Tag Archives: Toyota

Auto Sales Up – Motorcycle Sales Down

Posted on by

After massive restructurings in the auto industry, things seem to be looking up. After ten consecutive money losing quarters, GM said that they have made an unexpected profit of $865 million in the first quarter. Even Toyota, still recovering from their biggest recall ever for unintended acceleration, said Tuesday that the January-March profit totaled $1.2 billion compared to a loss the year before. But when it comes to motorcycles and scooters, things are still looking grim.

Even though motorcycles and scooters are more economical to operate, their sales are down 4.6% in the first quarter compared to last year. Hard hit by a down economy that has tightened credit and by stable gasoline prices, motorcycle dealers are scrambling to find customers any way they can. With so few buyers in the market for new bikes dealers are focusing on parts, accessories and pre-owned motorcycles to survive. Many dealerships have also cut hours and staff.

Another Safety Probe For Toyota

Posted on by

As Transportation chief Ray LaHood met with president of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, another safety probe is on the horizon. This time, Federal regulators are examining whether Toyota delayed disclosing a defect in the steering system in 4Runner SUVs and T100 trucks. The probe was launched when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received documents Friday indicating that Toyota had potentially misled the government in 2005 over problems with steering linkages in its 1989-95 4Runner and the 1993-98 T100 vehicles.

Toyota said it had recalled HiLux trucks sold in Japan but no recall was necessary in the U.S., because there had not been any complaints. But four lawsuits filed in 2009 in Los Angeles, showed that there had been complaints as far back as 2000 on models using the same linkages. It wasn’t until 2005 that the automaker recalled vehicles in the U.S. to replace the steering relay rods.

In addition to the new investigation, NHTSA is examining whether the company’s recalls for floor mats and sticky pedals that could cause sudden acceleration were timely. In addition to investigating sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles, the stability control system in the Sequoia SUV, stalling problems in the Corolla and Matrix, steering wander in the Corolla and Matrix and braking performance in the Prius.

But NHTSA has also come under fire for its handling of the Toyota defect scandal. In the last eight years, the agency closed multiple investigations involving Toyota despite thousands of complaints and allegations of several dozen deaths caused by sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles.

Lexus “Don’t Buy” Recommendation Lifted

Posted on by

Consumer Reports magazine is lifting their “Don’t Buy” recommendation for the 2010 Lexus GX460 after dealerships updated the electronic stability control software.

In April, Toyota recalled about 10,000 of the Lexus SUVs and stopped selling them after Consumer Reports testers went into a sideways skid during a high speed turn on the magazines test track. Under normal circumstances, the electronic stability control should quickly correct the loss of control and keep the SUV on its intended path. But with the GX 460, the stability control took too long to react, the magazine’s engineers said.

While the fix made the GX 460’s handling secure, Consumer Reports said it is still “ponderous and ungainly,” which is typical of SUVs. Crossover vehicles are probably a better choice since they are built on car underpinnings, and they are smaller, so you get better gas mileage.

Toyota Recalls Sequoia SUV’s

Posted on by

Toyota has issued a recall for approximately 50,000, 2003 Sequoia sport SUV’s to fix a problem related to the unexpected slowing of the vehicle. Toyota said Wednesday that the recall would address the vehicle’s electronic stability control system, which helps maintain traction during turning. In some cases, the stability control could activate at low speed and prevent the SUV from accelerating as quickly as a driver expects. The company said that there have been no reports of accidents or injuries connected to the issue and about half of the vehicles had already been repaired under warranty.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had been investigating the issue so Toyota decided to recall the vehicles to address the government’s concerns. “Toyota is committed to investigating customer complaints more aggressively and to responding quickly to issues we identify in our vehicles,” said Steve St. Angelo, Toyota chief quality officer for North America.

Toyota owners will receive letters about the recall in late May, and any owners who paid for the fix should mail a copy of their repair order to the company’s U.S. headquarters in Torrance, Calif., for reimbursement. Owners can call (800) 331-4331 for more information.

Automobile Recalls For March 2010

Posted on by

Below are some of the automobile recalls for March 2010:

