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Archive for the ‘Public Interest’ Category
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
Under the headline Toyota, Flying Saucers and Bigfoot Tuesday, Forbes columnist Jerry Flint took members of the media to task Tuesday for accepting as real the claims of runaway Toyotas without serious questioning.
Flint also shared a few of his thoughts about why so many new complaints are being filed and what the long-term impact may be on Toyota. In addition to drivers putting their foot on the wrong pedal and dreams of the big payoff from a lawsuit, Flint suggested that people’s feet may simply be getting bigger. “Maybe these bigger feet overlap” the brake and gas pedals, he said. As for how all this will impact Toyota, Flint said the company “might spend more money on lawyers over the next few years than on developing fuel-stingy engines.”
To read the entire column, click on
http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/23/toyota-autos-brakes-business-backseat-safety.html
Tags: Chicago Lexus, Lexus Chicago, McGrath Lexus, McGrath Lexus Chicago, McGrath Lexus of Chicago, Recall, Specials, Toyota, Toyota Campaign, Toyota Recall, unintended acceleration
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Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
More than 25 TV stations across the county, including stations in Los
Angeles, San Francisco, San Antonio, Miami, Charlotte and Detroit ran
stories yesterday about the extensive steps Toyota takes to test its
vehicle electronics. Many of the reports included rarely seen video
footage of electromagnetic interference testing at the Toyota testing
facility in Japan as well as excerpts from an interview with Kristen Tabar,
General Manager of Electronics Systems at the Toyota Technical Center in
Ann Arbor, Mich. Our testing is so extensive and so deep, I’m very
confident that the electronics are not causing unintended acceleration,
Taber noted. CNN also broadcast a report featuring an interview with Tabar
yesterday.
To see a Toyota interview with Kristen Tabar, please click on
http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/electronic.aspx?fid=97382&id=E0C19173
Tags: Chicago Lexus, Lexus Chicago, McGrath Lexus, McGrath Lexus Chicago, McGrath Lexus of Chicago, Prius, Recall, Toyota, Toyota Campaign, Toyota Recall, unintended acceleration
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Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
Police who investigated the crash of a Toyota Prius in the New York suburbs said Monday they agreed with federal regulators that driver error caused it. According to USA Today, the investigation found that the driver, Gloria Rosel, never braked before she crashed into a wall, Harrison police Capt. Anthony Marraccini said. The vehicle accelerator in this case was depressed 100 percent at the time of collision, and there was absolutely no indication of any brake application, Marraccini said. The finding concurs with that of U.S. safety regulators, who said last week that the car’s computers showed the throttle was open and the brakes not applied. Toyota spokesman Wade Hoyt said the investigation showed that the company’s cars are safe, and that if you step on the brake they’ll stop, even if the accelerator is glued to the floor. Technicians from Toyota and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), as well as the police department’s own consultants, examined the wreck outside police headquarters in Harrison on Wednesday. The Prius is equipped with an event data recorder, or “black box,” designed to record the state of the car at the moment of an impact.
Tags: Chicago Lexus, Lexus Chicago, McGrath Lexus, McGrath Lexus of Chicago, Recall, Toyota, Toyota Campaign, Toyota Recall, Used Lexus
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Monday, March 22nd, 2010
In an article posted by the Fort Worth Star Telegram on Friday, columnist
Ed Wallace calls out the media for the role it has played in exacerbating
the current hysteria over the Toyota recalls. Highlighting ABC News
missteps and manipulation regarding the recent study from Professor David
Gilbert of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, the article also
touched on the widespread coverage of the alleged runaway Prius incident
in San Diego involving James Sikes. Pointing to coverage from the CBS
Evening News and later coverage from a local CBS affiliate, Wallace noted
that “although the cruiser had reportedly gotten in front of Sikes’ car and
physically stopped it, the video showed no evidence of that interaction
whatsoever on the front bumper of the Prius. No damage, not even a
scratch.”
Pointing out that real engineering or science is considered boring news,
Wallace says that these facts are easy to verify. Yet they seem to be out
of the reach of many who want to keep this story going; instead they’ll use
anyone as a source of information. The one simple question they don’t ask
is, is this individual telling the truth?
To read the article, click on
http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/03/19/2052984/how-toyota-can-hurt-the-media.html#ixzz0is8G9Pg8
Tags: Chicago Lexus, McGrath Lexus, McGrath Lexus Chicago, McGrath Lexus of Chicago, Pre-Owned Lexus, Recall, Toyota, Toyota Campaign, Toyota Recall
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Monday, March 22nd, 2010
National Public Radio this weekend discussed the impact that sales
incentives are having in bringing customers into Toyota dealerships.
“Right now that pendulum of, ‘Can I get a good deal or not get a good
deal?’ is way over on the customer’s side of ‘I can get a good deal,’” said
Robert Boch, who runs the Expressway Toyota dealership in Boston.
