Beware of Toyota. Their next victim may be YOU...

Bloomberg removes my comments re GT 86

2011-11-28T06:12:00.000-08:00

Toyota just can't stand the truth. Now that some of the Recall King's lousy products and obscene attitudes toward customers has been exposed, there's an air of desperation as this sorry excuse for a business seeks to recapture those good ol' days when consumers were less wary of the brand. And mainstream media, from industry giants to those less notable, are rushing to Toyota's aid. Coverup is the name. Censorship is the game.

Things are really heatin' up now that Toyota has partnered with Subaru in an effort to produce another sports car. The last thing Toyota needs is publicity about all those MR2 Spyder engines that suddenly disintegrated and Toyota's determination to stonewall the matter hoping it would eventually go away. So what if customers lost - and continue to lose - thousands of dollars on engine replacements? So what if the things fall apart at speed in heavy traffic? "So what?" says the Recall King. We got a new effort goin' now. A new model we've been callin' the FT-86 which we're now callin' the GT 86 (Scion FR-S). Definitely the time to keep it quiet about all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders.

Just think of the embarrassment it would be if Toyota had to recall a whole slew of MR2 Spyders just when they're tryin' to introduce another sports car. Not to worry. Its mainstream media to the rescue. To begin with, I noticed a flurry of "articles" singin' the praises of the GT 86 (formerly FT-86) but no comments were permitted. One of those "articles" came via Bloomberg, and I sent an e-mail to the reporter and the editor expressing my displeasure. Then I noticed the same article had also appeared in Bloomberg's BusinessWeek section, comments were allowed, and a comment I submitted had been published. So I fired off apologies. But alas. I spoke too soon. Wouldn't ya know it? My comment was removed, and a second entry was also removed.

Apologies to Bloomberg retracted, but here's the deal. I really hit a nerve when I started commenting about the GT 86 and referencing engines disintegrating in MR2 Spyders. After a mere handful of auto news websites published my comments, visits to this blog literally soared, topping 85 hits almost immediately. That's the deal, and here's the question: Instead of censoring comments, why haven't mainstream media giants such as Bloomberg - not to mention Consumer Reports - exposed all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders?

Its time for Recall King Toyota and their cohorts in mainstream media to clean up their act.

Update 11/28/2011 - Facebook has blocked a link to this post from appearing in real-time Public Posts, and apparently Facebook is also playin' games with the excerpt from the article that ordinarily appears when links to articles are posted on one's page. The excerpt section was inoperable for this blog post, but still appeared for an article I drafted linking to another media source. Note also that real-time Public Posts on Facebook are searchable via other venues such as Openbook and Bing, so Facebook's censorship tactics in this regard are more sinister than one might think.

Wired for censorship

2011-09-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

Here we go again. As visits to this blog approach the 10,000 mark (probably closer to 13,000 if you include visits before the counter was installed), there seems to be an increase in efforts to censor comments I submit on articles regarding Toyota.

The latest instance bears an eerie resemblance to the censorship by Reuters. Last week, I read an article published by an outfit called Wired.com and decided to comment on Toyota's absurd marketing program whereby a woman was literally terrorized and has now won a court decision allowing her lawsuit to go forward. As with Reuters, I initially had difficulty logging in, even if I tried to do so using my Facebook or other accounts. After requesting password assistance, I finally got logged in, submitted my comment, and got the "comment subject to moderation" message. The comment was blocked, and submitted a second time with the same result.

So I e-mailed a complaint titled "Censorship re 9/12/11 Toyota cyberstalking article" to Kim Zetter, the person who wrote the article, stating "My comment was blocked, and I find this totally inexcusable, especially after reviewing some of the comments that were approved. If moderators are going to block comments, they should start with those that contain four letter filth and various other forms of offensive language." Interestingly enough, Zetter is billed as a "senior reporter at Wired covering cybercrime, privacy, security, and civil liberties." Emphasis most certainly mine.

Apparently, Zetter either didn't get the message, was too busy to reply, or agrees with the decision not to publish my comment. Whatever. At this time, still no replies.

Beware of Wired. They're the kinda folks who apparently don't see anything objectionable about anonymous commentary spouting four letter filth and insults, but are willing to block comments stated in a businesslike manner, devoid of obscenities, and accompanied by the writer's real name. Blatant, inexcusable censorship has become business as usual in America. And that's a real shame.

Update 9/20/2011 - I dropped wired.com a link to this post via another comment, and of course I got the "subject to moderation" notice. No problem this time. I think they'll get the message.
Update 9/20/2011 - Facebook has censored this post from Posts to Public. Glad I got it out on Twitter.

Reuters, closed session summits, and Toyota

2011-06-23T15:12:00.000-07:00

If there's any so-called news organization I'd hate to have to depend on for facts, it would be Reuters. So it caught my eye when I read that Reuters was sponsoring a "Rebuilding Japan Summit," featuring "closed door on-the-record sessions." My interest was further piqued when I read Reuters' summit report publicizing comments by Toyota Executive Vice President Yukitoshi Funo. The report offered a rosey assessment of the company, omitting items such as recalls totalling 14 million units, record setting government fines for delays in reporting defects, a federal grand jury investigation, and a zillion lawsuits alleging coverup. Is this kind of "summit" genuine journalism? Or a cleverly contrived form of censorship?

Lately it seems there's been a sudden surge in mainstream media articles intent on ignoring facts and portraying the Recall King as some sort of innocent bystander. Meanwhile, the Toyota defect parade marches on with numerous recent recalls and the punishment of an engineer-turned-whistleblower in Vietnam. Guess I musta missed Reuters' "coverage" of the situation in Vietnam.

What Toyota, Japan, and the good ol' U.S.A. needs is something along the line of a "Toyota Engine Failure Summit" featuring reps from MR2 clubs along with past and present Spyder owners who lost thousands when their engines suddenly fell apart. Anyone who signed the ongoing oil sludge petition would also be invited to tell their stories regarding Toyota's "class action settlement." Bigwigs from Toyota, a few select congressmen, and representatives from the Department of Transportation would be on hand to field concerns, assured that the entire event would be nationally televised.

Somehow, I don't think that's the kind of summit Reuters would like to see.

Reuters bans my comments re Toyota

2011-04-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

Reuters news organization has informed me that my account has been "banned from commenting." This comes as no shock, because Reuters has previously removed my remarks regarding Toyota. This is, however, the first time I've been banned per se from expressing my opinion on a website.

The way Reuters' ban came about is interesting. A few weeks ago, I submitted a comment critical of the Recall King. It was published, but immediately removed. I resubmitted a time or two with the same result, whereupon I exposed Reuters' blatant censorship on Twitter and Facebook and submitted copies of the posts to Reuters via another comment, which, of course was never published nor did I expect it to be. Apparently, however, Reuters took notice.

Yesterday, I submitted a comment on Reuters' article regarding Toyota's latest recall of 333,000 units - RAV4s and Highlanders - for an airbag defect. What I immediately encountered was difficulty signing in, even if I used my Facebook account. So I finally requested password assistance and got logged on. Then I submitted a comment rakin' Toyota over well deserved coals for their never ending parade of defects. But unlike before, the comment wasn't published, even temporarily. Instead, I got a message that the comment would be "moderated." Apparently, that's Reutersese for "censored."

So I waited an hour or two - not expectin' much - and again fired off a complaint tweet and a post on Facebook exposin' Reuters' rebuff of free speech. Then - like before - I attempted to send Reuters copies, and that's when I immediately got the message that my account had been banned from commenting. Yessir, I'll bet ol' Reuters already knew about me exposin' 'em again on Facebook and Twitter, and decided to throw a tantrum by just flat out bannin' my remarks altogether. "That'll teach the guy to get smart with a kingpin of mainstream media such as Reuters."

If it weren't for serious issues of free speech, Reuters' childish response to my opinions about Toyota would be downright funny. Do they wish to control the dissemination of newsworthy information? Or is it merely hubris confounding common sense in the age of the Internet? Hard to say at this point, but it sure makes a body wonder what kinda relationship Reuters has with Toyota.

Rest assured, Reuters, that I'm not anywhere close to intimidated. I'll be exposin' the likes of you and Toyota every chance I get.

Update 4/23/2011 - Reuters must have complained to Facebook, because when I referenced this blog post, Facebook blocked the information from Posts by Everyone.

Update 4/24/2011 - Today I referenced this blog post again on Facebook, and the reference was published in Posts by Everyone.

Latest Toyota recall shows true colors

2011-04-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

Moody's Investors Services' recent analysis of  Toyota puts things in post earthquake perspective for Japanese automakers:  Nissan considered for a credit upgrade, Honda viewed as stable, and the Recall King placed under review for another drop in credit rating. "The rating agency also said that the company's high level of incentive spending and its declining share in major markets like the U.S. indicated that consumer perceptions of the company's quality may have weakened compared with some of its competitors."

Speaking of consumer perceptions, Toyota's continuing lousy attitude toward cusotmers was epitomized by their latest recall.  Thanks to a whistleblower - supported by his colleagues - media exposed several defects, including a brake problem.  Then the Recall King acknowledged the defects but refused to issue a recall until an outraged public changed Toyota's mind.

Amidst Toyota's handwringing public apologies and promises to put more emphasis on customer satisfaction, here's yet another example of actions speaking louder than words. Evidence that Toyota has yet to learn any "big lessons," and will keep trying to get away with whatever it can, profits before people. As one consumer wrote, "Does it mean that the safety of the Vietnamese people is not a matter of concern to Toyota Vietnam? They know (about the flaws) but they've decided to ignore everything.”  Furthermore, based on the whistleblower's allegations, Toyota has knowingly sold some 60,000 of these defective vehicles.

The whistleblowing and public protests coincide nicely with Moody's analysis of a company that obviously has a long way to go when it comes to building trust. No surprises for me. Its the Toyota I've come to know and expect.

Update 4/16/2011 - The scandal has now worsened, prompting a recall of nearly 66,000 units, the largest ever in Vietnam. This is even more than the whistleblower revealed had been sold. And apparently the Recall King still doesn't get it. Toyota apologized for the recall but neglected to apologize for not listening to warnings from their whistleblowin' engineer and his colleagues.

Update 4/22/2011 - Whew. Its hard to keep up with all the Toyota recalls. Their "latest" is now a whoppin' 330,000 units for an airbag defect. RAV4s, Highlanders. Oops - yesterday (4/26/2011) Toyota announed a 51,000 unit recall of Tundra trucks re a drive shaft defect.

