U.S. launches criminal probe into Toyota safety

[Ali G. 37]

ABC news just reported that Toyota admits their fixes do not solve the runaway acceleration..

Anyone who has a Toyota should seriously park it until these clowns sort it out.

Or take it back to the dealership, with their showroom doors being open optional.

Edited February 23, 2010 by Booyah

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Yeah, the lack of error codes was the worst part and can explain why they have not been able to nip it in the butt, yet 'claim' they have.

I always found the story about a Californian state trooper killed with his family puzzling because he would have been trained to handle a car, unless something happened that caught him off guard. Never believed the BS floor mat story. The stuck accelerator also failed to explain the sudden acceleration people were reporting. However, what we saw yesterday sure as hell looked like the most logical explanation so far. Of course Toyota does not want to admit that sort of a problem because it would cost them well into the billions to fix.

Here is the video: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/RunawayToyot...tory?id=9913933

The State troopers I know all went thru a performance driving training class. I agree, it sounded like there was more to it than a floor mat or throttle linkage, if they still call it that since it's all drive by wire.

[NickD 203]

Rather difficult to find accurate technical information about the Toyota throttle system. Could cure that by driving over to a Toyota dealer and look. But gather it's a throttle by wire system. But hurts my brain when they say it's not an electronic problem. Heard one cure is a mechanical overriding system.

Sure was a push in the country a few years back to get rid of the various fluid in a vehicle by the EPA to make recycling easier. Some vehicles are equipped with electric power steering, but it is an assist rather than steering by wire. Steering by wire would be a servo system where the steering wheel would rotate like a potentiometer and a motor would follow that movement with a wire and a bunch of electronics to turn the wheels. In the assist system, driver has direct mechanical control of the steering, but if the torque on the wheel exceeds a predetermined point, the motor just helps out.

Yet another fluid is brake fluid, while a 48 volt system was preferred, actually a dual voltage system of 12 and 48 volts as you can't make an automotive filament that thin in lamps to survive the vibrations. But no company wanted to deal with our liability laws in developing an electric braking system in the event of a power failure, so that concept was dropped like a hot potato. So Toyota decided to try throttle by wire? Not a good idea.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Rather difficult to find accurate technical information about the Toyota throttle system. Could cure that by driving over to a Toyota dealer and look. But gather it's a throttle by wire system. But hurts my brain when they say it's not an electronic problem. Heard one cure is a mechanical overriding system.

Sure was a push in the country a few years back to get rid of the various fluid in a vehicle by the EPA to make recycling easier. Some vehicles are equipped with electric power steering, but it is an assist rather than steering by wire. Steering by wire would be a servo system where the steering wheel would rotate like a potentiometer and a motor would follow that movement with a wire and a bunch of electronics to turn the wheels. In the assist system, driver has direct mechanical control of the steering, but if the torque on the wheel exceeds a predetermined point, the motor just helps out.

Yet another fluid is brake fluid, while a 48 volt system was preferred, actually a dual voltage system of 12 and 48 volts as you can't make an automotive filament that thin in lamps to survive the vibrations. But no company wanted to deal with our liability laws in developing an electric braking system in the event of a power failure, so that concept was dropped like a hot potato. So Toyota decided to try throttle by wire? Not a good idea.

Most vehicles currently made have electronic throttle control. Komatsu had electric over hydraulic control on it's heavy equipment 20 years ago. In electro-hydraulic power steering, the pump is electric instead of being belt driven as it was on most cars. Electric power steering also helps a bit with fuel economy.

[NickD 203]

Most vehicles currently made have electronic throttle control. Komatsu had electric over hydraulic control on it's heavy equipment 20 years ago. In electro-hydraulic power steering, the pump is electric instead of being belt driven as it was on most cars. Electric power steering also helps a bit with fuel economy.

Really not fair to compare industrial vehicular applications to consumer grade throwaway vehicles. How many Toyota's do you know of that can go over 4 million miles before the first overhaul?

[Niels Bohr 72]

None of my Toyotas were recalled.

I am still an avid Toyota fan until I see a car that is 'really built for tough.'

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

None of my Toyotas were recalled.

I am still an avid Toyota fan until I see a car that is 'really built for tough.'

you might wanna beef up the front bumper, just in case.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Really not fair to compare industrial vehicular applications to consumer grade throwaway vehicles. How many Toyota's do you know of that can go over 4 million miles before the first overhaul?

I wasn't comparing them. Your post sounded like drive by wire was used only by Toyota. I pointed out that is used by the entire automotive industry. I brought up Komatsu to show that the technology is not new. And what commercial vehicle do you know of that can go 4 million miles before an overhaul?

[Ali G. 37]

Most vehicles currently made have electronic throttle control. Komatsu had electric over hydraulic control on it's heavy equipment 20 years ago. In electro-hydraulic power steering, the pump is electric instead of being belt driven as it was on most cars. Electric power steering also helps a bit with fuel economy.

Well the other fact is why are similar vehicles built in markets outside the US not experiencing this issue. Various other auto manufacturers have been using this for years, without any such glitches.

[Ali G. 37]

None of my Toyotas were recalled.

I am still an avid Toyota fan until I see a car that is 'really built for tough.'

I'd take a Honda over a Toyota any day. Then again I drive an Audi, which makes all of the Asian manufacturers look and feel .......