Toyota Demonstrates Recall Solutions Used to Repair Tacoma and Tundra Pickups
Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons shows the newly redesigned all-weather floormat (right) compared to the old floormat (left). The new floormat is thinner, smaller and more flexible.
In a three-hour session on Thursday, Toyota summarized and demonstrated for reporters what it’s doing to correct the acceleration and braking problems that led it to recall millions of its vehicles around the world, including the Tacoma and Tundra pickups. The fixes they’re employing address both short- and long-term solutions as the automaker looks to remove consumer doubts about the quality of its vehicles.
Sticky Accelerator Pedal Recall
Vehicles Recalled in U.S.: 2.3 million
Vehicles Repaired: As of Thursday morning, more than 600,000
Short-Term Fix: Existing cars receive a metal shim inserted to increase spring tension on the pedal to help it spring back or a redesigned pedal assembly replaces the original pedal assembly
Long-Term Fix: New cars have redesigned pedal assembly
Since repairs started Feb. 5, Toyota dealers have processed more than 50,000 vehicles a day, but many observers, including U.S. lawmakers preparing for congressional hearings about the Toyota recalls next week, want to know exactly when Toyota became aware of the problem.
Depending on the pedal assembly, Toyota has 8 different shims to choose from to reduce friction so the pedal doesn't become sticky. Here, a technician is measuring the pedal to pick the correct sized shim.
"The [sticky pedal] defect was first noticed in late October last year," said John Hanson, Toyota's U.S. manager of safety communications. "We started discussions with [pedal supplier] CTS about the issue and how it might be remedied. At that time, we also notified NHTSA of the trend, before we knew what the fix was going to be. From late October to end of the year was the development of both a field remedy and an assembly line remedy simultaneously."
By late January, both a fix and newly redesigned pedals were available when Toyota stopped production and sales of the eight models affected by the recall. Toyota took 25,000 of the redesigned pedals, originally intended for production, and made them available to dealers.
"25,000 [redesigned] pedals went to fix the most urgent needs at dealers," said Mike Michels, Toyota vice president of communications. "The pedal was already broken or couldn't be repaired to expedite things. Some customers had cars they didn't want to drive and the new pedals were used for that. Or if the vehicle had just been purchased. We also determined that some pedals wouldn't be repairable with the spacer remedy. These are the backup if we can't repair the pedal for some reason."
Some drivers might notice a slight difference in the feel of the accelerator pedal after the shim has been installed.
The metal shim installed in the pedal assembly.
Accelerator Pedal Floormat Entrapment Recall
Vehicles Recalled in U.S.: 4.2 million
Vehicles Repaired: As of Thursday morning, about 186,000
Short-Term Fix: Toyota initially advised customers to remove the driver side floormat until a fix could be determined. Later, a fix was announced that involved shortening the pedal by cutting it, reducing the amount of foam under the carpet below the pedal and stapling the floormat in place
Long-Term Fix: New floormat that's reversible left and right and upside down with a thinner profile and more flexibility and new engine-control logic that will let the brakes override the accelerator when both are pushed at the same time.
This is a photo of a Toyota Camry with an unrepaired pedal and the wrong floormat. The pedal stuck behind the floormat momentarily when it was fully depressed.
The floormat recall is complicated by several factors:
- One of the issues related to this recall is the availability of Toyota and Lexus supplied floormats at dealers. Even though a Lexus ES might look like a Toyota Camry, the two vehicle's floormats aren't swappable for several reasons, including of the shape of the floor and where the hooks are positioned to secure the mats. We tried out a Lexus floormat installed in a Camry and found the unrepaired pedal became momentarily trapped on the floormat before springing back.
- All-weather rubber floormats are most likely to suffer from the problem, though there's a slight chance carpet floormats could also cause the problem, particularly if they are flipped upside during winter driving to create a waterproof surface when the rubber-side is up.