  • Chrysler is recalling model year 2010 Jeep Commander and Grand Cherokee vehicles. They may have been built with an improperly manufactured rear track bar reducing the vehicles stability. Dealers will inspect the rear track bar bushing retaining hoop and replace the rear track bar if any are found to be mis-positioned. The safety recall is expected to begin during April 2010. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
  • General Motors is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and model year 2007-2010 Pontiac G5 vehicles equipped with electric power steering. The driver may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist. The safety recall began on March 29, 2010. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
  • General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles for failing to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 103, “Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems.” These vehicles were built with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control knobs that may fracture and spin on the control shaft. The driver may no longer be able to control the heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle. If this condition affects the defrost system when it is required, it may decrease the driver’s visibility. Dealers will replace all HVAC control knobs free of charge. The safety recall began on March 11, 2010. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
  • Hyundai-Kia will recall certain model year 2011 Sonata vehicles manufactured from December 11, 2009 through February 15, 2010. The front inside door lock switch can remain in the unlatched position, and may open while the vehicle is in motion. Hyundai-Kia will notify owners and dealers will replace latches affected by this recall. The safety recall began on March 12, 2010. Owners may contact Hyundai Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-633-5151.
  • Nissan is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Titan, armada, and Infiniti QX56, and model year 2008-2009 Nissan Quest vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin end was not spin-formed to specification which could cause the pinto slide and cause the brake pedal to partially disengage from the brake pedal bracket. The driver will experience looseness in the pedal and a reduction in braking force. Dealers will inspect to see if the pivot pin had been formed properly and will replace the brake pedal assembly if necessary. The safety recall began on March 22, 2010. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
  • Nissan is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Titan, Armada, and Infiniti QX56 vehicles. The instrument panel fuel gauge may inaccurately display that the vehicle still has some fuel. Dealers will replace the fuel sender unit inside the fuel tank with a new improved sender card. The safety recall began on March 22, 2010. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
  • Nissan is recalling certain model year 2006 and model year 2008 Frontier, Xterra and Pathfinder vehicles. The molded fuel tank shells can deform, causing the fuel sender float arm to contact the tank shell causing the instrument panel fuel gauge to show that the vehicle has approximately one quarter tank when the fuel tank is empty. Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit inside the fuel tank with a new one that has a modified float arm. The safety recall began on March 22, 2010. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
  • Porsche will recall certain model year 2011 Boxster Spyder 2 door convertible passenger vehicles. It is possible that the locking hook on the soft top may not engage correctly into the lock catch. If the soft top is not fully locked, it can open when traveling at higher speeds. Dealers will replace both the locking hook and lock catch with redesigned components. The safety recall is expected to begin during April 2010.
  • Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Tundra vehicles with four wheel drive. There is a possibility that an improper weld exists at the union of the propeller shaft and yoke. This joint may separate and the shaft may come into contact with the road surface. The safety recall is expected to begin during April 2010. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Lexus GX 460 Rollover Risk

Posted on by

Toyota will temporarily stop the sales of their 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV, after Consumer Reports magazine recommended consumers do not buy the vehicle due to a rollover risk. Consumer Reports said that “when pushed to its limits, the rear of the Lexus GX slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways before the vehicle’s electronic stability-control system was able to regain control.

“We are taking the situation with the GX 460 very seriously and are determined to identify and correct the issue.” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president. “At this time we have asked our dealers to temporarily suspend sales.” He said that Toyota was confident that the GX meets safety standards and that the automaker’s engineering teams were testing the GX using Consumer Reports’ parameters to see whether they could also detect the problem.

The government advises drivers of the vehicle to use caution, and avoid excessive speed and aggressive maneuvering in order to maintain control of their vehicles,” said Julia Piscitelli, a spokeswoman for a division of the Transportation Department.

Auto Industry Seeing Imprpovements?

Posted on by

General Motors Co. said Tuesday that they plan to pay off their government loans this year, five years ahead of schedule. They say that production and sales have increased in the beginning of 2010 and repaying government loans has been a top priority. The government’s autos task force set a repayment deadline of 2015, but GM has already paid back $2.4 billion and plans to pay the rest by June. The money is expected to come from public stocks which will be offered when the markets and the company are ready.

But GM may have some competition. Ford Motor Co., which didn’t take government aid, reported a $2.7 billion profit for 2009, outselling GM in February for the first time in over a century. Toyota Motor Corp. came close to outselling GM last month when it used heavy incentives to lure buyers after a series of safety recalls.

Things are also on the mend at Chrysler Group LLC, which also went into bankruptcy protection last year and is now managed by Fiat SpA. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said last week that the automaker has $5 billion in cash on hand and expects to break even this year.

But the improvements in the auto industry has come with sacrifices. Auto manufactures were forced to downsize by stopping production or selling off some brands, closing down dealerships and laying off thousands of employees.

Toyota Could Face Fines For Unintended Acceleration

Posted on by

Toyota could be receiving a $16.4 million fine from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for their delay in notifying authorities about problems with acceleration pedals. Additional fines for their handling of the recall and civil suits could add up to millions more. “We now have proof that Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Worse yet, they knowingly hid a dangerous defect for months from U.S. officials and did not take action to protect drivers.”

Toyota said in a statement that it had not received formal notification from NHTSA about the fine, but that it has taken “a number of important steps to improve communications with regulators and customers on safety-related matters as part of strengthened overall commitment to quality assurance.” The steps include appointing a new chief quality officer.

Under federal law, Toyota has five days to agree to the fine or negotiate a different agreement with NHTSA. If it fails to reach an agreement, it can appeal the fine in federal court.