Update 4/27/2011 - Top Gear auto news has asked Toyota how the Vietnam recall will affect Thai-built Fortuners sold in the Phillipines, but the Recall King has yet to reply.

Update 6/19/2011 - Amidst Toyota's adamant denials of the obvious, the Recall King has now taken action against the whistleblower: http://www.thanhniennews.com/2010/Pages/20110614123057.aspx

Toyota runs, but can't hide

2011-03-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

Reputation for defects, known far and wide; Toyota can run, but Toyota can't hide.

Heartfelt thanks to Armen Hareyan and TorqueNews for publishing my article, "Toyota Losin' for a Reason." I'm honored to have my opinion featured. Visit TorqueNews on Facebook and TorqueNewsAuto on Twitter.

Word is gettin' out about the Recall King's lousy products and equally lousy attitude. Things have apparently gotten to the point where Toyota is experimenting with marketing efforts that seek to divert attention away from troublesome issues such as recalls, lawsuits, fines, and investigations. Meaningful info about the vehicle is all but eliminated, along with reporters' question and answer sessions. Those questions from the media can be embarassing. Much safer to spotlight a pagentry of music and models. All in unison, girls. Spell the plural of Prius.

But will it work? Will consumers be mesmerized into plunking down hard earned dollars for products no longer imbued with the mistique of a manufacturer that can do no wrong? Not likely. At least not for a stretch. Recall King Toyota must now face the consequences of deeds brought to the public's attention in a big way.

Its a little late for glitzy ads, Recall King. Try all the diversionary tactics you want, but the facts are rainin' on your parade.

Ruling supports plaintiffs re Prius brakes

2011-03-10T15:10:00.000-08:00

Call 'em Priuses, Prii, or whatever you will (try Glitch-mobiles), but a class action lawsuit alleging defective brakes will proceed. The judge denied Toyota's request for a dismissal, and rightly so.

This lawsuit over Prius brakes stems from complaints galore, and alleges that Toyota knew about a defect years before the cars were recalled. Based on my experience, the allegations ring true. Even though the Internet is loaded with complaints of sudden engine failures in MR2 Spyders, Toyota refuses to acknowledge a defect, maintaining that the failures "could be caused by a number of things, such as not changing the oil at proper intervals." When I tried to discuss the postings from two major car clubs, Toyota's "customer loyalty" guy "didn't want to hear about all that." And NHTSA refuses to get involved because - thanks to lobbying efforts, no doubt - sudden engine failures such as those involving the MR2 Spyders are not considered a safety issue. Of course, this all goes hand in hand with blamin' the customer (sound familiar?), who winds up on the short side when it comes to having any practical recourse.

Like the lawsuit over Prius headlights, Toyota will probably settle this Prius brake case long before risking a jury decision. A jury is likely to look at the number of complaints, exercise a little common sense, and hand down a hefty tab for punitive damages.

What kind of company treats its customers in such a manner? And what kind of government lets 'em get away with it?

Toyota a liability for Lotus, FT-86

2011-03-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

With all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders, no wonder Toyota is relying on Subaru for the engine in the still anticipated finale of the FT-86 (Scion FR-S). But as Toyota partners with Subaru and ventures once again into sports car land, informed consumers will also contemplate such things as Toyota's botched job designing MR2 hood releases. And now that Toyota has become somewhat less than a paragon of quality, we learn that sports car legend Lotus has been catchin' criticism from customers because of its involvement with the Recall King.

Frankly, I've always thought it strange that Lotus would link up with Toyota, even though - as I understand it - the Recall King's engines are not exactly stock by the time Lotus gives 'em a goin' over. Nonetheless, Lotus has now decided to quit with the Toyota engines. Right on for "Engine by Lotus. From scratch. Honest."

Since word got out about all those stonewalled engine failures in MR2 Spyders, Toyota seems to have a flair for teamin' up with other brands when it comes to sports cars. But I'm bettin' lots of folks see things the same way I do. Havin' been fooled once by Toyota's efforts to produce a sports car, I'm no longer impressed by anything Toyota is involved in, and certainly not the FT-86. Especially that often-loaded-with-bugs first year model. Among other things, co-partner Subaru is suddenly departing from its longstanding practice of only producing vehicles with all wheel drive.

Maybe Toyota could get Lotus to do the bodywork, chassis, and drivetrain. Then with Subaru doin' the engine... But wait. Where would Toyota come in? No problem. Just put the Recall King in charge of advertising. But by all means, keep 'em away from those floor mats.

Note: A weird thing happened when I linked to a Consumer Reports FT-86 article via a Twitter "Top Tweet" and tried to post a comment. A pop-up appeared, "We're sorry, we cannot accept this data." Such a delight. Nothin' like open communications. Thought for a minute there I was being censored.

Update 11/27/11 - Leave it to Toyota to spawn years of teaser type marketing and then spring a last minute name change to GT 86. Ho hum. Another front engined monstrosity weighing in at 2,662 pounds complete with a fish-like appearance and two squished in rear seats. Next thing you know, the Recall King will be strikin' up a partnership with Ford's Mustang.

If Toyota can't do floor mats...

2011-02-28T11:38:00.000-08:00

Toyota's latest recall - 2.5 million units - prompted an interesting response from Hagens Berman, one of the attorneys suing the Recall King over floor mats. While Toyota's friends at NHTSA are proudly declaring an end to their investigation of sudden, unintended acceleration, Mr. Berman dared to point out that this latest recall stands in "stark contrast" to what Toyota has been saying about the floor mat issue. Instead of backin' off, maybe NHTSA should be takin' a closer look.

Let's start with just how "voluntary" this recall actually is. The terminology sounds good for the Recall King, but based on the facts, it sounds a little too good. Smacks of another cozy deal with NHTSA, whereby Toyota gets to play word games. Now don't get me wrong. I'm delighted that Toyota is gettin' exposed and havin' to foot the bill - financially and PR wise - for this recall. But its kinda like those "record setting" yet slap-on-the-wrist fines allowing Toyota to walk away without any admission of wrongdoing. The punishment may be well deserved, but its hardly sufficient.

This latest recall is another credibility issue for the Recall King. Folks had reason to believe that Toyota had solved the floor mat thing, only to discover that "the rest of the story" was - or is - yet to be told. Wonder how long Toyota and NHTSA have known about these additional problems regarding floor mats? As things now stand, nobody can be blamed for concluding that there's more to this story than we've been told. One plaintiff in a sudden acceleration lawsuit has already spoken out, saying this latest recall is proof positive that unanswered questions remain. And folks in Minneapolis are plannin' a demonstration - 3/22, 8-9 AM, 300 4th St. - to tell the feds to hold Toyota accountable for not installing brake overrides.

So lemme get this straight. Toyota has problems designin' floor mats, but the Recall King is okay with electronics?

Stallin' the Toyota Way: '06 hybrid SUVs

2011-02-24T06:56:00.000-08:00

Uh-oh. The Recall King is facin' a brand spankin' new investigation, this time for complaints about engines stalling - most of 'em at 40 mph or more - in 2006 Highlander hybrid SUVs. And here again, there's a finer point: How long has Toyota known about this issue? How many customers have complained to Toyota about this problem since 2006? Surely we aren't expected to believe that Toyota first heard of it via NHTSA.

If matters rested on just this one case, it would be different. But this is the umpteenth time we've had reason to wonder how long Toyota has known about malfunctions in its vehicles. The question arises, for example, with those embarassing fines from NHTSA, the complaints about Prius headlights, and a current lawsuit involving allegations that Toyota knew about Prius brake problems for years before finally issuing a recall.

When vehicles suddenly stall, won't restart, and have to be towed in, its not hard to imagine the kind of complaints voiced to Toyota. Looks like the matter should have been settled a long time ago, without any involvement from NHTSA. Foot draggin' can go a long way when it comes to such things as warranties and customers givin' up on pursuing a complaint. "Aw shucks. Let's just trade this thing in and move on."

Frankly, I don't see how on earth floor mats could... no, wait. Floor mats were causin' sudden acceleration. This time the vehicles are stallin'. In fact, some other models - Corolla, Matrix - started stallin' not long ago. Gee. I hope someone is keepin' track of all this. Maybe it'll help me sort things out if I connect Toyota's '06 Highlander hybrids with how the engine in my MR2 was threatening to stall as it disintegrated.

Lawsuits, fines, subpoenas, online petitions, investigations, recalls, multi-million dollar settlements, confidentiality agreements, criminal charges, and the list goes on ad nauseum. Talk about consumer affairs...

Update 2/24/11 - Did I say brand spankin' new investigation? There's been yet another massive Toyota recall, and now CHINA wants Toyota to explain. Seems the Chinese have doubts about the Recall King's claims that vehicles sold in China were not defective.

Toyota doesn't make cars for bloggers?

2011-02-20T09:14:00.000-08:00

Toyota's recent advertisement declaring "we don't make cars for bloggers" was apparently aimed at the enormous amount of criticism Toyota faces on the Internet. Now, now Toyota. You musn't lose your temper over this free speech thing.

Best I can tell, Toyota and its protectors have been losin' the battle when it comes to promoting the automaker's interests on the Web, thanks in large part to sharp criticisms from bloggers, especially micro-bloggers on social media websites such as Twitter. To drum up support for the Recall King, someone recently offered bloggers $10 Amazon gift cards in exchange for favorable postings, etc., and even e-mailed a linked list of preferred websites for the bloggers to target. But alas. One of the bloggers took an ethical exception to all this, complained rather loudly, and things never materialized. In fact, things backfired by bringing about a social media uproar and a tweet from Toyota denying any involvement in the scheme. Nothin' like a devoted fan...

Listen, Toyota. I can understand why you might have it in for bloggers. But if you really wanna punish 'em, don't refuse to make cars for 'em. Instead, make 'em buy your cars.

Sudden, unwarranted acclamations

2011-02-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

What a hoot.  Toyota's protectors - including U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and NHTSA - are declaring the Recall King blameless because NASA says it can't prove electronics are responsible for some of Toyota's recent avalanche of sudden unintended acceleration issues.

Maybe Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood - talk about a Toyota mouthpiece - should read the report. NASA doesn't say that electronics aren't involved. It merely states - after examining a whoppin' total of nine (!) vehicles - that the agency has been unable to prove a connection. In fact, experts in the field are already questioning the government's methodology. The only thing that's been proven is the fact that there's a long way to go before this matter is resolved. Ironically enough, what has been resolved - the effectiveness of a brake override system - does not bode well for the Recall King. While others were installing this safety device, the world's "number one automaker" lagged behind. Drug its feet so slowly that this glaring safety omission has become the focal point of lawsuits filed against Toyota not only by customers, but also insurance companies.  Furthermore, Toyota's 8 million recalls for sudden unintended acceleration were based on mechanical issues, not electronics.

