Toyota halts sales and issues recalls on top sellers.

[ADDirishboy]

That timeline is sickening. I can't believe it had to resort to an officer and his family dying before anyone came forward.

[Jesda]

And now an issue with the new Prius.http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/201...prius

Quote »The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received about 100 complaints involving the brakes of the Prius new model. Two involved crashes resulting in injuries.[/quote]This is a bad year to be a Toyota shareholder.

[MinisterofDOOM]

The Woz recently commented on having experienced disturbing throttle behavior in his third-gen Prius with cruise control on. He suggests that Toyota's TBW problem isn't a hardware issue, but rather a software issue. Ironically, he also said something along the lines of "at least I can still hit the brakes." Maybe not?

[Jesda]

This is an amusing readhttp://www.facebook.com/toyota

[MinisterofDOOM]

I don't know about "amusing." More like "headache-inducing." The stupid is painful.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Sorry guys, I gotta agree with MOD here. Mechanical throttles FTW. I've heard tons of horror stories ever since these electronic beasts came out. How many times has your electronic/computer device freaked the f*** out on you and done something completely crazy/uncalled for?

Well, the same s*** can happen in a vehicle.

That's why when I open a program on a computer it takes seconds to open up, or when you type sometimes it takes a few seconds for the letters to appear... yeah, it shouldn't happen, but it does. Programs end unexpectedly, shoot... even sometimes when you hit ctrl+alt+del, nothing happens. Sorry, but I don't want a computer controlling something as important as my throttle, steering, or brakes.

Likening a desktop computer to a car's ECM is a little off. The desktop has to deal with a GUI, Operating system, hardrive reads, you name it. The only thing the ECM deals with is inputs and outputs compared to ROM data. It doesn't have any room to "freak-out"...only a bad sensor would cause it to misinterpret data and actuate the throttle differently.Again...this all comes down to a software issue...the devices themselves are rock solid that I've seen.

[Jesda]

Likening a desktop computer to a car's ECM is a little off. The desktop has to deal with a GUI, Operating system, hardrive reads, you name it. The only thing the ECM deals with is inputs and outputs compared to ROM data. It doesn't have any room to "freak-out"...only a bad sensor would cause it to misinterpret data and actuate the throttle differently.Again...this all comes down to a software issue...the devices themselves are rock solid that I've seen.

Hah! You should see how often Chrysler passenger car ECMs freak out and require discard/replacement. You'd think it was a simple device, as would I...

[dusred]

With the newest prius thing it just sounds to me like the feds are trying to demonize Toyota because they are kicking GM and Chrysler's asses.



Sure, there are problems but srsly, GM and all other car companies have stupid problems too and it isn't as big of a deal.

[C-Kwik]

Hah! You should see how often Chrysler passenger car ECMs freak out and require discard/replacement. You'd think it was a simple device, as would I...

But its likely that engineers are going to try and build it in such a way that a failure would cause the least dangerous result possible. Basically, if a part fails in this case, the car would be dead or limited in what it can do. Redudant pedal sensors are likely. A feedback from the throttle that checks to see if the throttle is positioned where it should is likely. If these basic things aren't in place or there they engineered it in such a way that it can allow the Electronic throttle to stick in case of failure, then I would blame the engineering, not the technology. Frankly, the same could be said of mechanical throttles. I've investigated a number of accidents that involved sticking throttles. Some were mechanical. And only 2 were electronic and implemented in the same vehicle (85 Mercedes; can't recall the model off the top of my head; NHTSA also recorded a high number of similar incidents reported with said vehicle). Both have possibilities of failures with potentially catastrophic results. How much probably has more to do with implementation.

[Red coupe]

And now an issue with the new Prius.http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/201...prius

This is a bad year to be a Toyota shareholder.

Still waiting to see WHAT this one is.

It isn't an "official" problem yet, and I really haven't heard what the problem is... But with the way Toyota has been going I expect to see it being made official soon.

Edit: News on now, plenty of reports of new class action lawsuits, Prius recall seems imminent and dealerships get ready in anticipation.

Man, Toyota seems like they may be pretty f***ed on this one.
Modified by Red coupe at 1:29 AM 2/5/2010

[RCA]

Sure a sticky throttle is bad...

But which one is worse, a sticky throttle or brakes that can take up to a second before they brake?

[ADDirishboy]

This is when I love working in insurance.

I get the claims from these people BEFORE the recalls come out.

I took a claim a couple weeks ago for the brake malfunction in the 3rd gen Prius. We figured the guy was lying about it, but now we know differently.

[Red coupe]

Sure a sticky throttle is bad...

But which one is worse, a sticky throttle or brakes that can take up to a second before they brake?

Sticky throttle.

Not only does it take longer then a second to fix, but instead of just not slowing down you are actually speeding up.

[RCA]

Sticky throttle.

Not only does it take longer then a second to fix, but instead of just not slowing down you are actually speeding up.

Hmm, so the non working brakes take a second to fix? I know when I am driving and any thing get stuck, I unstick it. I put my foot under the pedal and lift it myself (did it with my S14s clutch). But now imagine pressing down and nothing happens.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Likening a desktop computer to a car's ECM is a little off. The desktop has to deal with a GUI, Operating system, hardrive reads, you name it. The only thing the ECM deals with is inputs and outputs compared to ROM data. It doesn't have any room to "freak-out"...only a bad sensor would cause it to misinterpret data and actuate the throttle differently.Again...this all comes down to a software issue...the devices themselves are rock solid that I've seen.

eh, I work with PLCs at work all the time too. They too exhibit funkyness from time to time.

[Red coupe]

Hmm, so the non working brakes take a second to fix? I know when I am driving and any thing get stuck, I unstick it. I put my foot under the pedal and lift it myself (did it with my S14s clutch). But now imagine pressing down and nothing happens.

From what you said they are not non-working brakes. They are brakes that take up to a second to work.In that case brakes that take up to a second to work take a second to work... or even less.

[nissangirl74]

more bad news:

http://www.thecarconnection.co...Blogs)

**Here's the cliffnotes:

Hiroyuki Yokoyama, the company's manager in charge of quality in Japan, told reporters Toyota had now found the problem, and that a fix (presumably a software patch) has been designed....

But he also said Toyota is still debating "what actions to take" for 2010 Prius models already on the road.

Really?