and eyebrows) with a new “Swagger Wagon” commercial that has a regular family gangsta-rapping about their new wheels. The whole thing is actually very well executed – like the new Sienna. And with the top trim...
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Toyota‘s recall issues just keep coming, with news from the Japanese automaker that it will recall 50,000 Sequoia SUVs from 2003. The problem with the trucks stems from the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, but it is quite unlike the VSC problem recently identified in the Lexus GX460 – which was recalled for a stability...
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“Add lightness,” is the world famous maxim of Lotus founder Colin Chapman, and decades on, the British specialty firm rigidly adheres to their mantra, producing cars like the Elise, Exige and Evora that can hang with the world’s best supercars and still deliver terrific fuel economy, thanks to their featherweight construction and efficient powertrains. But...
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Between sticking accelerator pedals and rollover-prone SUVs, this year has not been kind to Toyota. However the Japanese automaker is poised to return a handsome $532 million profit, despite expectations to the contrary. Toyota had initially forecasted a loss of $213, but a weak yen and a series of cost-cutting measures meant that Toyota is...
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Despite a dearth of sporty cars in its lineup, Toyota has always managed to have at least one convertible, from boulevard cruisers like the short-lived Celica convertible and the recently departed Camry Solara convertible, to more serious sports cars like the MR2 and Supra. With the Camry Solara gone, Toyota is looking for another open...
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Toyota‘s highly anticipated FT-86 sports car might not be as affordable as company representatives initially expected. According to a report by AutoCar, development costs for the 4-cylinder sports car are likely to drive up its MSRP – taking away part of the little coupe’s appeal. When the it was originally shown in Tokyo a company...
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As reported earlier today, Toyota has now officially announced it will comply with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s civil fine of $16.4 million for not issuing a recall within an acceptable timeframe. The recall in question focused on 2.3 million vehicles for sticking accelerator pedals. In a statement the Japanese automaker accepted the fine,...
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It’s the fifth major recall for Toyota in the past few months and Toyota’s stellar reputation for quality is taking a beating. Toyota Motor Corp has just announced a recall of 600,000 Toyota Sienna minivans dating from 1998-2010. The issue with the vans is with the spare tire cable which may rust so severely that...
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Toyota will launch a Prius minivan next year, powered by advanced lithium-ion battery technology. News comes from Japan’s Nieeki business daily via Reuters and is the latest report indicating the direction of Toyota’s plan to expand the Prius name into a whole lineup of vehicles. The Prius van (or more likely an MPV similar to...
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Toyota is expected to announce today that it will comply with a $16.4 million U.S. Transportation Department fine, imposed for a four month delay in notifying the government of faulty gas pedals on some of its vehicles. The fine is the largest civic penalty ever imposed on an automaker by the U.S. government. According to...
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Last week the Department of Transportation announced a $16.4 million fine for Toyota after it declared the automaker acted too slowly in informing the government about a problem with sticking accelerator pedals which later led to a recall. That might not be the end of it, however, as according to a report by Automotive News...
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Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood seems to have found a “smoking gun,” in the Toyota recall controversy, alleging his department now has proof the automaker shirked its legal responsibilities. “We now have proof that Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations,” he said yesterday. “Worse yet, they knowingly hid a dangerous defect for months...
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After Toyota recently debunked an ABC News report about sudden acceleration in its vehicles, the Japanese automaker has now decided to take on CNN, after the news outlet reported that Toyota knew about sudden acceleration issues as far back as 2002. The story by CNN‘s special investigations unit reports that in a secret document Toyota...
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After ABC News admitted a piece of footage from its Runaway Toyota story was staged and Toyota debunked the method by which the news outlet’s expert created the runaway car, the automaker has now sent a letter to ABC News asking for a formal apology and retraction. And while there’s no mention of a lawsuit,...
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[vs-jwplayer movieid=”AVcxF8rupN0″ width=”640″ height=”385″ autoplay=”0″] 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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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