- Another issue that's more delicate for Toyota to solve is user error. There have been reports of drivers installing new floormats over old mats, increasing the height of the floor under the pedal and the likelihood of entrapment. We were shown a picture purportedly taken by a Toyota dealer of a customer's car. The third-party manufactured floormat in that vehicle was seated so that it completely covered the accelerator pedal. Toyota execs on hand were explicit that the floormat-entrapment issues were not the fault of drivers and could happen to anyone.
This is a photo of a Lexus ES350 with a fixed pedal. Note how it's shorter than the Camry accelerator pedal in the picture above. The same solution is used for the Tacoma and Tundra.
Eventually, all Toyota cars and trucks will have new brake vs. accelerator software. But what about enthusiasts who might want to take their car or truck to the drag strip and use their foot brake to "brake torque" the vehicle while they simultaneously hit the throttle?
Paul Williamsen, national manager at Lexus College, Toyota's dealer training school, said that as long as the brake is pushed down before the accelerator, enthusiasts can continue to launch their vehicles with both pedals at the same time.
Comments
Looks like Toyota is doing an adequate job of addressing their problems. It is nice to see that they are not blaming customers for some of the problems, but that is always a huge issue - how do you account for driver error. It will be interesting to see what comes out during the Congressional Hearings. Let the bashing begin :(
Toyota did not do an adequate job of addressing its problems,where have you been ? They knew about it for a long time and tried to cover it up ! It is just normal for the Asian automotive industry to cover their problems up ! This is true and unbiased.Pl;ease people stop drinking the Kool-Aid !
Yes people if you think they did an adequate job,try to cover it up,blame the owners (at first) blame everyone,every reason then when that fails,take a half hearted acceptance.
Unbelievable,how Toyota can get away with this any other manufacturer would be finished !!
I've been seeing major problems from Toyota over the years and they never take full responsibility.
V-6 Sludged engines at low mileage,destroys engine ,needs rebuild.
Rust issues on Echo(floors) Sienna vans (side panels)
Welds that pop open the drivers doors on Sienna vans.
Bad ball joints.
Bad transmissions.
Bad camshafts.
Bad welds on tailgates leaves them cracking in half.
Rust on frames Tundra,Tacoma.
Excelleration/braking problems.
Corolla steering problems and last year unexpected breaking/shattering glass on windows !!
****Many more reliability issues I did not mention,bearings,electrical ect.
Wow if you think Toyota/Lexus is good after all of these major issues ,you my friend are drinking the purple Kool -Aid !!
Yes we all know most media and die hard Toyota fanboys are in denial,but these serious issues are all real,many more than the domestics and even Honda's issues..love the Ridgeline's fire hazzard recall..love it !!
Not to mention,who can trust Toyota !!!
Look at the pictures they are demonstrating a Tundra/Tacoma pedal fix..but showing Camry floor mat ...?...LOL !!! Really trust them ? Once again wrong part,wrong fix for the issue,Toyota is a bumbling mess !!
It looks like I need to clarify what I said: It looks like they are doing an adequate job to remediate the current situation. I was not refering to what was done in the past but what is being done now.
Every company has tried to cover-up or hide mistakes. That is not new.
It does not appear that Toyota has gotten away with anything. I don't recall any other car company being brought before Congress. (Except for bailout money)
Whats with all the "coolaid" remarks? I'm curious as to the origins?
One could argue that if it wasn't for government intervention GMC, and Chrysler would be finished.
Lou,yep I understand whay your saying...I am glad GM and Chrysler got the bailout,no I am not a Liberal but am glad,the Asian companies get bailouts as well.The Prius was made from Japanese Government funds,evenly given to Honda/Toyota to be the worlds first hybrid makers.Also, Chrysler wouldnt be in the mess they are in now if they never sold out to Mercedes(who raped and pillaged Chrysler),Chrysler was once the most profitable car company until the late 1990's,Mercedes screwed them royaly.
All I am saying is who can trust Toyota,they had destroyed engineering and testing evidence which could affect rollover related lawsuits,yes they have over 6,000 complaints for rollovers amoung their most known issues.Despite a large number of complaints about unintended acceleration from a number of causes, Toyota’s own findings, and a clear violation of Federal law in Toyota’s five-day delay before obeying an order to recall vehicles, Toyota chose to wait five days before obeying NHTSA’s recall directive, and Toyota built the cars that now seem to have had braking and pedal-sticking flaws,which appear to go back to 2002. Yes, back to 2002,the recalls are not done yet folks...