“We’re on pace this month to sell 125 new Toyotas,” Boch commented. That’s
nearly a 70 percent increase in sales over last month, according to the
report. While Toyota still has significant work ahead to restore consumer
confidence, NPR referred to a survey from Edmunds.com that was released
earlier this month that noted that, so far in March, Toyota has regained
the market share of sales that it had before the recent recalls.
To read an overview of NPR’s report and hear audio of the piece, please
click on
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124832230
Tags: Campaign, Chicago Lexus, Lexus Chicago, McGrath Lexus, McGrath Lexus Chicago, Recall, Specials, Toyota, Toyota Campaign, Toyota Recall
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Monday, March 22nd, 2010
In an interview available now on www.toyotanewsroom.com, Kristen Tabar,
general manager of Electronics Systems at the Toyota Technical Center in
Ann Arbor, Mich., discusses the rigorous engineering and testing processes
that ensure the safety and integrity of the electronic systems in Toyota
vehicles as well as the confidence she has in the cars and trucks we put on
the road.
“The most important thing to us is to understand what’s going on with the
vehicle,” Tabar notes. “If there’s a problem on the vehicle, we want to
understand what’s happening and we want to fix it as quickly as possible.
Customer satisfaction and their expectations for how the vehicle should
operate are very important to us, and that is what we want to make sure is
correct.” She also noted that, to ensure that vehicles meet the most
rigorous standards, the company tests its cars and trucks under conditions
that are far worse than one would see in a real world environment.
“I’ve worked for Toyota for a long time, almost 20 years, and I have a lot
of knowledge about our design and evaluation and I am very confident in the
quality of the products we are putting out there,” Tabar notes. “But in
addition to that, I’m also a mom. One of the vehicles we drive is affected
by the recall and I put my three kids in that vehicle every day and drive
them back and forth to school. I am very confident about the safety of our
vehicles.”
To see the interview with Kristen Tabar, please click on the following
address:
http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/electronic.aspx?fid=97382&id=E0C19173
Tabar was also interviewed about this on today’s CNN American Morning
program.
http://cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/03/22/feyerick.toyota.electronics.cnn
Tags: Chicago Lexus, McGrath Lexus of Chicago, Recall, Toyota Campaign, Toyota Recall
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Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
Best Car Overall
Lexus LS 460L
The LS scored an outstanding 99 out of 100 in our road test, making it our highest-rated vehicle. This large cruiser pampers its passengers with a comfortable ride and luxurious driving environment, including a roomy, well-crafted, and exceptionally quiet interior. It offers a plethora of electronic amenities, including an optional self-parking system. Yet, its controls are easy to use. Although the LS isn’t exactly fun to drive, its efficient 380-hp V8 and eight-speed automatic transmission deliver smooth, brisk acceleration and a relatively good 21 mpg overall, the same as a Honda Accord V6. All-wheel drive and a hybrid version are available. Price: $76,572.
Tags: Chicago Lexus, Consumer Reports, Consumer Reports Best Car Overall, Lexus Certified Pre-Owned, Lexus Chicago, Lexus LS 460, Lexus LS 460 L, McGrath Lexus Chicago, McGrath Lexus of Chicago, Pre-Owned Lexus, Used Lexus
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Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
By CHERYL JENSEN, NY TIMES
In spite of all the recalls, Toyota was ranked third in the annual spring auto issue of Consumer Reports, the same rank the carmaker had last year.
The magazine rankings are based on the performance, comfort, utility and reliability of more than 280 vehicles.
Toyota builds extremely good, reliable cars, said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center. “I think once they get through all the recalls,” he said, “you’ll see that they are a very, very reliable manufacturer.”
Honda (which includes Acura models) and Subaru were tied for first place, the fourth year that Honda was the leading manufacturer. They were followed by Toyota, and Hyundai (including Kia) was ranked fourth, up from ninth last year.
American manufacturers fared poorly. Ford was ranked 11th, moving up one place from last year. General Motors and Chrysler occupied the bottom two slots, respectively.
But the big surprise was Toyota (including Lexus and Scion), though it was not all good news. The magazine ended up dropping a couple of Toyota models from the Top Picks after the company suspended sales because of the recall.
Mr. Champion said that “it was a little bit of a stretch to say we recommend you go out and buy a Highlander when you couldn’t actually go out and buy one.”
There was another surprise. Although Honda was ranked the best manufacturer, the brand did not receive a single top pick, the first time that’s happened to the company since 1998.
Top Picks are chosen from among more than 280 vehicles that Consumer Reports evaluates. They must perform well in road tests, have average or better predicted reliability and perform adequately in safety tests. They must offer electronic stability control as standard equipment or as a readily available option.
There were six new vehicles on the list, marking a shift from Japanese automakers dominating the top spots. Newcomers are the Chevrolet Silverado and Traverse, Mazda 5, Nissan Altima, Subaru Forester and Volkswagen GTI. The other Top Picks are the Hyundai Elantra SE, Infiniti G37, Lexus LS 460L and the Toyota Prius.