Pardon a pun, but the overriding issue isn't Toyota's electronics, its Toyota's credibility. For proof that this issue has taken center stage, one need look no further than the eyebrow raisin' results of an Associated Press investigation and the recent appointment of a special counsel to determine if Toyota illegally concealed rollover data in a case in Texas.

Regardless of Ray LaHood, NHTSA, NASA, and the best electoral system money can buy, this is still the age of the Internet. With thousands of customers signing an online petition complaining of continuing problems with oil sludge, two major car clubs howling about engine failures in MR2 Spyders, and an increasing host of other websites critical of Toyota, the Recall King obviously has a long way to go when it comes to establishing trust.

Sudden, unwarranted acclamations won't silence the facts, Toyota. Word is out regarding the way you do business.

Special counsel to see if Toyota hid evidence

2011-02-12T07:16:00.000-08:00

Former Toyota attorney Dimitrios Biller may have lost his case in front of an arbitrator, but Biller's claims that Toyota illegally witheld evidence have prompted a judge in Texas to appoint a special counsel to conduct an investigation. I'd say its about time.

If such allegations came only from Biller, it would be bad enough, but here's the deal. Biller is far from alone. Ditto the case in Texas. The enormous cloud of smoke includes similar allegations from other attorneys, and downright shocking disclosures from a recent Associated Press investigation. Toss in a zillion lawsuits, record-setting government fines, racketeering charges, settlements apparently calculated to avoid jury decisions, and investigations by a federal grand jury and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Really, folks. That's a lot of smoke.

I applaud the judge in Texas for refusing to be intimidated by the arbitrator's ruling in California. As smoke billows from customer complaints and embarassing revelations regarding the Recall King, nobody can be blamed for thinkin' there's a fire.
http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-toyota-texas-20110205,0,1046382.story?track=rss

Prius defect shows contempt for customers

2011-02-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

No wonder Toyota's little Glitch-mobile has been unseated by Honda's Fit for the top spot in Japan. Part of the recent parade of Prius defects includes a troublesome tendency for the headlights to malfunction. Just imagine. There you are, goin' down the road at night when the thing suddenly accelerates, brakes fail, and the headlights go off.  Okay. All three at the same time might be unlikely. Point is, Toyota's glitches seem to be catchin' up with the Recall King's sales, even on home turf.

But the finer point goes beyond lousy products. Toyota refuses to get it right when it comes to customer relations. Bad headlights - obviously bad based on the number of complaints to NHTSA - become the subject of a class action lawsuit instead of a good faith effort on the part of Toyota to correct the problem. Based on my experience with the Recall King, I wasn't surprised that customers were hassled at dealerships. Oh what a feeling...

Ah, the Toyota Way. Force folks to sue, then work out a settlement whereby Toyota avoids admitting that there was a defect.  A jury never rules on the issue, and Toyota avoids a recall. Slick stuff. "Number One for a Reason" indeed.
http://www.toledoblade.com/article/20110121/BUSINESS02/101200355/-1/RSS04

Maybe its the word of mouth, Toyota

2011-02-02T18:36:00.000-08:00

When I saw that Toyota's ad agency, Saatchi and Saatchi, was involved in marketing the new "family" of Glitch-mobiles ("Priuses" they like to call 'em), I got to wonderin' if Saatchi is part of Toyota's problem. Tryin' to recall (if you'll pardon the pun) a story that came out some time ago, I did a Google search, and there it was. Plenty of reason to be alarmed about the kinda folks Toyota depends on for advertising. You know. So-called "professionals" as opposed to customers.

'Bout the time unpleasantries started comin' out about the Recall King, it was revealed that Toyota's ad agency was sending a woman anonymous e-mails with threatening overtones, etc., as part of a so-called marketing scheme for the Matrix. I won't belabor the absurdity. Suffice it to say that Toyota seems to have a way of terrorizing people. Startin' 2011 off with yet another month of disappointing sales, apparently Toyota's philosophy goes something like this: Big ad agencies, they got glitz. Pomp. And circumstance. As for customers? All they got is some old-fashioned thing called "word of mouth."

Glad you thought it through, Toyota.

Update 2/3/2011 - Regarding the above link, Reuters censored my comment about Toyota's disappointing sales for January. Such censorship is also alive and well at ABC News.
Update 9/13/2011 - The victim of Toyota's absurd marketing scheme filed a $10 million lawsuit, and an appeals court has ruled that the suit can go forward.

Toyota = The One You Ought To Avoid

2011-01-26T10:25:00.000-08:00

At least Toyota makes a great acronym. In their case, "The One You Ought To Avoid" is just about as good as acronyms get. Today's recalls, totalling out at 1.7 million units, make over 12 million units recalled since 2009, and a whoppin' 27.6 million since '05. Referrin' to Toyota as the "Recall King" is apropos, but the acronym gets down to the ol' bottom line when you factor in lousy dealerships, blame-the-customer attitudes, racketeering charges, a federal grand jury look see, three record setting government fines in one year, and a judge ruling that allegations of fraud are sufficient enough for an avalanche of lawsuits to proceed. There's more, but whew. That's enough.

U.S. sales have plunged, global production is droppin', and the Recall King has nobody to thank but itself. There's an old sayin', Toyota, that "the customer is always right." Ignore it at your own peril. Worse yet, remain aloof. Act like customers aren't too bright - regardless of evidence to the contrary - and wait for problems to just somehow disappear. Then, to really ice up the cake, get charged with tryin' to keep stuff quiet. See what happens.

As "The One You Ought To Avoid" stews in its own juice, consumer advocate Charlene Blake put it quite well: "Didn't its 'Mama' teach it that what goes 'round comes 'round?!? Tsk, tsk, Toyota! You should have seen it comin'!!"

Volt upstages Prius. Toyota features Akio.

2011-01-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

GM's Volt musta shocked Akio Toyoda when it won the North American Car of the Year award at this year's prestigious International Auto Show. It happened while Akio was makin' his first ever appearance at the Detroit show, wringing his hands about recalls, and carrying on about the Prius, Tesla's production techniques, Toyota's outdated styling, a sudden determination to cater to customers, and - believe it or not - Toyota's commitment to safety. The Recall King would have been better off if the "Prince" had stayed home. And kept quiet.

Toyota was apparently hoping to steal the show by unveiling a "family" of new Prius models. But these aren't the good ol' days. Too many recalls. Too many fines. Too many disclosures, charges, investigations, lawsuits, and settlements. Too many angry customers, Prince. And correcting the situation will take a lot more than silly advertisements focusing on how to make the word "Prius" plural. Nonetheless, insofar as the little glitch-mobile is concerned, your new Prius collection is about as exciting as the ad campaign.

Please, Akio. Pretty please. Don't tell us any more about the recalls, the Prius, a lack of production and styling expertise, attitudes toward customers, or Toyota's commitment to safety. Really, Prince. Over the past year, we've heard quite enough about all that. Instead, tell us why thousands of customers have signed an online petition complaining of continuing problems with oil sludge. Tell us about all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders and why you've stonewalled complaints from owners, as well as two major car clubs. Please, Prince. Give us reason to believe that your company has changed. For the better.

Toyota Prius best coined "GLITCH-mobile"

2011-01-09T20:25:00.000-08:00

It was a cute little marketing ploy - presented not long before the North American International Auto Show - for GM's CEO to refer to Toyota's Prius as a "geek-mobile," touting it as no match for GM's new Volt. Gee. I certainly hope GM's new product is better than the Prius. Fact is, it wouldn't have to be all that great. A better nickname for Toyota's little wonder car would be "glitch-mobile," underscored by Toyota's latest Prius recall: 650,000 units to repair poorly designed water pumps, even though the Recall King says this wasn't actually a recall, blabbering something about customer satisfaction. Regarding "customer satisfaction," its interesting that the models with the botched water pumps are '04 thru '07. Given currently-charged-with-racketeering Toyota's reputation for being a bit slow to acknowledge defects, I can't help but wonder how long Toyota has known about these problems.

Lookin' over my blog posts concerning the Prius, its no wonder the things are not sellin' as well lately. Glitches galore. Acceleration problems, braking problems, headlight problems, and the list continues right up to the defective water pumps. Seems Toyota's discounts aren't workin' too well either...

Its a shame the media spotlight somehow keeps missin' all those engine failures in MR2 Spyders. Two major car clubs have been screamin' about the situation for years, along with consumers posting complaints all over the Internet. Wonder what other problems Toyota has been having - such as continuing problems with oil sludge - that the media has chosen to ignore?

Whistleblower was good enough for congress, but...

2011-01-06T17:09:00.000-08:00

Its too bad former Toyota attorney Dimitrios Biller wasn't able to present his case to a jury instead of an arbitrator. Had he done so, I believe he would have won, and its noteworthy that Toyota and its dealerships seem to have a strong preference for arbitration.

Simply put, "where there's smoke, there's fire," and if any automaker has been literally engulfed in smoke lately, its Recall King Toyota. Biller's allegations and disclosures hardly stood alone. Similar accusations have been coming out for well over a year gratis the sheer avalanche of lawsuits filed against Toyota, along with a headline grabbin' congressional investigation, racketeering charges, three record-setting government fines, a federal grand jury investigation, an ongoing parade of recalls involving a spectacular assortment of defects, and a recent, court ordered disclosure of a $10 million settlement in a runaway Lexus case. In the roar - dare I say racket? - Biller's cries of foul play were almost drowned out.

Especially disturbing is the fact that Biller's boxloads of documents - now ruled privileged between attorney and client - were subpeoned by congress and found beneficial, spotlighting such things as Toyota boasting about saving 100 million dollars by cutting corners with NHTSA on a safety issue. Had congress subpeoned Toyota instead of Biller, does anyone believe such information would have been released? Toyota has long been accused of dirty tactics, including the witholding of information the company is legally required to turn over in lawsuits. Biller apparently confirmed such accusations, prompting a Texas court to initiate contempt procedings against Toyota for witholding information pertinent to rollover crashes in a case involving a 17-year-old victim paralyzed from the neck down.