Lou ,as for the kool-Aid remarks,
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=drink+the+kool-aid
@Capit - thanks - you have some valid concerns.
I figured the "coolaid" refered to the Jamestown cult.
Well I was at my Chev dealer getting service they also own a Toyota dealership. I struck up a little chat with a employee and he told me knew a lawyer who had worked for Toyota. This lawyer told Toyota that they had to address the problem or they may be in trouble with our goverment. Guess the Toyota people told him that the American goverment could do nothing to Toyota. After all they are Toyota. Well maybe not, but the American peoples wallets can do something to Toyota.
I heard the 89% of the purchase price goes back to the home country.
The thing that gets me is this. Could I move to Japan and start a Chevy dealership, buy land, etc, etc.
They make good cameras in Japan, but the Germans still make the best. And my newest Nikon DSLR is not even made in Japan.
I still find it amazing that people think that if you buy a Toyota most of the money leaves the country. Profits may leave but that is a tiny portion of sale price.
If you want to buy a vehicle that benefits the US economy buy one made in the US by a US company. Just because it comes from the Detroit 2.5 (formerly 3) doesn't mean it helps the US economy.
Here is a very over simplified explanation.
You have 2 vehicles (vehicle A and vehicle B) with a $40,000 MSRP.
They both cost 30,000 dollars to manufacture.
$4,000 goes to the selling dealer,
1,000 goes to taxes and miscellaneous fees,
and the remaining 5,000 dollars go to the corporate head office in profit.
Vehicle A is made in Canada by an American based company. That means 30,000 dollars leaves the US economy and goes to Canada to pay for the assembly plant, the running of the plant, the parts, and the wages of the workers. That means only 10,000 dollars stays in the US.
Vehicle B is made in the US by a Japanese company. 30,000 dollars stays in the US to pay for the assembly plant, the costs of running the plant, parts, and wages of US workers. The local dealer has 4,000 dollars to spend in his home town; 1,000 dollars go out to government agencies. That means only 5,000 dollars leaves the US to the head office in Japan as profits.
Which one benefits the US economy more?????
Ford, GM, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan etc. all import vehicles into the US and they all make vehicles in the US.
If benefiting the US economy is your priority for purchasing your brand of truck, than this is how it breaks down:
1. American made/American owned: Ford light and HD(diesel engine - Mexico), GM light and HD, Ram light duty (until Fiat gets controlling interest)
2. Foreign owned/US made: Toyota, Nissan, and Hummer H2 & H3. Ram light duty will eventually fall into this spot.
3. US owned/foreign made: Ford Transit van, Ram HD(Cummins American made)
4. Foreign owned/foreign made - eventually Ram HD, Mahindra until they open a plant in the US.
@Capit
"Not to mention,who can trust Toyota !!!
Look at the pictures they are demonstrating a Tundra/Tacoma pedal fix..but showing Camry floor mat ...?...LOL !!! Really trust them ? Once again wrong part,wrong fix for the issue,Toyota is a bumbling mess !!"
And you trust the federal government? The one that cannot even balance a budget?
Ever heard of the term conflict of interest?
The government bails out GM and Chrysler thus they have a vested interest in their profitability and market share growth! Let's also not forget about the UAW...
The UAW is flipping mad about Toyota closing their only UAW plant and to now see Michigan Congressmen heading investigations, 2 of them makes me wonder how much GM and UAW cash is funding their election campaigns right now?
The more you look into this, the more it looks like the federal government is fueling this to bash Toyota to help their brands GM and Chrysler!
After all the NHTSA is supposed to handle recalls, so why the heck is the DOT involved? Simple, politics!
I for one will not listen to the federal government in any of this, their credibility went out the door with the DOT Sec. comments not too long ago that has proved this is all been planned with the national media...
