Toyota Tundra Forum

The U.S. Department of Transportation is looking into whether Toyota's problems with unintended acceleration can be traced to defects in the electronic controls rather than just the mechanical problems cited by the automaker, a Transportation official said today.

“We're not finished with Toyota and are continuing to review possible defects and monitor the implementation of the recalls,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said today in a statement.

When asked whether the federal review includes possible electronic problems with Toyota vehicles, a Transportation official who asked not to be identified responded in an e-mail, “Yes.”

Toyota spokesman John Hanson said he knows little about the expanded federal investigation.

"After many years of extensive testing, we've found no evidence of an electronic problem that could have contributed to unwanted acceleration," Hanson said in an interview. "We've investigated many times and found no evidence to point to."Since announcing its recalls and a production halt last week, Toyota has maintained that problems with unintended acceleration were limited to floor mat interference and sticky accelerator pedals.

Accusations denied

Shinichi Sasaki, Toyota's vice president in charge of quality, today denied accusations that electronic malfunctions were contributing to the reports of unintended acceleration.

“We have not come across any case in which we have found a malfunction,” Sasaki said in an interview in Japan. “But if any additional reports arise, we will conduct testing using all technology at our disposal.”

Also, in a full-page advertisement that ran in many U.S. newspapers today, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. President Jim Lentz said: “We have launched a comprehensive plan to permanently fix the vehicles we've recalled because in rare instances, accelerator pedals can, over time, become slow to release or get stuck. We know what's causing this and what we have to do to fix it.”

But Safety Research & Strategies, a consulting firm, said in a posting on its Web site: “Neither floor mats nor sticking accelerator pedals explain many, many incidents” of unintended acceleration.

Electronics have 'significant role'

“By all appearances, electronics are playing a significant role in the problems," Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies, said in an interview. The Transportation Department investigation “has needed to happen for some time,'' Kane said.

The investigation should cover 2002-06 Camry cars and 2005-07 Tacoma pickups, both of which have been the subject of numerous consumer complaints suggesting possible electronic defects, he said.

In one case that has raised questions about electronic flaws, Bulent Ezal's 2005 Camry surged over the curb of a restaurant parking lot, lurched 23 feet and careened 70 feet down a cliff into the surf of the Pacific Ocean, killing Ezal's wife, said his attorney, Donald Slavik of Milwaukee.

“His foot was on the brake, floor mats were in position and hooked on, and he was about to shift into park,'' Slavik said. “I'm highly confident it was electronic in nature."

Since announcing its recalls and a production halt last week, Toyota has maintained that problems with unintended acceleration were limited to floor mat interference and sticky accelerator pedals.

Shinichi Sasaki, Toyota's vice president in charge of quality, today denied accusations that electronic malfunctions were contributing to the reports of unintended acceleration.

“We have not come across any case in which we have found a malfunction,” Sasaki said in an interview in Japan. “But if any additional reports arise, we will conduct testing using all technology at our disposal.”

Also, in a full-page advertisement that ran in many U.S. newspapers today, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. President Jim Lentz said: “We have launched a comprehensive plan to permanently fix the vehicles we've recalled because in rare instances, accelerator pedals can, over time, become slow to release or get stuck. We know what's causing this and what we have to do to fix it.”

But Safety Research & Strategies, a consulting firm, said in a posting on its Web site: “Neither floor mats nor sticking accelerator pedals explain many, many incidents” of unintended acceleration.



Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100202/OEM01/100209971/1147#ixzz0eQi3ZWnW

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Good Gawd Squid that is one ugly Tundra.

Whether electronics are in fact part of the problem, or they are not, this is still a huge problem for Toyota.

I would have to believe that Toyota has tried to replicate an electronic problem many times and have found nothing. No company is that complacent to try to cover up or ignore a problem like this. The liability is just too great. Others may have that theory, but since no one has proven it. The question is still out there. It's a lot easier to prove something is defective, if it is, than to prove it is safe. Does Safety Research & Strategies have any evidence that there is an electrical problem at this point? They only have a theory.

Having said all that, I'm sure Toyota was able to make the pedal assembly fail under certain circumstances, with a lot of testing, but is this the solution to the problem? We may never know.

I do know, however, that I do feel completely safe in driving my truck every day...with or without the pedal modification.