Attorney-client privilege is justifiably a cornerstone of law. But there are, as another old saying goes, exceptions to all rules. Amidst safey issues galore involving the Recall King, whistleblower Biller acted in the public's best interest, yet wound up being ordered to keep quiet, return the documents, and give Toyota 2.6 million dollars.

Let's face it. Something is terribly wrong with this picture.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ivxwIAY-mgweNzzI8k7Q7gFAsoiw?docId=CNG.73f2f224bb3634c80ddd331e82f260e4.5c1&index=0

Yahoo censorship re insurers suing Toyota

2011-01-04T18:22:00.000-08:00

Yahoo is again refusing to publish my comments.

I guess Toyota is extra touchy now that seven insurance companies have filed suit based on the Recall King's refusal to install brake override systems. As the below referenced article points out, these suits are a major challenge for Toyota.

Just for the record, here's what I had to say:

"Toyota is finally getting its just desserts for refusing to install overrides while other automakers offered this safety feature. As one of the Recall King's many dissatisfied customers - been bloggin' 'bout 'em for quite some time at (this blog's url) - I'm especially pleased that Toyota is accused of failing to disclose known defects."

I've noticed quite a few comments lately complaing of Yahoo censorship. Hey, Yahoo: the world is watching.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Insurers-take-on-Toyota-in-apf-1182206357.html?x=0#mwpphu-container

Update 1/7/2011 Yahoo continues to censor my comments. Toyota has now made the list for america's most hated 15 companies, and Yahoo immediately removed my comment, "Toyota should be at the top of the list, and not only for recalls. The complaints are many, including lousy service and equally lousy attitudes toward customers. I've been bloggin' 'bout the Recall King for quite some time at (this blog's url)." http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110106/ts_alt_afp/usconsumerbusiness

D.A. drops charges. Lexus driver sues Toyota.

2011-01-04T16:00:00.000-08:00

This case - another big embarassment for the Recall King - is shockingly similar to that of wrongfully convicted Toyota driver Koua Fong Lee. In fact, prosecutors weighed the Lee case heavily before dropping the charges against Unmi Suk Chung. Fortunately - unlike Koua Fong Lee - Chung didn't have to spend two and a half years in prison.

Koua Fong Lee is also suing Toyota, and if his case is any precursor of events, expect Toyota to suddenly claim that Unmi Suk Chung's vehicle was somehow altered. That's the latest Toyota tactic in the Lee case, and we now await - with bated breath - further elaboration from the Recall King. Maybe this sort of thing is what Toyota means when they threaten to defend themselves "vigorously."

Chung's suit alleges problems with Toyota's electronic throttle control and also highlights the fact - as do similar suits - that while other automakers were installing brake override systems, Toyota neglected to do so. Lack of an override is now a major issue, further emphasized in lawsuits filed last week by seven insurance companies.

Stay tuned. The air is rife with allegations that Toyota is guilty of cover-up and fraud, and there's sure to be plenty of headline grabbin' revelations as both of these cases - along with the sheer avalanche of class action and individual lawsuits filed against Toyota - work their way through the courts.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/03/business/la-fi-toyota-lawsuit-20101203

Car and Driver slams Toyota for 2011

2011-01-01T15:44:00.000-08:00

Talk about a coincidence: Toyota's 2011 Sienna recall was announced shortly after Car and Driver magazine let it be known that no Toyota would be included in its top 10 picks for 2011. Great timing, Toyota.

Based on my experience, most any automaker would be preferable to the Recall King, and I'm especially pleased to see a few rear wheel drive vehicles makin' the grade for CD's top ten. Notably enough, that's an area where Toyota has no offerings whatsoever. Their last rear wheeler was the MR2 Spyder, plagued by a rash of engine failures in 2000 thru 2002 models. If they offer another sports car, I sure wouldn't wanna risk buyin' one.

The Recall King is suffering from exposure, and its glaring absence from CD's top picks for 2011 speaks volumnes. The word - no pun intended - is out, Toyota.
http://www.torquenews.com/108/car-and-driver-top-10-cars-2011

Dealer opposed Toyota secrecy

2010-12-28T08:49:00.000-08:00

Toyota objected - of course - to the public finding out, but now we know the Recall King paid $10 million to settle the high profile tragedy that put the media spotlight on sudden, unintended acceleration. Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that one of Toyota's own dealers argued in favor of making things public. Seems to be no love lost between Bob Baker Toyota and the folks in Torrence. Apparently, their relationship soured after the two of 'em became co-defendants in the Saylor suit, which Baker has yet to settle.

Whatever the dealer's motives, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas made a strong case for making the settlement public. Rackauckas - he's already filed racketeering charges against the Recall King - said the Saylor case relates to public safety and the public has a right to know how much Toyota paid to settle. Can't fault the logic, especially with Toyota - just over the past year - agreeing to pay three safety related government fines, which, incidentally, many people think are way too low.

Based on my experience, Toyota's yen for secrecy is no surprise. Which brings to mind that old adage, "If you don't have anything to hide, then don't hide it." Good advice. Especially for a company at odds with one of its own dealers.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/20/business/la-fi-toyota-settlement-20101221

Toyota takes it on the... wrist. Again.

2010-12-23T18:07:00.000-08:00

Toyota gets two more cozy deals: Drop-in-the-bucket fines, and an agreement allowing the Recall King to fork over the money without admitting any violations of U.S. law. And the issues are far from minor. We're talking about the likelihood of injuries and deaths resulting from delays in reporting defects.

Without steeper fines, expect more such delays in the future. And there probably won't be any steeper fines.  Proposed safety legislation - itself prompted by Toyota's issues with sudden, unintended acceleration - has been blocked, which brings us back to the crux of the matter.  Ol' Uncle Sam - imbued with the best system money can buy - isn't really all that interested in reigning in an automaker like Toyota, regardless of how flagrant the violations.

Its important to note that the focus so far has been primarily on safety related issues. Given Toyota's disasterous showing in that regard, why hasn't there been a closer look at Toyota's response - or lack thereof - to so-called "non-safety" related issues?  Over three thousand customers have signed a petition alleging continuing problems with oil sludge, and two major car clubs have been screaming for years about engine failures in MR2 Spyders.  Three fines in one year, racketeering charges, lawsuits galore alleging fraud, a federal grand jury investigation, record setting recalls, and... well, you get the picture.

Its time for more than a few slaps on the wrist.
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/dec/21/toyota-to-pay-324-million-in-fines-to-feds/
http://detnews.com/article/20101221/AUTO01/12210356/-1/rss29

Dealership employees behavin' badly

2010-12-20T18:15:00.000-08:00

Toyota is getting quite a bit of headline grabbin' publicity for bad behavior on the part of employees at dealerships. It seemed to start with a theft, etc. caught on video and turned over to news media. More recently, a dealership's website praised a filthy video critical of Prius drivers, an employee at a North Carolina dealership pled guilty to embezzlement, and now we have a general manager charged with an assortment of offences ranging from driving without a license to public intoxication.

Based on my experiences, (click the label "thuggery"), such stories are not surprising. Nonetheless, these developments are noteworthy given the dealerships' association with a company that's currently facing racketeering charges, lawsuits galore alleging fraud, and a grand jury investigation for a delay in reporting defective steering rods.

Let's face it. You can't blame anyone for not trusting Toyota.

Update 12/31/10 The general manager has pleaded guilty to an August OWI charge, but the December charges are still pending.
Update 1/5/10 An ex-worker is suing a Toyota dealer, claiming he was fired for uncovering insurance fraud re a Lexus that was given to a football coach.

Bad fix for recalls has Toyota spinnin'

2010-12-10T06:20:00.000-08:00

Apparently, Toyota is having trouble repairing their recalls. I guess that's to be expected when an automaker has over 11 million in one year, but in Toyota's case, its the company's response that should raise eyebrows.

Toyota seems to have a problem with admitting a problem. Even when said problem is obvious and verifiable. Hence, when word got out that their technicians had botched accelerator repairs on recalled Camrys and Avalons, Toyota dug their heels in, and instead of simply acknowledging the situation, attempted to "spin" the story, offering the kind of sheer blabber that insults people's intelligence. A prime example of the sort of thing that's been a big contributor to Toyota's continuing downfall, especially in the U.S. market.

Here's the deal, Toyota. The kind of double-talkin' nonsense you've so blatently displayed is prima facie evidence that your company hasn't changed and has no intentions of doing so. Listen up, currently-charged-with-racketeering Toyota: Honesty is still the best policy.

Botched repairs revealed: http://www.insideline.com/toyota/camry/glitch-pops-up-in-toyota-camry-recall.html

Toyota responds: http://www.autospies.com/news/Toyota-Issues-Statement-Over-TSB-On-Recall-Repairs-59774/

Toyota caught red handed?

2010-11-01T18:18:00.000-07:00

Recent court filings allege shocking accounts of what Toyota's service personnel experienced when they drove vehicles to investigate sudden, unintended acceleration: speed rocketing from 71 to 95 mph, and rpm's zooming from 1500 to 5500. Attorneys say Toyota bought the vehicles back amidst efforts to keep things quiet.

Toyota initially said NHTSA wasn't notified, but then reversed course, saying NHTSA was notified after approximately five months. Toyota - recently fined, currently charged with racketeering, and the subject of a federal grand jury investigation - is developing quite a reputation for being a bit slow to notify NHTSA of safety related defects.

As usual, Toyota denies that they were trying to hide anything, and we'll hear their "vigorous" defense soon enough. Meanwhile, evidence is stacking up that sudden, unintended acceleration has to do with more than floor mats, sticky gas pedals, and driver error. Furthermore, Toyota's reliance on "black box" data is beginning to look like a carefully contrived tactic of of smoke and mirrors. Capabilities of onboard computers have been questionable from the get go, and these latest filings say the devices failed.

The tide began turning against Toyota with the case of Koua Fong Lee, an immigrant who was exonorated after serving two and a half years for criminal vehicular homicide. His not-even-on-the-recall-list Camry sped out of control causing multiple fatalities, and these latest court filings lend all the more credence to Lee's unwavering insistence that his car was to blame. As things now stand, customer accounts of sudden, unintended acceleration warrant a closer look, with a keen focus on electrical problems.

Toyota, its your move.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/toyotas-drivers-wheel-sudden-acceleration-cases-court-filing/story?id=11974250&page=2

Speaking of hoods, Toyota...

2010-10-21T16:21:00.000-07:00

'Bout two and a half months ago, my MR2 Spyder's hood release AGAIN failed to operate (See "Shoddy service: Dick Dyer and The Toyota Center" and "Hey, Toyota: Someone else fixed my car"). This time, I got the rest of the story.