And when Michigan Congressmen are heading investigations, talk about a kangaroo process...
CONFLICT OF INTEREST folks, plain and simple!
Money made from the sale of Japanese cars in the U.S. goes back to the home country, thats elementary economics. The problem is that for the past 30 plus years money made by GM/Ford/Chrysler selling cars in the U.S. has also left this country. GM alone has invested billions in Mexico, China, Brazil and Europe as it left its US factories to rot into relics of the 1950's. Ignorant people can bellyache about the UAW's wages but a 16 year grill cook at McDonalds made 5 times as much per hour as a Mexican car assembler. As for the rocket scientists who think there is a conspiracy by the UAW and Dems. to attack Toyota you are wrong, Toyota caused their own problems with the facade of a quality car, the UAW is sitting back and enjoying what they have said and been correct about all along, Toyota's are inferior to the domestics.
The Toyota foot pedel looks werid, its ussaly driver error, but dot be foold toyota is, trying to trick you, into saying nothing wrong over at toyota, this article was about the tundras/tacoturds, oh thats right the tundra has a enforced camry frame. Stick to Ford Chevy Dodge, and take care.
Toyota designed what they thought was a functional product. Maybe it wasn't test adequately in real world conditions, who knows. But a big problem is that you have to try and design your products to take into account stupid, lazy or careless people. No manufacturer is immune from that. Thank Christ not everyone gets to fly airplanes.
Well I cant trust toyota, esp since it sounds like they knew about this issue for 2-3 years at least and did nothing about it. That is not bashing ist the absolute truth! They pushed all of these issues aside so they could flease the auto buyer.
If Toyota is so bad, how they became # 1 selling close to 10m vehicles when American companies needed a bail out ?
@Nick
"oh thats right the tundra has a enforced camry frame. Stick to Ford Chevy Dodge, and take care."
And do not be fooled by your comments, the Camry does not have a frame! It's a unibody car bud!
Your credibility just flew out the window...
@Ron
"Toyota designed what they thought was a functional product. Maybe it wasn't test adequately in real world conditions, who knows."
The Denso pedal seems to be doing fine abroad...
Figures U.S. sourced parts came up to be low on quality, that was Toyota's mistake. I wonder if sabatoge from CTS while Toyota was extremely busy and it slipped on by?
If I was Toyota I would take another look at U.S. sourced parts and stick to what made them, Denso and Aisin quality parts!
Toyota's may have issues, but that doesn't mean they arn't well built. 90% of Camry's built since 1988 are still on the road, I don't think Ford or chevy can say that about any of thier cars.
I don't know what year Sienna is supposed to have the problems Capit listed, but our 2001 has had none of them.
110k miles and still runs like when we bought it with 30k.
We had to replace some O2 sensors at 100k and that has been it. Great vehicle.
oxi
How can you talk about someone else’s credibility when you don’t have any here at all. I have noticed that you ONLY post on Toyota related articles. According to a few articles i have read on some major news websites, Toyota first noticed the pedal problem in Europe so it is NOT the manufacturers fault or a government conspiracy which is just ridiculous. Anytime someone puts a link to prove a point, you come back with some inane comment that has nothing to do with anything.
I get it that you really love Toyota and can kind of respect that but c'mon dude no company is perfect and you really need to realize that you will most def get your credibility back on here. BYW no other car manufacturer has ever had to appear before congress before due to something of this magnitude so there has to be some there.
oxi
How can you talk about someone else’s credibility when you don’t have any here at all. I have noticed that you ONLY post on Toyota related articles. According to a few articles i have read on some major news websites, Toyota first noticed the pedal problem in Europe so it is NOT the manufacturers fault or a government conspiracy which is just ridiculous. Anytime someone puts a link to prove a point, you come back with some inane comment that has nothing to do with anything.
I get it that you really love Toyota and can kind of respect that but c'mon dude no company is perfect and you really need to realize that you will most def get your credibility back on here. BYW no other car manufacturer has ever had to appear before congress before due to something of this magnitude so there has to be some there.
sorry about the double post my internet is acting weird.
