Could cosmic rays from space be to blame for Toyotas that uncontrollably speed out of control? Could such cosmic rays put you in danger of becoming a bright orange superhuman rocky man-Thing? These are the questions that a number of researchers are suggesting need a closer look to see if electronic glitches could be the [...]
RUNAWAY TOYOTAS? WHAT ABOUT DRIVER ERROR?
No one wants to touch it. Not Toyota, not NHTSA, not any politician. But the issue has to be raised. Driver error is most likely at the root of these sudden unintended acceleration incidents.
Unintended acceleration is not a new issue for the auto industry. It’s been around for decades and [...]
Late last month we wrote a lengthy post about problems with an ABC News report that purported to show a Toyota Avalon racing out of control without setting a diagnostic fault code. While we primarily focused on the technical side and analyzed whether the problem was realistic, the crew at Gawker took a hard look [...]
During the first round of Congressional hearings last month, Toyota was blindsided by one Professor David Gilbert who was added to the witness list at the last minute to talk about an experiment in which he induced sudden unintended acceleration (SUA) in a late model Toyota Avalon. His test was reproduced in a shoddy ABC [...]
2010 Mazda CX-9 – Click above for high-res image gallery
We here at Autoblog love seat warmers, and we’re glad to see that more and more automakers are fitting this lovely amenity as either standard or optional equipment across their full range of vehicles. However, like all electrical gadgets, occasional glitches are known to pop up [...]
Due to the ongoing NHTSA investigation and several lawsuits involving Toyota, the automaker’s in-car “black box” data is coming into the spotlight. However, the Associated Press has conducted an investigation of its own, finding that Toyota has, for years, blocked access to event data recorder (EDR) information, and that the automaker has been inconsistent in [...]
Historically, Toyota has been the automaker with the Midas touch… everything it did seemed to turn to gold. But, in light of Toyota’s recent safety and recall woes, if you were compiling a short list of companies that you admire today – as in right now – would the Big Red T make the cut?
That’s [...]
2010 Mazda CX-9 – Click above for high-res image gallery
We here at Autoblog love seat warmers, and we’re glad to see that more and more automakers are fitting this lovely amenity as either standard or optional equipment across their full range of vehicles. However, like all electrical gadgets, occasional glitches are known to pop up [...]
How Toyota dealers repair sticky accelerator pedals – Click above for high-res image gallery
Toyota has sent out nearly 10 million recall notices for its unintended acceleration problem, and while dealers are working hard to install new equipment into customer cars, some consumers report that the current fix may not be enough to completely solve the [...]
2010 Chevrolet Cobalt XFE – Click above for high-res image gallery
Communications professionals know that the best time to release bad news about a company is at 5:15 pm on a Friday afternoon before a long weekend. By the time everyone comes back to work the following week, so much other stuff has happened that the [...]
Earlier today, ABC News released a report asserting that the cause of Toyota’s unintended accelerations issues might not be a faulty accelerator mechanism, but an electronic flaw in the automaker’s engine control unit – something that’s been suspected, although never confirmed, for some time.
David Gilbert, an automotive technology professor at Southern Illinois University and ABC’s [...]
While all Toyota and Lexus models are expected to be sold with brake override systems by the end of 2010, there are still plenty in customers’ hands that don’t have the feature. A brake override system will effectively cut engine power if it senses the brake and gas pedals are being pressed at the same [...]
Toyota Corolla is one auto being investigated by NHTSA over steering complaints
Through much of the recent deluge of recall announcements and ensuing media coverage, there have been large groups on either side of the issue, quick to criticize or to defend the automakers and the governing bodies involved in the investigations. While many media outlets [...]
Toyota is sporting one of the biggest black eyes this industry has ever seen thanks to three high-profile recalls involving over 8 million vehicles. Smelling blood in the water, some automakers have taken advantage of the situation by offering incentives aimed directly at owners of those recalled Toyotas. Shady? Perhaps, especially considering that every automaker [...]
State Farm is a massive insurance company. With over 42 million vehicles covered under its policies, the insurance giant commands roughly 18 percent of the U.S. market. In fact, State Farm’s share of the overall market is so big that it can apparently see possible trends in vehicle issues by simply analyzing claim data, as [...]