To begin with Toyota designed the release cable to stretch from the driver's side all the way underneath the car to the passenger's side, and then around the back end to the latch. Kinda like goin' from Atlanta to Miami via Las Vegas. Faced with customer complaints, Toyota had issued a technical service bulletin for a new cable (same length) but were not as forthcoming about the later addition of an extra spring for the latch.

The independent shop I dealt with did their homework, got a redesigned latch, improvised to accomodate the exceptionally long cable, and the repair bill was about $450. Underscoring Toyota's lousy service, the Toyota parts dealer initially sent a latch for the trunk instead of the hood, even though the order included the correct parts number.

Toyota, you've got problems with your products, your dealerships, and your attitude, and its not about growing too big too fast. Its about an unwillingness to do the right thing. A determination to see how much you can get away with at your customers' expense. As your parade of recalls continues, I wish your former-attorney-turned-whistleblower, Dimitrios Biller, all the luck in the world as he attempts to expose the way you do business. You're a sick company, Toyota. And as far as I can tell, you have no intentions of changing for the better.

Regarding Toyota's latest recall - announced today - of 1.53 million vehicles for fuel pump and brake problems, Yahoo censored my comments.

Unraveling the Toyota way

2010-08-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

Can you recall a subpoena? Leave it to Toyota to issue one and then not follow through. Apparently, the Koua Fong Lee case (see my 8/14/10 post) has gone well beyond a mere embarassment. Toyota suddenly seems to be bumping into themselves by targeting Lee in an effort to take possession of his '96 Camry. Problem is, of course, not everyone trusts Toyota, and even if they did, Lee doesn't have possession of the car. Lee's attorney put it rather bluntly, saying "we just don't want Toyota looking at the car by themselves or having (sole) possession of it."

Federal grand jury proceedings, racketeering charges, a heretofore unexplained delay in reporting defective steering rods... I understand, Toyota. Its enough to make anyone a little edgy.

Update 8/26/10 - Internet complaint posts (tweets to followers, blog posts, etc.) re censorship are effective. Facebook DID publish my wall reference to this blog post in Posts by Everyone. First time ever for one of my Facebook entries re this blog. Twitter, however - as of about 11:30 AM - is once again censoring my Toyota tweets from appearing in real-time. Toyota can't stand the truth.

Update 8/27/10 - as of about 10:30 AM Twitter is continuing to censor references to this blog post from real-time. I also got a message from one of my followers that Twitter is preventing them from retweeting my tweets. Facebook - as of yesterday - is finally starting to publish in real-time (Posts by Everyone) the entries I make on my home page. Gee. Maybe someone at Twitter is angry at Facebook.

Update 8/28/10 - about 4:00 PM Twitter finally backed off their censorship and published in real-time my tweet with a link to this blog post.

Lee case an embarassment for Toyota

2010-08-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

Amidst claims that Toyota's customers have been steppin' on the accelerator instead of the brake, along comes the troublesome case of Koua Fong Lee. Wrongfully convicted of criminal vehicular homicide and sentenced to eight years in prison (see my 8/7/10 post), Lee has steadfastly maintained that he was hitting the brakes in a desperate effort to stop his Camry after it suddenly sped out of control resulting in the deaths of three people. The keyword here is wrongfully, because after serving two and a half years, the charges were dropped, highlighting false testimony - that went unchallenged - and evidence that was witheld at Lee's trial. 'Tis the nature of these two items that sounds a sour note for Toyota's blame-the-customer bandwagon.

At Lee's trial, a mechanic testified falsely that Lee's car did not have anti-lock brakes, the existence of which would have offered an explanation for the absence of skid marks. And Lee's attorney witheld a letter from Lee's insurance company confirming that the brake lights were engaged when the accident occurred. Adding insult to injury, Lee's attorney sided with the prosecution in his closing statement to the jury, saying Lee probably stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake. Sound familiar? Its now clear that Lee's version of events was supported by the facts all along. Hmmm...

Just when the breeze seems to be blowin' in Toyota's favor, the case of Koua Fong Lee stands in stark contrast to claims of driver error. It exposes facts that were supposed to stay hidden, along with the railroading of an immigrant.

Update 8/14/2010 - Facebook has censored this post from "Posts by Everyone" and Twitter has censored a tweet reference from real-time results.

Update 10/23/2010 - Koua has now filed a request to join a lawsuit against Toyota. http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_16412288?source=rss

Update 10/31/2010 - Koua's attorney says Toyota is liable:
http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/15283/interview-brent-schafer-law-firm-toyota.html

Case of jailed Toyota driver affronts fairness

2010-08-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

To begin with, it took nine months to file charges. Then there was the charge itself - vehicular homicide - which never did fit the facts of the case. Koua Fong Lee was returning home from church with his family when his Camry suddenly sped out of control on an exit ramp reaching speeds of 70-90 mph before crashing into another vehicle and resulting in the deaths of three people.  Lee has steadfastly maintained that he repeatedly pressed the brake pedal but the car wouldn't stop, yet Lee's attorney (lest we forget, Lee is an immigrant who came to this country to escape dirt poor living conditions) sided with the prosecution by stating in his closing remarks to the jury that Lee probably mistook the accelerator for the brake.

Lee was found guilty, sentenced to a whopping eight years in prison, and would have remained quietly tucked away behind bars except for breaking news of sudden unintended acceleration in Toyotas. With a new lawyer, thousands registering support on a Facebook page, street protests, and mainstream media coverage, a hearing was held to determine if Lee should get a new trial. And that's where the story really gets interesting.

Lee's new attorney presented bombshell testimony showing that Lee's car had anti-lock brakes, accounting for the absence of skid marks. At Lee's trial there had been false testimony - by a mechanic - stating that Lee's car did not have anti-lock brakes, and this testimony went unchallenged even though Lee's attorney had a letter from Lee's insurance company stating that the car's brake light was engaged. Sooo... with their opposition to a new trial smellin' worse than a kettle of rotten fish - and the case now making national headlines - the DA's office made a desperate, last ditch effort to dump the blame on Lee by offering to release him from prison if he would agree to drop his petition for a new trial and walk away a convicted felon. Talk about cheap shots. How many folks - with five and a half years of prison time to go - would have refused such an offer? If any, not many, and the prosecution knew it. But this time their victim had the courage of conviction - the sheer bravery - to turn down the offer, maintain his innocence, and proceed with his petition for a new trial. Applause, please, for Koua Fong Lee.  Within hours - amidst a groundswell of public outrage over Lee's incarceration - the Judge (same one who had presided over Lee's trial) granted a new trial, the DA dismissed the charges declaring "this is over," and Lee was suddenly a free man with a clean record.

Well and good. But its awfully strange how a mechanic can get a major piece of evidence wrong regarding something as readily verifiable as whether or not a car has anti-lock brakes. Ditto for a defense that allowed this testimony to go unchallenged.  And wouldn't it have been a cozy deal for Toyota if Lee could have been bullied into takin' the blame and walkin' away a convicted felon while the matter conveniently faded from public view?  This case may be over, but it raises troubling questions galore.

Update 8/9/2010 - FB has blocked my Toyota posts from Posts by Everyone, and this morning, Twitter is once again blocking my tweets from real-time results. A new Facebook page (Toyota's cars kill innocent people. Stand up for the truth), and exposure of false testimony, witheld evidence, etc. in the Koua Fong Lee case is turning up the heat on Toyota. Activists should monitor real-time publications for dirty tricks style censorship. Don't be dupped just because posts appear on profile pages, etc.

Censorship: Facebook joins Twitter and Yahoo

2010-07-21T14:54:00.000-07:00

Facebook has apparently caught the censorship virus also. Today on FB, I posted a reference to yesterday's blog post exposing the lousy service at Toyota dealerships. And wouldn't ya know it? Searched "Toyota," and the info didn't appear in FB's equivalent of Twitter's real-time results. Dirty trick Twitter style, the info did appear on my FB Home page, Profile page, and Posts by Friends. Facebook blocked the info from Posts by Everyone.

If it isn't government supported efforts to censor media coverage of the BP oil catastrophe, its an assault on Internet neutrality by the likes of Twitter, Yahoo and Facebook, while bloggers in China (make that RED China) accuse Toyota of paying private companies to delete unfavorable posts. Let's be vigilant, expose censorship whenever it occurs, and speak out loudly in favor of Internet neutrality.

Hey, Toyota: Someone else fixed my car.

2010-07-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

Talk about lousy service at Toyota dealerships. I've already posted regarding the unevenness in my rebuilt engine, the Check Engine light coming on, and the fact that I took my MR2 Spyder to the Toyota Center several times attempting to have these things corrected. Their "senior mechanic" plugged in his diagnostic tool and suggested that I add bottles of moisture remover to my gas tank. Of course, this didn't work, I finally quit going back, and the Check Engine light has remained on for a long time.

Matters got resolved a few weeks ago when the hood release once again failed to operate (turns out that even though a Technical Service Bulletin was issued, neither Dick Dyer Toyota nor the Toyota Center were able to fix it), and I had to find someone who could get my hood open. Determined not to take my car to a Toyota dealership, I found an independent repair shop, asked them to fix the hood release, and didn't even mention the other problems because I had pretty much given up on ever gettin' the car to run right. But lo and behold, these folks took an interest in the car, asked me about the Check Engine light, and to make a long story short, the car now runs like it should for the first time since I bought it. Smooth all the way to the redline, 'bout twice as fast, and no Check Engine light glaring in my face. Cost about $800 but well worth it. Thrilled, I am - even though these things should have been corrected when Toyota rebuilt the engine.

Whatsamatter, Toyota? Are your dealers really that incompetent? Apparently so. But at least I got a good laugh out of it when I saw you were offering free service as a sales incentive. 'Cause that's exactly what your lousy service is worth. Absolutely nothin'.

Update: Yesterday (7/20/2010) I posted a tweet referencing this post and this morning Twitter has censored my tweets from appearing in real-time. Toyota must be gettin' nervous with all this talk of a widening federal grand jury investigation. Look out, Toyota. Your defective products are finally gettin' exposed.

Update 7/21/2010 5:29 PM This blog post has also been censored by Facebook. It appears on FB Home, Profile and Posts by Friends, but not on Posts by Everyone. Re Twitter, I'm apparently unblocked - at least for now.

Congrats, Tony. Right on for picketing Toyota.