I would suspect that part of the reason Congess is hauling Toyota before them is appease the "Protectionists" out there. There are many people and groups that feel the government should protect US industry by tarrifs and restricting imports.
I don't buy the "conspiracy" theories but there is pressure being put on the government from many sources to look at Toyota.
Toyota does need to be held accountable.
Here is an interesting link about Ford's C4 transmissions. It's an interesting read. It makes you wonder about how effective the NHSTA really is and how politics come into play.
http://www.topix.com/forum/com/f/TTMDJ1SC1CVSCC916
@daniel
"BYW no other car manufacturer has ever had to appear before congress before due to something of this magnitude so there has to be some there."
Exactly my point. You should rephrase it that Toyota is appearing before GM!
The federal government owns an auto company so do not think for once politics is being involved here!
I smell a rat, an inside job to knock Toyota down to help the government's GM and the struggling UAW!
This is politics, not something credible going on here!
oxi
Dude, you are driving me crazy. Do you not read anything at all? EVERYTHING you say is speculation and not based on one ounce of fact. Look and listen buddy. Ford took out a loan before the recession and they are now paying it back because it got them through the recession. GM didn’t and when they needed a loan like Ford did, it was too late and banks wouldn’t loan anyone money so the government stepped up and loaned GM the money. What we refer to as a bailout, but it simply was a loan that they have to pay back. GM is currently in the midst of paying it back right now and if you read anything at all then you would know this. You just don’t get it.
@Daniel - the collapse of GM and Ford's survival is more complex than Ford getting a loan before the banks collapsed.
Ford was already working on streamlining business, and improving quality. They have gone to "global" products or "platforms" to reduce costs. They offered stocks in exchange for debt, and other strategies. Even declining government aid was a strategy. People have gone to Ford because of "anti-bailout" sentiments.
It may backfire for Ford because they are on the hook for 36 billion (I think) while GM and Chrysler walked away from billions in debt by declaring bankruptsy.
As far as GMC's bailout and loan repayment - here is a great link explaining GMC's repayment.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/174888-gm-s-phony-bailout-repayment
I do agree with you that the Congessional Hearings involving Toyota are not part of some grand conspiracy.
It would be easy for government to put tarrifs, duties, and/or taxes on Toyota if that were the case.
I do think Toyota is trying to correct their problems. This will make them a stronger company with better products in the long run.
Lou
I read the article you posted and ya I knew it was more complicated than just a loan, but I had read that they were paying it back on CNN but that is interesting to read that they aren’t paying it all back. I didn’t realize it was that complicated though. On the Ford thing though, I don’t 100% agree I really do think it was as basic as a simple loan because they had put the entire company up as collateral which is what you do when pulling out a secured loan.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/27/AR2006112700263.html
This roughly explains it. What Ford did was surprisingly simple and we can see they used that extra cash very effectively and they did a good job at streamlining.
@ Daniel - thanks for the link.
@Daniel
Oh I get it!
It's not the government that will be holding hearings this week, it will be GM and the UAW...
oxi,
All I can say is this. Ford, GM and Chrysler’s recall numbers have gone down in recent years and their quality has gone up but Toyota has done the opposite and I really don’t know how you can argue against that.
Keep saying goofy stuff like that and your credibility will keep going down but as soon as you put forth some evidence of what you are saying then you will get some back so good luck with your Toyota death traps. I cant wait to hear what you say on the next article about another toyota recall which will be soon.
There are already reports of "fixed" Toyota's accelerating uncontrollably.
People are so stupid! turn the F$%ING KEY OFF! if the pedal is stuck shut the engone down, dont try to drive the car...
Goddamn America is such a joke sometimes - people are so stupid. we are the laughing stock of the world...Get off the damn cellphone and drive the car, if the pedal sticks shut it off and call someone then. jeezzeuss...
Oh and FYI Toyota decided to take back my '00 Tundra becuase of serious perforation on the frame. looks like I will be driving another Tundra. Sorry Chevy and Ford, you would never do that..
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