The consumer is not going to win on this one. Many lawyers, however, are hoping to get rich(er).

They need to fix the ACCEL. ASSEMBLIES AND ADD THE E.C.M. OVERRIDE SOFTWARE fast to existing vehicles just to stop all the talk whether it is a problem or not!

An override can only help and not hurt due to being a back up if accel. sticks.

German cars have had this for years in their software, surprised Toyota did not add it just to say it is there.

U.S. AND EVEN JAPANESE GOVT.S ARE LOOKING AT TOYOTA closely these days with demand TO MAKE fixes!

Is this a hit, oh for sure.

The Fed never went after Dodge,Ford or GM when they had big issues like this. I guess this is another way to prop up sales. Either way Toyota needs to get there heads of there @$$ and give us the quality of vehicles we grew up with! I am going to the dealer today to use use the last of my free oil changes, hopefully they replace my gas pedal.

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T From Phoenix

2008 DC SR5 5.7L Tundra Super White

See my Garage

In the works for 2010
22in Rims
Sound System
2/4 Drop kit
TRD Anti-Sway Bar
Premium Cross-Drilled Brake Rotor w/Prem Pads
Diablo Trinity - Spring 2010?

Mods... Autopia Foglights,Escort Passport 8500 Radar Detector, Magnaflow Dual In/Out Exhaust,Volant CAI,Putco LED interior lighting,Toyota Bedrail system, Toyota bedliner,Toyota Alarm w/o GB sensor, Window Tint.

CNN is reporting that the Dept. of Transportation Secretary is recommending that owners of Toyotas should stop driving their vehicles. Pretty stiff recommendation. I also read that the Prius is being investigated for bad brakes.

And the beat goes on.... almost like a shark feeding frenzy with the media!

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2007 Tundra Limited Double Cab 4x4 Super White
Volant CAI
Pioneer AVIC Z-2 (hard drive upgrade to AVIC Z-3)
Key FOB Tailgate Lock (courtesy of Toxarch)
OEM back-up camera w/flip down monitor microswitch mod
Sirius Satellite Radio
WeatherTech Floor Liners
20" OEM alloy wheels
Line-X Bed liner
UWS Black Powdercoat Low Profile Toolbox
DU-HA underseat storage unit
JC Whitney Black Nerf Bars
Lund Interceptor II Bug Shield
Tekonsha Voyager Brake Controller

LaHood says he misspoke on advice to Toyota owners - Yahoo! News

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Any questions about truck mods I have done need to be asked in the forums. Don't send me a private message about mods cause I probably won't answer that PM unless there is money involved.

2007 SR5 Crewmax 5.7L 4x4
Mods: nerf bars, Truxedo tonneau, radar detector power, 3M clear bra, fog lights, black billet grille, rear differential breather, parking sensors, Line-X, power tailgate lock, hood safety latch mod, one off driving lights behind grille, Pioneer NAV w/ OEM camera, Flowmaster 50 SUV dual/dual, blue LED dash lights, Volant CAI, Llumar tint, CompuStar Pro alarm, ProComp 6066 20" wheels, Cooper Zeon LTZ 275/60/20 tires, OME HD coilover lift, Firestone helper air bags, 55w reverse lights, stereo cable lock, Tekonsha P3 brake controller, colormatched exterior parts (de-chromed truck), eDead sound proofing, CDT Audio speakers, Custom made speaker brackets, Weathertech floor mats
All mod descriptions and pictures © 2007-2009 by Toxarch. They may be copied only for personal use and the mods may be done for non-profit only.

I didn't see that, Tox. I should have guessed, after all it is the government...........

Its going to be bad for Toyota, the lawsuites are already starting and anybody thats ever had a wreck in a Toyota is going to be trying to sue saying it was the accellerator.

Oh yeah, kind of reminds me of the Ford / Firestone fiasco a few years back.
The media blew it all out of proportion at Fords and Firestones expense. All for ratings.

Even now, people are all freaked out because the media reports its every hour, rumors are rampant, and they're s been what, 7 failures out of what 8 million vehicles.
The media has created the fuel for the firestorm.

I'll have mine fixed when the hysteria settles and they figure out the the right repair.

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2008 SILVER CREWMAX

• 5.7 LITER
• PIAA 540 X-treme White Driving Lighting System