Guess who got subpoena again

[black bart]

THE SAGA CONTINUES.

Toyota: New subpoena for Toyota, this time over faulty steering components - latimes.com (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-0720-toyota-subpoena-20100721,0,4409323.story)

[RTexasF]

We own two Toyotas and I believe in the brand but how much more do they think they can hide? Enough already yet! Talk about a swollen head and holier than thou attitude!

[C. Charles Hahn]

We own two Toyotas and I believe in the brand but how much more do they think they can hide? Enough already yet! Talk about a swollen head and holier than thou attitude!

I think they`ve just hidden SO MUCH stuff at this point that they can`t even remember everything they`ve hidden. I wouldn`t be surprised to hear someone in the upper ranks saying "oh crap, I forgot we covered that up" every time something new comes about.

What we`re really witnessing here is the Anti-American auto market of the late 80s, 90s, and early 2000s finally backfiring. Because everyone was so busy calling out and bashing the Detroit three on their failures and mishaps, it became extremely easy for foreign automakers to "manage their reputations" by simply ignoring problems or putting intentional spin on things.

Now, as the American automakers have caught up with, and in some cases surpassed, the imports, the ease of reputation management has gone away, and Toyota has yet to learn how to handle scrutiny "on the up-and-up."

So, to the American public, I say simply this: "See, folks? There is NO such thing as a flawless auto manufacturer!"

[JeffW]

THE SAGA CONTINUES.

Toyota: New subpoena for Toyota, this time over faulty steering components - latimes.com (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-0720-toyota-subpoena-20100721,0,4409323.story)

Not so fast... a subpoena is not a conviction. Remember the old saying, "innocent until proven guilty"?

;)

[JeffW]

I think they`ve just hidden SO MUCH stuff at this point that they can`t even remember everything they`ve hidden. I wouldn`t be surprised to hear someone in the upper ranks saying "oh crap, I forgot we covered that up" every time something new comes about.

What we`re really witnessing here is the Anti-American auto market of the late 80s, 90s, and early 2000s finally backfiring. Because everyone was so busy calling out and bashing the Detroit three on their failures and mishaps, it became extremely easy for foreign automakers to "manage their reputations" by simply ignoring problems or putting intentional spin on things.

Now, as the American automakers have caught up with, and in some cases surpassed, the imports, the ease of reputation management has gone away, and Toyota has yet to learn how to handle scrutiny "on the up-and-up."

So, to the American public, I say simply this: "See, folks? There is NO such thing as a flawless auto manufacturer!"

Or maybe, just maybe, there is an effort to demonize non-American auto companies. I agree that American automakers (some/one at least) has closed the gap significantly, but Government Motors still has a ways to go...

It may be helpful if the image the American people had of the #1 automaker was very, very tarnished with safety issues (proven or unproven even), and considering how proficient this admin is at propaganda, and considering it`s a close friend of the WH that is now running GM I would not jump to any conclusion that this is an objective investigation.

Not defending, accusing nor judging. And just my opinion.

:idea

[Bunky]

The press, lawyers, and other people with agendas are now fixated on Toyota. They are like sharks when blood is in the water. I am sure the other automakers are happy for them to get the limelight.

On a related sad note, my wife`s aunt was killed in a car accident recently. It was a Mercury Milan and the driver (her husband) claimed it was unintended acceleration. The police report stated the car was going 80+mph when it hit the tree based upon the accident scene evidence. The police supposedly got the black box. They were driving on a curvy road (I know the area) and no one would drive 80 even if they wanted.

[groebuck]

remember when audi`s were supposed to have sudden acceleration like 20 years ago and it almost ruined them..and after all the studying and research it was determined that people had mistaken the accelerator for the break? I don`t think the "media" is demonizing anyone, it`s their job to report these things...and given the history of the prius fiasco, yeah it makes news. So did the pinto blowing up and no one accused the media of demonizing ford.

it`s typical of us to want to believe big business hides these things - some times it is true (phen phen) sometimes it is not (tylenol) and it is certainly not limited to auto makers.

[black bart]

If this is a government plot do you think someone from the Obama administration caused those steering rods to break.

Come on people you can make a better defense than that, This problem goes back more than a decade.

NHTSA requires that a manufacture notifies them within 5 days of knowledge of a safety issue.

Yes 5 days NOT 5 YEARS

NHTSA records show 15 crashes and three deaths as a result of broken steering rods.

Every auto manufacture has problems and they ALL have recalls but it is very clear that Toyota has made a serous effort to cover-up and ignore their problems.

I believe this is due in part to how things are done in Japan they don`t have a NHTSA and no individual every sues a manufacture regardless of what they do.

All Toyota top brass at Toyota North America are Japanese and they do not understand how things work here but Toyota has said they plan to replace those people with American this may help providing the people at Toyota listen to them when they tell them they have a problem
Here is link to better info on it.


WBIR.com | Knoxville, TN | Toyota fixed steering rods for over a decade before recall (http://www.wbir.com/news/national/story.aspx?storyid=124195&odyssey=obinsite)

[Bunky]

The press is fickle on who they seem to report on so they can damage a company or person based upon the constant exposure in the news yet others get away much more without similar exposure. It is now Toyota`s turn and some revel in watching them get thumped because they were darlings to many in the past.

[black bart]

In the past couple months their has been recalls by GM-Ford-Chrysler- Buick-VW-Jeep and a few I can`t think of right now and all were reported by the media.

The big difference is all the other recalls were done in a timely manner NOT 5 years later.

Like I said ALL manufactures have recalls for things going bad it is how they handel them that makes the difference.

[JaredPointer]

"...should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don`t do one."

:D