Big Problem With Toyota

[lc888]

U.S. Launches Probe Into Toyota Vehicles

Tue Mar 9, 4:55 AM ET Add Business - Reuters to My Yahoo!

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's biggest auto maker, Toyota Motor Corp. (news - web sites), said on Tuesday that the U.S. government has launched an investigation into three of its vehicle models, including the Camry -- its best-selling model in the United States -- over an alleged defect that causes sudden acceleration.

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On Monday, the U.S. highway safety authority announced that it had received reports of 30 crashes that injured at least five people, when some Toyota Camry, Camry Solara and Lexus ES300 vehicles suddenly and unexpectedly surged forward.

"One of the noted injuries was serious: it occurred when a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle which allegedly surged forward unexpectedly," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (news - web sites) (NHTSA) said in a statement released on the Internet.

An estimated 1,010,000 vehicles from the 2002 and 2003 model years could be affected, according to the NHTSA.

A spokeswoman for Toyota confirmed the NHTSA's investigation into the three models, but she said she could not give further details of the investigation.

Shares in Toyota earlier ended Tokyo trade up 0.51 percent at 3,950 yen, against a 0.25 percent rise in the benchmark Nikkei average.

[yannick]

Shares in Toyota earlier ended Tokyo trade up 0.51 percent at 3,950 yen, against a 0.25 percent rise in the benchmark Nikkei average.

So having accidents makes the share price rise? Weird!

BTW this sounds familiar. Didn't Audi or Volvo have the same problem 10 years ago ir so?

[nws25]

What?? a Volvo accelerating hard?? :D

[Yarisboy]

T5 :o

[ZeroBlade]

with modern cars having shed loads of electronics its not suprising to find "bugs" in the software. least wer're not to the standard of pc programs!

i rem seeing watchdog going on about pegeout havin probs.

the milage counter increased at weird rates, pug blamed it on software...

-Z

[dazwan]

...over an alleged defect that causes sudden acceleration...

The defect could be the driver! :o

[dazwan]

i rem seeing watchdog going on about pegeout havin probs.

the milage counter increased at weird rates, pug blamed it on software...

That was scary! I know for sure I'll never even think about buying a Peugot after seeing that. It's not the speedo bit that worried me, it was all the cases of spontaneous combustion from several models! I think they even said Peugot refused to admit there was a problem.

That coupled with the poor security (206 was one of the easiest cars to steal and the 406 boot not shutting) I wouldn't fancy my chances, especially as work is next to a huge council estate.

[yannick]

That was scary! I know for sure I'll never even think about buying a Peugot again after seeing that.

Well, before buying any other make you had better check out the problems they have had too. I don't think that any manufacturer makes a perfect car.

[dazwan]

I don't think that any manufacturer makes a perfect car.

Not even a Vauxhall Nova?

And how dare you say MG/Rover isn't perfect!