rosskoss

http://www.kpho.com/video/14310861/index.html

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

Wow. I wonder if this is a floormat issue like the ES, but if not this is very serious.

mmarshall

Well, guys, we've debated the question, for the last couple of years now, whether Toyota could overtake GM as the world's top automaker without experiencing quality problems from too-rapid growth. The answer, sad to say, is, increasingly, no. It is now rapidly becoming a non-debatable issue.

However, there are some good signs...especially in the new Highlander's interior. The company seems to have recognized the increasing quality problem and addressed it on the new Highlander, but unfortunately, new problems seem to keep creeping up from other recent designs. Camry, RAV-4, Tundra, Tacoma, ES350.....the list just keeps growing.

We might as well start a pool and just throw some dice........which Toyota/Lexus product will it be tomorrow.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

I'm certainly keeping my Gen5 Camry, probably until the entire next generation of Toyota products comes out. Highlander or 4Runner are the only two I might want right now, or the Land Cruiser but it's supremely out of my price range.

My Camry has been solid, reliable, enjoyable, problem-free, and it's built with a respectable level of quality.

Old Toyota vs New Toyota =

GStateOM

Wow, I want the old Toyota back. And by that, I mean the Toyota of the 1990's. I will be keeping my GS for a while...

TRDRAV4

yeah, toyota should slow their growth...way down. maybe build a few more cars in Japan.

Jewcano

iTrader: (4)

American Quantity, not Quality influence has spread to other companies......Toyota caught that nasty virus .

typeshblue

For those who always say that Toyota acknowledge the problems they have on the cars will take care of the consumers. They didn’t even care about it until the nhtsa got involve. 20 complaints to the govt already and still didn’t do anything. Maybe until someone dies, Toyota build great’s cars don’t get me wrong. But for those who are ignorant who keep on saying that toyota is always on top of things. not trying to start anything just giving my 2 cent

newr

damn!. This is no joke!!! I hope Toyota is looking into this and not waiting for the NHTSA to issue a complaint as the video stated.

mmarshall

No. American plants and labor is not the problem. For years, when they were well-designed with durable parts, the Camrys built in Georgetown, KY and the Corollas built in Fremont, CA were just as good....and in some cases better......than their Japanese-built counterparts. The Corolla, unlike some Camrys, is still a well-made machine because Toyota has not cheapened the parts (yet) on it.

Och

iTrader: (3)

Not to take any blame away from Toyota, they certainly should get their act together, but this also shows how lousy the drivers are in this country. Sure, situations like this should never happen, but if you're in it, what is so hard about putting your transmission into neutral, pulling to the shoulder and shutting the car off? Sure, your engine is going to overrev and probably suffer major damage, but its better than getting into an accident? If a person doesn't know what to do in an emergency situation, he/she should not have a license.

I was actually in a similar situation, twice. About 10 years ago it happened to me when I was in the passenger seat and a girl was driving the car, and as she approached a red light, the car wouldn't brake or slow down, she paniced, but I pulled the shifter into neutral and she was able to stop the car (and that was before I even had my drivers license). It turned out that a mechanic that was working on her car accidentally left a tool or something under the hood, and it jammed the throttle cable.

And the other time it happened to my old Civic, and I immediately put it in neutral. It turned out to be that the floor mat jammed the accelerator pedal (I love how both of my Lexus have these hooks in the floor to hold the floor mat in place, and prevent such situation).

LexFather

The world is ending. Toyota is not perfect.

Shawnmack

Everybody and their mama is bashing Toyata just like Kobe, A-Rod, The Pats and the U.S. When you are on top people are jealous of you. Car magazines are bashing Toyota because they build cars that suits everybodies needs from the pirus, to the best truck imo the Tundra, to the top of the line Luxury car. Somebody in this forum name any other car manufacterd who can make this claim.

mmarshall

Shawn, I've been driving, reviewing and evaluating new cars for some 40 years. It's not just a question of "bashing" Toyota.....since around 2000 or so, I have noticed a slow but steady deterioration in the quality of SOME (not all) of the materials that the company uses.....mostly in trim, hardware, and sheet metal. Their basic chassis and drivetrains, for the most part, have remained well-above average....though there have been a few transmission issues here and there. So, IMO, I give the company its due where it is merited, and I criticize it where it is merited. That is not "bashing" That, as far as I'm concerned, is simply being objective. It also shows that someone can have an open mind. Look at Hyundai, for instance. For years, it was the butt of automotive jokes, and deservedly so......until the late 90's, it basically made junk. But Hyundai's turnaround, since then, has been almost miraculous, and they do a better job now than several Japanese companies. Yes, I was one of the cynics and unbelivers myself. I warned people, for years, not to go anywhere near a Hyundai dealership unless they wanted a cheaply-priced lemon. Then Hyundai's new ads came along....."Driving is Believing". I scoffed. But something told me to go check them out.....and each time I have seen a new Hyundai since then, in general, I have been more and more impressed.

(BTW....you mentioned the Prius. Though I find its styling and dash a little geeky, the Prius, IMO, is one of the best-built Toyotas in production today. It has not shown the surface deterioration that some other Toyotas have.....the Prius sheet metal, hardware, and trim quality blows away that of some other, more expensive Toyota products. It is built like a Swiss watch. And ALL Toyota, Scion, and Lexus products STILL have superb paint jobs.....IMO the best in the industry for mass-produced cars).

rosskoss

This is a DESIGN defect - from Japan. Nothing to do with America.

Toyota is struggling because it's attempting to grow too fast in its quest to become #1 in sales. Plus, Watanabe has pushed cost cutting to its limit and it shows in the cars.