2010-06-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

Like yours truly, Tony Scanaliato got so fed up with Toyota he decided to picket in front of his local dealership. Too bad there aren't more customers using this technique to expose Toyota's wrongdoing. Its certainly one way to circumvent censorship. What Toyota needs, bless their little charged-with-racketeering hearts, is customers all across the country picketing in front of their dealerships. Wouldn't it be great if everyone who signed the oil sludge petition marched with signs letting potential customers know what they're gettin' into if they deal with Toyota? One thing's for sure. Absent a high profile tragedy, Ol' Uncle Scam's mainstream media certainly isn't gonna help. The idea is to wrist-slap Toyota with a fine or two, hoping that'll make NHTSA look good, and keep quiet about everyday ripoffs such as oil sludge, strange engine noises, and stonewalled defects causing engines to disintegrate in MR2 Spyders.

Hooray for Tony Scanaliato exposin' the "Toyota Way." Such a pity consumers have to exercise extreme tactics to obtain some semblance of fairness.
http://auto.freedomblogging.com/2010/06/15/o-c-man-ends-toyota-picketing-over-lemon/35293/

Couple returns 2010 Camry - ads flunk the test

2010-06-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

Talk about a hoot. Here's another story I'll bet Toyota would love to censor, especially in view of their new ad campaign claiming "Your Toyota is my Toyota." Tell that to a couple in Canada who returned their 2010 Camry after three (!) bouts of sudden unintended acceleration and their Toyota dealer's unsuccessful attempt to correct the problem. Towing service was downright confrontational, and Toyota's credit department let these recalcitrant customers know that the car would be considered "abandoned." Hey - that'll teach 'em to balk at drivin' a car that suddenly surges forward on its own. The ad campaign is designed to reclaim lost trust, but maybe Toyota figures folks in Canada don't count 'cause the ads are directed at Europe...

This late-breaking example of the "Toyota Way," hailed ad nauseum by their CEO as a newfound respect for customers, has prompted these customers to plaster their new Camry with lemon stickers, call in the media, and ask Transport Canada to investigate. Updates are promised. Stay tuned.

Returned 2010 Camry, including video: http://chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2611751
Toyota's new ad campaign: http://wot.motortrend.com/6644456/marketing/toyota-europe-launches-265-million-ad-campaign-to-win-back-trust/index.html

Also...
Earlier today, one of my Toyota tweets was again censored the "Twitter Way," which has come to include dirty tricks. See update for previous post.

Censorship re Twitter, Yahoo... and Toyota

2010-05-31T16:55:00.000-07:00

There are allegations that Twitter censored the tag, #flotilla to impede the avalanche of commentary after word got out re an Israeli raid on a Turkish flotilla carrying aid to Palestinians in Gaza. Ordinarily, I would discount this in favor of attributing the problem to a glitch. Unfortunately, however, my experiences with Twitter have not been ordinary. Best I can tell, evidence of censorship - not only by Twitter, but also by Yahoo and Toyota - is starting to accumulate (see my posts for 4/28, 5/6, and 5/10/2010).

Today's allegations re Twitter are troubling because less popular tags relating to the flotilla incident encountered none of the technical difficulties Twitter apologists say are responsible. Furthermore, after a tide of microblogs leveled charges of censorship, the #flotilla "glitch" suddenly disappeared. Kinda like what happened to me when I kept notifying my followers re Twitter's efforts to censor comments I tweeted about Toyota, including tweets re the same sort of censorship by Yahoo. Last but not least, mainstream media accounts of the raid were obviously questionable.

Censorship should alarm everyone - especially those of us who frequent the Internet. We now have the potential to reveal the kind of information that government and industry has been able to keep quiet by pressuring traditional media. This is not the time to hurl unfounded allegations, but it is most certainly a time for vigilance. For example, I am particularly alarmed re Twitter publishing my tweets via (searching) my account, but not publishing them in real-time results. This has all the earmarks of a dirty trick, because if I send out comments compaining that the tweet was censored, it appears that I was - at best - mistaken. Rest assured that I carefully monitor real-time results immediately after I tweet.

Update 6/8/2010 1:19 am - monitored 15 mins. - as outlined above, Twitter again published one of my Toyota tweets under my acct and on my profile page, blocked it from real-time results, and published subsequent complaint tweets in real-time. Dirty tricks the "Twitter Way."

Censorship issues aside, the flotilla incident is deplorable and heartbreaking. I join those who condemn the raid.
http://dowzocalypse.com/2010/05/31/flotilla-aid-murder-twitter-censorship/

http://www.google.com/search?q=twitter+flotilla&hl=en&prmd=nu&tbo=u&ei=TmEDTIOUIsT_lgf067GhCA&sa=X&oi=realtime_result_group_more_results_link&ct=title&resnum=2&ved=0CC0Q5QUwAQ&&tbs=mbl:1

Lexus LS (Lousy Steering) recalled n drydocked

2010-05-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

I'll bet Toyota wishes they could censor the truth about this one. Their much ballyhooed flagship, the Lexus LS - models hit the $60k to 100k range - has not only been recalled. Its been drydocked. Yessir, after news of the defective steering had time to soak in, ol' Mr. T was forced to just go ahead and stop sellin' 'em altogether.

Halting sales for safety reasons is rare in the automotive industry, but certainly not for Toyota. Stoppin' sales is gettin' to be synonomous with the Toyota Way. Frankly, I think Toyota oughta be forced to bring their entire operation to a screechin' halt, at least until the racketeering charges are resolved. After all - news blackout notwithstanding - they've got over 3,000 customers alleging deceptive business practices over oil sludged engines...

Till Toyota finds a fix for this latest exposed defect, its comforting to know that Lexus LS (Lousy Steering) owners need not worry. Toyota says the steering wheel can still be used to steer the car. Really. That's what they say.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lexus-recall-20100525,0,6644368.story

News Blackout: 3,133 customers petition Akio Toyoda

2010-05-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

When thousands of customers complain about the policies of a business that has been charged with racketeering, the public most certainly has a right to know. Nonetheless, mainstream news organizations are refusing to publish this story.

Hardcopy of the online petition, "Toyota Owners Unite for Resolution: Engine Oil Sludge" was submitted to President Akio Toyoda, Toyota headquarters, on April 21, 2010, delivery confirmed via signed receipt. Toyota's response, received May 11, 2010, has been typically nonsensical.

Excerpts from the news release:

3,133 SLUDGE VICTIMS PETITION TOYOTA

Thousands of outraged customers have petitioned Toyota seeking redress for engines damaged by oil sludge. They allege that Toyota stonewalls and refuses to comply with the terms of a class action settlement, and at least one petitioner has filed a lawsuit. "No wonder Toyota is charged with racketeering," said Charlene Blake, who initiated the petition. "Toyota's response to oil sludged engines is the epitome of deceptive business practices."

The release was in standard format (due to a technical problem, the Huffington Post received a summary via their website) and provided ample contact information. Here is a list of the news organizations that were notified:

LA Times
Washington Post
USA Today
Associated Press
Huffington Post
NY Times
Consumer News
Media Asia
Detroit Free Press

Yahoo blocks comments about Toyota.

2010-05-10T20:40:00.000-07:00

Anyone who thinks Yahoo is a bastion of free speech better think again. In recent weeks, with only two or three exceptions, Big Y has been refusing to publish my comments below articles about Toyota. I've been permitted to comment on other topics, and interestingly enough, Yahoo has published my comments via Buzz. The objective seems to be to prevent information from reaching the really BIG audiences attracted to top news stories, usually Yahooed via the Associated Press and garnering perhaps over 20,000 comments. Buzz generally attracts a far more limited response, and is apparently being used by Yahoo in an effort to placate my concerns regarding censorship. This evening, about 8:30 pm, Yahoo censored my comments re "Toyota waited months to issue steering recall," prompting this post.

Yahoo has a history of censoring comments. Check out Yahoo's response when someone posted comments on a flickr blog complaining about thieved photographs, and Yahoo's scolding from Reporters Without Borders for cooperating with Internet censorship via repressive regimes such as China. Gee. What else has Yahoo been up to, and how many voices - outspoken bloggers in China are often jailed - has Yahoo helped to silence?

Bloggers in China have accused Toyota of hiring companies to remove negative posts. Let's hope Yahoo, Toyota, and Twitter (see posts for 4/28 and 5/6/2010) aren't tryin' to globalize the repression of free speech.

UPDATE: Immediately after publishing this post, I submitted a tweet, "Yahoo blocks comments about Toyota. (link to this post)," and Twitter censored the tweet from Search. I then submitted a tweet intended for my followers, "Twitter is censoring my tweet re Yahoo blocking comments about Toyota," and it appeared in Search. This is the same boorish tactic used by Twitter earlier today (see today's UPDATE below 5/6/2010 post).

UPDATE: 5/21/2010 Yahoo continues to block my comments re Toyota. This afternoon about 5:10 pm EDST, I submitted a comment below the Yahoo news article (via AP), "Toyota recalls 3,800 Lexus cars for steering fix," and once again it was blocked. Not surprising that one of the congressional witnesses Toyota targeted for attack also had a blog critical of Toyota (see link list under Shhh...).

Censored by Twitter: Toyota's April sales plummet 16.7 percent in Canada

2010-05-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

5/12/2010 - instead of separate posts, I am currently adding updates at the bottom of this post re various censorship problems with Twitter.

Toyota's slick marketing and deep discounts wore off quickly in Canada, confirmed by a 16.7 percent plunge in April sales while other automakers posted gains. For some reason, this wasn't very well publicized on this side of the border, including the popular social media site Twitter. When I submitted a tweet with the link below, it appeared on my home page and my profile page, but was repeatedly blocked from Search.  Recently, I've been encountering censorship not only from Twitter, but also from Yahoo.

Apparently, the reason Toyota's decline didn't "catch up with them earlier" has to do with pre-booked sales instead of the deep discounts Toyota has been offering in an attempt to lure customers into showrooms. Perhaps this kind of information is what Toyota, Twitter, and Yahoo would prefer to keep quiet.
http://www.albertalocalnews.com/business/Canadas_six_largest_automakers_split_between_growth_decline_92711079.html

UPDATE 05/07/2010 - Twitter has censored tweets about this article from appearing in Search. Twitter's censorship re this particular tweet started yesterday. A subsequent tweet, "Reaching out the Toyota Way http://toyotasludge.com/victims " did appear in Search, and that may have been the ol' proverbial straw that broke Toyota's back, prompting Twitter to block all of my tweets from appearing in Search.  The link connects to a testimonial that exposes the truth about Toyota's current attitude toward customers, and is posted - along with the customer's name - on a blog established by yet another recently victimized Toyota customer. Hey, Twitter: this is NOT the United States of Toyota.

