pagemaster

I believe there is a design defect that Toyota does not know about it. Yes the failsafe is actually there and is supposed to work by going in neutral/CEL light but the professor has appeared to have found a way around it. Now that does not mean that the acceleration problem is from the professors claim, it just shows that it can happen.

It really sucks because my dad has an Avalon.

encore888

Just saw the vid on Nightline while flipping channels. It was one-sided against Toyota, and 'investigative reporter' Brian Ross was smiling as he introduced the segment, which seemed kinda weird. They have no explanation for how they had simulated an electronic failure, other than showing the dashboard rigged with wires...who knows what they did to the Avalon to make it accelerate and the brakes fail (especially when multiple other controlled tests show the brakes are more powerful than the accelerator).

It reminds me of the 60 Minutes segment in the 1980s on the Audi 'sudden acceleration' case, where they simulated an Audi accelerating out of control, but never showed how they actually did it (behind the scenes manipulation, for which they never apologized); also reminds me of the 1992 Dateline NBC truck 'explosion' on a GM vehicle that was also staged, and led to a media scandal. In this case though, there are no specifics to show that what they did was a realistic scenario, yet ABC 'news' did acknowledge something at the end of the segment...

...Toyota has offered to respond with a demonstration of their own, WITH cameras from ABC 'news' in attendance. This could air out whatever claims are being made.

Meanwhile, the witchhunt continues as Akio Toyoda testifies via interpreter tomorrow.

TRDFantasy

60 Minutes never showed (or admitted) any wrong-doing in their Audi "investigation" in the 1980s, until it was discovered that they had rigged an Audi by drilling a hole into the transmission and pumping high pressure air through it, causing sudden acceleration.

This is actual quite interesting, as it was ABC as well who aired the horribly-staged "Exploding Ford" story in the late 1970s.

It seems there is zero accountability in the US for when major media outlets stage events and claim them to be facts, or when they outright falsify information.

flipside909

Did anyone that watched this segment tonight find it funny there was a Chevrolet flag on the wall of that garage or classroom garage during the interview? I need to do a screen shot of it.

flipside909

BTW whoever watched this...

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/toyo...onvict-9906986

1996 Toyota Camry did NOT have a throttle by wire system like the newer Gen 5 Camry. The 96 Camry had a 1MZ-FE V6 3.0L with a conventional throttle body and cable. Man stuff like this enrages me. This is complete BS!!!!

flipside909

So who is this so-called "expert" David Gilbert on ABC's segment?

https://itmfs1.it.siu.edu/php/detail...pus=Carbondale

http://automotivetechnology.siuc.edu/d_gilbrt.html

So did this guy become an expert by reading books and taking tests? Or was he an actual hands on guy and actually did hands on wrenching as a profession? Seems like his expertise is in teaching. Book smarts? You be the judge.

TRDFantasy

I caught that Chevrolet flag. They may as well have put up a UAW poster too .

That story on the 1996 Camry is certainly ridiculous. How can the brakes supposedly not work if it was a traditional throttle body and cable system, where the pedal has a direct link to the brakes? Is there any concrete proof that it was definitely the car and not the driver? Is there any proof the driver might have had his foot on the accelerator at the same time? How well-maintained was the car? The ABC "investigation" answers none of these questions .

As for Dr. Gilbert, he's not even an engineer. He has a lot of book smarts and certifications, and he has done some machining/tool work, but no actual engineer qualifications. Regardless of his credentials, that ABC Story was staged.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

and have Toyota imported vehicles and we get the better Japanese built and no crap US built parts like the better quality imported vehicles of the past.
I'm so sick of this media witch hunt.
5 million vehicles and the 34 deaths possibly caused by a vehicle's problem.

Oh,good morning all.Haven't had my cup of coffee yet.

J.P.

every news site I open this morning has this stuff on their front page, not good for lexus

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100223/.../toyota_recall
http://www.freep.com/article/2010022...no-way-to-stop

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

The Sevierville, Tenn., woman shifted to neutral. She tried to throw the car into reverse. She hit the emergency brake. Nothing. Then, her Toyota-made car miraculously slowed down before she crashed.

I call that BS.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz0gMhzRrEq

mmarshall

Wouldn't be the first time the media has done something like this. NBC's Dateline admitted they "staged" the explosion of the Chevy/GMC full-size pickup's side-mounted fuel tank to simulate what was (supposedly) happening in real life during side-impacts.

jruhi4

Here's Toyota's official reply to Mr. Gilbert's (no Dr.) allegations:

Toyota's Statement in Regard to ABC News Story
Toyota spoke with Mr. Gilbert on February 16 in an effort to understand his concerns. During this discussion, Mr. Gilbert explained that he had connected a resistor between the output wires of the two accelerator pedal sensors on a Toyota Tundra. In other words, he had artificially introduced an abnormal connection between two otherwise independent signals coming from the accelerator pedal sensors. Mr. Gilbert advised Toyota that he believed that his intentional misdirection of these signals could cause the vehicle to accelerate unexpectedly.

In response to Mr. Gilbert's claim as communicated to Toyota, Toyota confirmed that what Mr. Gilbert described would not cause unintended acceleration to occur. In fact, under the abnormal condition described last week by Mr. Gilbert, if there is a short with low resistance between the two signals, the electronic throttle control system illuminates the "check engine" light and the vehicle enters into a fail-safe mode of engine idle operation. If there is a short with high resistance, outside the range of "check engine" light illumination, the accelerator pedal continues to be responsive to driver input and the vehicle will return to the idle condition when the foot is taken off of the accelerator pedal. Unintended acceleration would not occur.

After watching the story today on ABC News featuring Mr. Gilbert, Toyota was surprised to learn that Mr. Gilbert appears now to be making a different claim regarding the electronic throttle control system and in a vehicle other than as described to Toyota last week. Although it is difficult to tell from the footage used in the story, Mr. Gilbert appears to be introducing a different external and artificial method to manipulate the throttle. In order to set the record straight, Toyota welcomes the opportunity to evaluate the Toyota Avalon shown in today's story and the method by which Mr. Gilbert allegedly caused the vehicle to accelerate unintentionally. We welcome the attendance of ABC News at any such evaluation of this vehicle and Mr. Gilbert's testing.

Newsroom : Toyota's Statement in Regard to ABC News Story / Toyota

ExTrEmE99

iTrader: (6)

If you guys wanna watch the hearing:

http://energycommerce.edgeboss.net/w...123_060901.asx

Got the link from autoblog.

TRDFantasy

This isn't a hearing; this is just one big public grilling. I've only been watching for a few minutes, and I've already heard the words "crusade", "mission" at least once.

This sure is a crusade, a crusade to ruin Toyota's reputation. The media, the govt, and many various organizations and interest groups are all on the bandwagon in Washington right now.

RXSF

so does toyota get to rebut any of this accusations or is it just a one sided argument?