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6/11/2014 - Updated the original post by entering direct links to reference material, and added remarks about the legal issues involved with...

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Airbags: Toyota sez "Stay outta the front seat." Better yet, just stay outta their vehicles.

Update 11/2/2014 - "Trust us" indeed (see 10/28 update below). Toyota's response to the airbag fiasco has turned out to be highly controversial. It must be awful to have to depend on an admitted crook and Coverup King like Toyota to do the right thing about defective airbags. Of course, auto-industry-stooge NHTSA quickly approved Toyota's response to the scandal.

Updates 10/28/2014
> Appearing on CNBC, Toyota's Jim Lentz has the gall to say "trust us" regarding airbags. Trust a corporation that pled guilty to a federal FRAUD charge? Talk about a thigh-slappin' HOOT...

> Lawsuits claim Takata knew about the airbag defect in 2001. "Car owners allege they were duped into buying models that weren’t as safe as they were made to believe because of the potentially dangerous air bags ... Representatives for Takata, Honda and Toyota declined to comment..."

So we're expected to believe that Honda has known about the airbag fiasco for years, but Coverup King and admitted-crook Toyota was left unaware. Forgiveness is sought for those of us who find that a bit difficult to believe, and pardon me for bringin' this up, but wonder what else the "world's largest automaker" is "unaware" of. Whatever. Toyota's response to those deadly, shrapnel-slingin' airbags gets more interesting by the minute.

The Coverup King is now advising folks to "keep passengers out of the front seat of several models." Really. And never mind that this sage advice for U.S. customers comes four months after Toyota took similar actions in Japan. Well, I guess stayin' outta the seat is better than trustin' Toyota to disable the things. Bear in mind that among the multitude of recalls Toyota has become infamous for, on occasion they've had to issue second recalls for the same problem 'cause initial efforts to fix things didn't work. Does anyone in their right mind wanna trust an admitted crook to "disable" what amounts to a roadside bomb?

Frankly, with all the software problems Toyota has encountered - not the least of which is computer expert Michael Barr finding electronic defects galore in Toyota's throttle control - I wouldn't bet too heavily on their airbags performing properly even without the bungling from parts supplier Takata. Here's a peek at problems associated with Toyota's airbags.

"Oh what a feeling" indeed. Just make sure passengers don't have it while riding in that front seat.

Updates 10/22/2014 -
> Believe it or not, Coverup King Toyota is supporting Takata's bungling - er I mean handling - of the airbag fiasco. Birds of a feather...

> Just in from USA Today: "NHTSA didn't say why it only now is raising an alarm about the imminent danger of the bags, some of which have been on the roads since 2000, and which began being recalled by automakers in 2008." So the feds are "confused" now that the facts are coming out? Really, folks: If Americans are DUMB enough to tolerate murderous crookedness out of this repulsive little oligarchy - Repukes n Demagogues alike - as it panders to thugs in the auto industry, so be it.