UPDATE 5/8/2010 - About 8:30 pm yesterday, I noticed that my tweets were once again appearing in Search. I'll be posting further updates re any significant developments.

UPDATE 5/10/2010 - about noon, I repeatedly submitted the above tweet, "Toyota's April sales plummet 16.7 percent in Canada. http://tinyurl.com/25ukt2o " but it was still censored from Search. I then tweeted info intended for my followers, "5/10/2010 about 12:15 pm Twitter still censoring 'Toyota's April sales plummet 16.7 percent in Canada. http://tinyurl.com/25ukt2o '" and that tweet was published in Search. Bitter, Twitter?

UPDATE 5/12/2010 - about 9:25 pm I submitted a tweet referencing an article about Toyota's finances. After monitoring Real-time rusults for about ten minutes, the tweet did not appear, but about an hour later, it showed up via regular Search. At that time, I noticed Twitter's longstanding problem with apostrophies appearing as ' had finally been resolved. This caused my tweet - which had been programmed to read correctly assuming Twitter's glitch - to appear jumbled. I deleted the tweet, resubmitted it, and it appeared in Search via Real-time results within a minute or less. About 2:00 am I submitted a tweet re Toyota's "buzz" rating being categorized as "corporate cad."  I immediately monitored Real-time results for about ten minutes but the tweet never appeared. Then I searched again, and it appeared on a stationary list of tweets labelled Real-time results.  My retweets this evening were also omitted from active Real-time results, and one of them never appeared on my Home page.

Twitter experience smacks of scare tactics

2010-04-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

5/13/2010 - this post was originally titled "Twick or tweet, Twitter is a Twip." Subsequent events involving censorship by Twitter and Yahoo prompted the change.

Having been active on Twitter for about two months, I've found the experience to be a strange mix of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Accounts are nicely formatted with wonderful design options; tweets are generally informative and often humorous. But my first "followers" had accounts loaded with obscenities. Four letter filth. Pictures of drug addicts and thugs.  I blocked them, but there was a weird pop-up when the cursor was paused over the word "you" in the message, "retweeted by you," that accompanies retweets. Instead of my name appearing, the pop-up mimiced the message, stating "Retweeted by You," and linked to an account titled "You" which referenced a "wallace" located in "Wilsonville." There was four letter filth, and emblazoned in large letters across the top was "I kill people who nudge me." This situation persisted for about two or three weeks after I compalined to Twitter. No proof of a connection, but searching Twitter, I found a David Wallace who owns one of those "reputation management" companies that protect corporations from "Consumer Generated Media." Kinda made me wonder if someone was tryin' to discourage me from criticizin' Toyota.

Many tweets are peppered with obscenities. That seems inconsistent with Twitter's avowed concern for a "quality" search experience, and I won't belabor the aggravation of apostrophies appearing as ' (commonly understood to stand for "annoying piece of s..."). Then there's Twitter's policy of punishing rules violations by suddenly blocking tweets from search. Common courtesy dictates the need for a polite warning before taking such drastic action. I don't think most folks - especially newcomers - intentionally violate Twitter's directives, and some accounts violate the rules with apparent impunity, repeatedly submitting similar or identical tweets and identical links.

Twitter leaves quite a bit to be desired, but has the potential to become a class act.  Here's another critique:
http://www.claytowne.com/beats-digging-ditches/social-media-myths-why-your-blog-will-suck-facebook-wont-make-you-money-and-no-one-will-read-your-twitter-posts/

NHTSA lets Toyota off with a wrist slap

2010-04-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

$16.4m would be a lot of dough for most folks, but Toyota isn't among them. Having made something in the range of $52 billion last year, its little wonder that Toyota agreed to pay the fine in exchange for not being required to admit guilt. If only the taxpayers could levy a fine aginst NHTSA.

More troubling still, I don't believe sentiments such as mine are getting adequately publicized. The article below is the only one I've come across that criticizes the "punishment" Toyota received for allegedly covering up safety defects. I was unable to access the comments, and when I tried to link up with Twitter, my tweet appeared on my home page, but I could find no evidence that it was published. Worse yet, several other efforts to tweet about this issue were - as far as I can tell - unsuccessful. What gives here? Hopefully, just a glitch. Problem is, a pattern of strange "glitches" is emerging with regard to my efforts on Twitter, and government censorship on the Internet - not to mention blogger allegations that Toyota deletes negative posts in China via so-called "e-PR" agencies - has become a hot topic. But I'll reserve further comments on that issue for a future post.

Right on for the Motley Fool tellin' it like it is:
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2010/04/20/toyotas-shameful-wrist-slap.aspx

Toyota exec: "We need to come clean."

2010-04-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

Honest, folks. It wasn't me - it was one of Toyota's own. Upper echelon own. Five days before their recall re sudden unintended acceleration, an executive fired off an email advising the big T to come clean. Gee. That's what Toyota's customers have been sayin' for years. Over 3,140 have signed a petition complaining of Toyota's stonewallin' re oil sludged engines, MR2 Spyder owners have been documenting engine failures on Spyder club websites, and blogs attempting to expose Toyota are poppin' up right n left.

Here's a link to some nice news coverage (video) of the execs advice:
http://nzh.tw/g/110428

Toyota halts sale of 2010 Lexus 460

2010-04-14T17:17:00.000-07:00

Oops. Toyota caught again. This time, Consumer Reports says the Lexus 460 SUV poses an extreme rollover risk. So extreme that CR has issued a rare "Don't Buy" warning to consumers.

Toyota has halted sales of the 460, but here's the question: where is quality control at Toyota? Furthermore, are we to believe Toyota didn't know about this until CR issued a safety warning?

Given all the recent revelations about Toyota, maybe Consumer Reports is a little gun shy 'bout not doin' what it claims to do. I lost faith in CR because they refused to investigate and warn consumers about 1zz engine failures in Toyota's MR2 Spyders.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/13/lexus-gx-460-sales-halted_n_536615.html

AP: Toyota deceptive when sued

2010-04-13T17:32:00.000-07:00

Gee. According to an Associated Press investigation, 'ol "Mr. T" resorts to incredibly sleazy tactics if anyone dares to sue them. Questionable, evasive, and deceptive tactics, says AP. Even goin' so far as to ignore court orders to produce key documents.

Nothin' Toyota would do would surprise me, but this story raises the question once again: who does Toyota think they are?
http://www.manufacturing.net/News-AP-In-Toyota-Lawsuits-Evasion-Becomes-Tactic-041210.aspx

Toyota dealer praises filthy video

2010-03-30T23:43:00.000-07:00

Update: after public criticism, this Toyota dealer musta had second thoughts about his choice of advertising. The video no longer appears on his website.

Might oughta restrict the kids from checkin' out Toyota dealers' websites. Jon Lancaster Toyota in Madison, Wisconsin has a sales manager - Nathan Riesen - who lists as a "Favorite" the video of a face-masked-dressed-in-black character ranting, raving, and using not only four letter filth, but also profanity in a tirade against Prius drivers who don't shift into neutral when Toyota's little wonder car suddenly decides to take off. Not that most of us haven't used equally bad language in the heat of a moment. Its just that this video was carefully selected, labeled, and conspicuously marked with a red heart. Musta been love at first sight.

Actually, I wasn't all that surprised. Its certainly consistent with what I've experienced, and incidentally, Mr. Riesen is a "Certified Master Sales Consultant" and a "Sales Society Master." Nothin' like masterin' yer craft...
http://www.youtube.com/user/nateriesen

Toyota charged with racketeering

2010-03-18T17:53:00.000-07:00

Leave it to Toyota to set records. Ol' "Mr. T" is now the defendant in the first consumer lawsuit of its kind, charged with violating RICO, the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. I like the part where one of the attorneys refers to Toyota's policy of blaming somebody else when things go wrong. That's the Toyota I've come to know.

Racketeering? Somehow, Toyota keeps remindin' me of the Godfather.
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202446254842&Racketeering_Unfair_Business_Practices_Claims_Added_Against_Toyota

Toyota wants runaway Prius. Cops say no.

2010-03-10T19:52:00.000-08:00

After this latest report of a runaway Prius, Toyota tried to "collect" the car, whereupon the cops told 'em no. Had some ridiculously outrageous idea that the Prius didn't belong to Toyota, it belonged to the owner.

Really, folks. Who does Toyota think they are? Whatever. One thing's for sure, though. Before long, a runaway Prius will be so commonplace it won't make the news...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031001159.html

Don't twitter, Toyota. Just tweet people right.

2010-03-06T01:45:00.000-08:00

Toyota just doesn't get it. To reach out to customers, they've hired a marketing firm to help 'em make tweets on Twitter.

Here's the deal, Toyota. Its not about marketing. Its about standin' behind your product. Tellin' the truth. Reimbursin' customers for defects, and never takin' 'em to be fools. What kinda tweets are ya gonna make about those 3,000+ customers who have signed a petition to protest your stonewallin' ways? What about all those 1zz engine failures? Real ripoffs for folks who bought MR2 Spyders and Celicas. Apparently, you weaseled out of includin' these models in your oil sludge recall. And then there's the never ending barrage of recent disclosures. Traffic fatalities involving runaway vehicles, deals with safety regulators, and the list goes on ad nauseum. Tweets on Twitter? By the time the grand jury gets through, you might be singin' like bird...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/02/AR2010030202419.html

Need a fix, Toyota? Just KISS.

2010-03-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

Simply install alarms that alert drivers every time you cut a deal with NHTSA.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/02/AR2010030203914.html

Agreed, Mr. Williams: it looks like corruption.

2010-03-03T20:29:00.000-08:00

Deals with safety regulators savin' Toyota hundreds of millions of dollars, safety investigations blocked, horrific crashes involving out-of-control vehicles, and the list of alarming revelations gets longer by the day. Now, mainstream media's Armstrong Williams says he's been led to believe there's full-scale corruption at Toyota. Cover-up. Killing machines. Dirty little secrets.

Its high time someone with Mr. Williams' credentials said so. 'Cause blamin' this scandal on "rapid growth" and "bad PR" is becomin' scandalous itself.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/01/williams-toyotas-deadly-secret/

Is Akio the Prince... or the Godfather?