The Nissan Altima replaces the Honda Accord as the best Family Sedan and is one example of changes taking place in a very competitive industry.
“Honda is starting to get passed over in many categories,” said Jake Fisher, the magazine’s senior automotive engineer, even though they rank tops in the “report card.”
“Honda over all does well, they don’t have many bad vehicles. Honda used to be known for great powertrains and great fuel efficiency, and now they are behind most of the top vehicles in terms of fuel economy. That’s unheard of from Honda.”
Tags: Chicago Lexus, Lexus Chicago, Lexus LS 460 L, McGrath Lexus Chicago, McGrath Lexus of Chicago, Recall, Toyota, Toyota Campaign, Toyota Recall, Used Lexus
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Friday, February 19th, 2010
That vague screeching noise you hear in D.C., the slight odor of burning rubber? That’s the government trying to brake its anti-Toyota campaign. It may be a little late, according to Kimberley A. Strassel at the Wall Street Journal. The Toyota spectacle has become slightly surreal, as a few uncertain questions about “sudden acceleration” morphed into a media and political firestorm over the safety of its entire fleet. It is also proving an interesting case study in the treacherous politics that accompany government ownership of U.S. industry. Washington’s initial enthusiasm in bashing Toyota is beginning to backfire. The results of this campaign are now making pols queasy. It was inevitable that such a loud attack would lead to questions as to whether the administration was carrying water for the domestic industry. The White House is today fielding as many queries about its role as owner and regulator as Toyota is fielding about recalls. Toyota has not yet laid off a single one of its 34,000 U.S. workers, but that may change. Only a year ago, lawmakers made noise about economic damage if GM or Chrysler went bust. They forestalled that with government ownership. They, and Toyota, are now dealing with the all-too-easy-to-predict political behavior that followed such meddling in the private economy.
Tags: Chicago Lexus, Lexus Chicago, McGrath Lexus, McGrath Lexus of Chicago, Pre-Owned Lexus, Recall, Toyota, Toyota Campaign, Toyota Recall, Used Cars, Used Lexus
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Saturday, January 30th, 2010
Jan. 30–Toyota this week issued a “stop sales order” to address a safety-related defect associated with a significant percentage of its new-vehicle fleet. Click here for the company’s Jan. 26 message to its dealers. No Lexus Division vehicles are effected.
Dealers of all makes have voiced concern about the action. Important, the suspension of sales is confined to certain new Toyota models; used Toyotas are not involved. Also, no Lexus Division or Scion vehicles are affected by the stop sale.
Toyota dealers should carefully review the link above. Following is some information on the relevant provisions of the federal Motor Vehicle Safety Act (the “Safety Act”) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulations that govern safety-related vehicle defect recalls.
1. The federal Safety Act prohibits the sale and delivery of new vehicles subject to orders such as the one Toyota issued yesterday unless and until the defect is corrected. 49 USC 30120(i)(1). (It is our understanding that Toyota does not yet have a remedy for the defect that can be applied to the new vehicles in dealer inventory.) This prohibition does not prohibit dealers from offering such vehicles for sale, as long as the dealer does not sell or lease the vehicles. 49 USC 30120(i)(2); 49 CFR Part 573.11(b).
2. While there is no recall remedy yet available for in-use (used) vehicles, the resale of such vehicles is not prohibited by the federal Safety Act. 49 USC 30112(b). However, other laws, including state product liability laws, may impose liability in this situation if (1) a dealer chooses to sell a used vehicle containing the safety-related defect, especially in the face of Toyota’s instructions that new vehicles should not be sold, and (2) that used vehicle is in an accident involving the defect.
3. The federal Safety Act contains provisions to ensure dealers receive compensation when a “stop sales order” is issued. These include:
· an obligation either to repurchase vehicles subject to defect recalls or to provide a remedy for dealers to implement immediately. Regardless, manufacturers must also compensate dealers with an additional 1% of the price they paid for such vehicles, per month, prorated from the receipt of the “stop sales” notice until the vehicle is repurchased or the remedy is implemented. 49 USC 30116(a) and (b); and
· compensation for parts and labor associated with the remedy. 49 USC 30116(b) and 30120(f).
4. In contrast to a safety recall to address a non-compliance with the federal motor vehicle safety standards, the federal Safety Act does not directly prohibit a manufacturer from selling to a dealer a vehicle that contains a known safety-related defect. However, as noted in point 3. above, the federal Safety Act would immediately require the manufacturer either to repurchase such a vehicle once it was sold to the dealer or to provide an immediate remedy to the dealer free of charge. And, as also noted above, it is our understanding that Toyota does not have a remedy for the defect that can be applied to the new vehicles in dealer inventory or which are in transit to dealerships.
Tags: Campaign, Chicago Lexus, Lexus Chicago, McGrath Lexus of Chicago, Pre-Owned Lexus, Recall, Toyota, Toyota Campaign, Toyota Recall, Toyota stop sale, Used Lexus
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