2010-02-27T18:08:00.000-08:00

The jury - federal grand - is still out on that one, but I'm leanin' toward the latter. As the death count increases, evidence points to hundreds of millions of dollars worth of sweetheart deals between Toyota and NHTSA, revolving doors resulting in blocked safety investigations, and the intentional witholding of stuff Toyota was legally required to release in accordance with lawsuits filed against them by crash victims. Big stuff. Stuff about vehicle design and testing, complete with out of court settlements motivated by a desire to keep incriminating information quiet. And just for good measure, the Securities and Exchange Commission has jumped into the fray, demanding to know more about what Toyota has been tellin' investors. Whew.That's enough to raise anyone's eyebrows.

Equally alarming - now that a few investigations are under way - it seems we're gettin' a daily dose of heretofore unheard of defects, along with downright unnerving accounts of NHTSA's response to consumer complaints. Even Apple's Steve Wozniak got the cold shoulder when he complained about sudden unintended acceleration in his Prius.

With sales a sufferin', Toyota is comin' up with better offers for customers affected by current recalls, and plans to offer some spectacular incentives to attract buyers. Okay. But somehow, this whole thing reminds me of a movie I once saw about a family run business that got its way by makin' offers people just couldn't refuse...

Hey, NHTSA: oil sludge IS a safety issue...

2010-02-23T11:02:00.000-08:00

Toyota continues to stonewall customers whose engines have been damaged by oil sludge, and over 3,000 have signed a petition in protest. Many engines have suddenly seized up in traffic, some on the Interstate. Yet the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn't consider sludged engines to be a safety hazard. How come?

As the relationship between Toyota and the NHTSA raises alarming questions of political influence - along with a criminal investigation - it's way past time to bring the oil sludge problem front and center. Not only is there an obvious safety issue, there's also compelling evidence that certain models were unduly excluded when Toyota was successfully sued in a class action years ago.

Anytime an outrageous number of engines conk out, its not the customers' fault. And if any car company now has a reputation for blaming customers when things go wrong, its Toyota. Wouldn't it be nice if the taxpayin' public had recourse to a government agency that looks out for consumers instead of corporations? C'mon, NHTSA. Do your job.

Unintended acceleration: NHTSA knew in 2003

2010-02-20T19:49:00.000-08:00

Revolving doors twixt NHTSA and Toyota, deals cut with so-called safety regulators savin' Toyota 'bout $100 million, and the wash gets dirtier by the day. Now, State Farm has changed its story regarding when they alerted NHTSA regarding unintended acceleration. Seems it was 2004 instead of 2007. Not to be outdone, ol' NHTSA has fired back that it already knew about the problem and had started lookin' into things December of '03. Okay...

Question is, after they knew, what did they do? Well for one thing, they slammed the brakes on an investigation into consumer complaints of unintended acceleration in Toyota's 2006 and 2007 Tacoma trucks. And Apple's Steve Wozniak says he didn't get all that warm a reception either when he tried to alert NHTSA to unintended acceleration in his Prius. Actually, there have been horror stories galore from drivers of Toyota's little wonder car, and other models are also accused of takin' off the wrong way. After NHTSA was alerted to the problem, it denied at least four petitions from owners alleging unintended acceleration.

Heckuva job, Nitsuh.

Corolla (!) spotlighted for steering problems

2010-02-11T17:32:00.000-08:00

If you drive a 2009 or 2010 Corolla, look out. There have been a barrage of complaints about the steering, of all things.

Frankly, given the news regarding safety defects in various Toyota vehicles, I wouldn't trust any of Toyota's stuff. The Corolla? Say it ain't so. Toyota can't even get it right regarding its best seller?
http://nydailynews.com/money/2010/02/10/2010-02-10_ay_corolla_call_top_car_a_bum_steer.html

Tacoma picks up unintended acceleration

2010-02-10T18:23:00.000-08:00

For the kinda pick up you don't want, visit a Toyota dealership. Turns out the Tacoma has had complaints of unintended acceleration. The NHTSA says resources weren't available to investigate a couple of years ago, but they might take a look now. Their willingness to reconsider coincides with highly publicized allegations claimin' political influence within the NHTSA has been protectin' Toyota from all kinds o' stuff. The Tacoma is named after Tacoma, Washington, and that makes for a nice touch, 'cause now the Tacoma brings to mind yet another Washington.

I'll take my taco with a little mustard...
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/80291-regulators-decided-against-toyota-investigation-in-08

Money talks, Congress listens...

2010-02-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

And if you ain't got millions and millions of dollars - BILLIONS are even better - well, Bunky, its gonna be kinda hard gettin' heard. Congressional hearings into Toyota? Anyone who thinks Congress has any interest in correcting consumer rip offs involving Toyota and/or the NHTSA better think again. Instead, it seems our dear elected officials have more of an interest in protecting these two culprits. Its becoming clearer by the minute exactly how Toyota has been able to get away with ignoring most any defect imaginable, including continuing problems with oil sludged engines. No wonder the recent lawsuit filed against Toyota in West Virginia complains that political influence within the NHTSA has been lookin' out for Toyota. Next thing you know, the public is gonna suspect that Toyota's reputation for quality is all mixed up with some pretty rotten stuff.

Did I say political influence? I thought it kinda strange that several members of Congress were so anxious to hold hearings into Toyota's defective products, its relationship with the NHTSA, etc., and now I realize that "kinda strange" is an understatement. Turns out the politicians conducting the "hearings" have more ties to Toyota and the NHTSA than you could shake the ol' proverbial stick at.

I guess you could say actions - such as slatherin' grease on the right palms - do indeed speak louder than words. Yessir, a big enough glob of that ol' filthy lucre even tends to drown out those screams recorded on a 911 tape of four innocent people, including a 13-year-old girl, as they headed for fiery deaths at 120 mph in a runaway Lexus.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_toyota_s_friends

Consumers: NHTSA = No Help To Solve Anything

2010-02-05T00:36:00.000-08:00

The public is finally getting a first hand look at the way government has been protecting Toyota (and no tellin' who else) instead of Toyota's ripped off customers. A class action lawsuit filed against Toyota a couple of months ago in West Virginia reveals shocking evidence of politically inspired chicanery within the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and challenges Toyota's "fixes" for unintended acceleration. Another class action suit has just been filed in Ohio accusing Toyota of fraud.

The NHTSA has become little more than a front for corporate interests, and this latest Toyota mess is only the tip of an iceberg. To name a few examples, its a disgrace when over three thousand Toyota customers resort to signing an online petition seeking relief because of oil sludged engines. Its a disgrace when a carmaker is allowed to exclude obviously defective models from recalls, and its a disgrace when the government agency charged with traffic safety turns a deaf ear to a major car club's carefully documented complaints. The list goes on and on ad nauseum, but the NHTSA's negligence regarding unintended acceleration may turn out to be the straw that broke the camel's back. It brings to light one simple question. How many people have been seriously injured or killed because of political influence within the NHTSA?

Here's the real shame of it all. Toyota would still be doing business as usual except for the deaths of four people (including a 13-year-old girl) in a highly publicized 120 mph crash documented on tape when an occupant in an out of control Lexus made a frantic call to 911.

Lawsuit links unintended acceleration, electronics

2010-02-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

There are comments all over the Internet alleging that Toyota's "fix" for sudden acceleration does not address the cause. Actually, a lawsuit was filed months ago revealing evidence of a malfunction in Toyota's electronics. The suit also gives the public good reason to believe that political influence within the NHTSA has kept things quiet for Toyota.

This lawsuit may force some meaningful answers out of Toyota, along with an explanation as to why certain models have been exempted from recalls. Customers say that exempting certain models from recalls is a tactic that goes back to Toyota's oil sludge problems. Toyota must be gettin' help from somebody. Thousands of customers have signed an online petition complaining of abuse, and at least one lawsuit is being planned to force Toyota to comply with the terms of the oil sludge settlement.

Unintended acceleration linked to electronics? Political influence at the NHTSA? Why hasn't this lawsuit made headlines on the evening news?
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/new/stock-alert/tm_w-va-lawsuit-targets-toyota-740398.html

Government pressures Toyota to stop sales

2010-01-27T16:58:00.000-08:00

Toyota's latest batch of recalls seems to be the ol' proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Thanks to government pressure, Toyota has now stopped selling several of its most popular models, including its much ballyhooed Camry, Corolla, and RAV 4 crossover. Not that there's any connection, of course, but government intervention also coincided with a sudden stop in the production of these vehicles. If you ask me, Toyota oughta also quit exposin' the public to other models, startin' with the Prius. Better yet, why doesn't Toyota just do everyone a favor and close their lousy business down entirely? Apparently, the government was finally forced to act because of the horrific consequences of Toyota's defects, and the never ending barrage of consumer complaints, not only to government agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, but also complaints lodged all over the Internet via comments on numerous websites, an online petition signed by over three thousand desperate Toyota customers, and individual blogs devoted to exposing the truth.

There are costs involved with producing a quality product and then reimbursing customers when honest errors are made. But cuttin' such costs invariably turn out to be even more costly in the long run. The long "run" occurs when irrate customers get together and run offending businesses like Toyota clean out of town.

Bad news keeps rollin' in for Toyota

2010-01-24T11:41:00.000-08:00

Update: Today (10/26/10) Yahoo censored comments I submitted that were critical of Toyota and Consumer Reports magazine, including remarks about engine failures in MR2 Spyders.

Hooray for the public getting an unvarnished look at Toyota. 'Tis a pity mainstream media still refuses to expose all those engine failures in Toyota's MR2 Spyders. Nonetheless, many of the horrors of doing business with Toyota are finally coming to the public's attention.

This 1/22/10 BusinessWeek article uses some interesting terminology, sayin' Toyota can't even "buy" a break from the continuing barrage of bad news. Hmmm. Is puttin' a little cash in the right hands the way Toyota has been keepin' things quiet about their lousy products? Frankly, I'm still puzzled over Consumer Reports' silence regarding engine failures in MR2 Spyders. I no longer have any confidence in Consumer Reports magazine. I contacted CR about the problems with MR2 Spyders, and my efforts turned out to be a waste of time. Sorta like the folks runnin' the Spyderchat website complainin' to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Let's face it. The consumer has been sold down the river by an electoral system that's the best money can buy. Both parties marchin' along to the drumbeat of Wall Street. Isn't it a dirty, rotten shame that taxpayer dollars have been spent to help corporations like Toyota victimize an unsuspecting public?
http://www.businessweek.com/autos/autobeat/archives/2010/01/toyota_to_recal.html

Floor mat attacks Avalon by remote control

2010-01-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

Yessir, the floor mat had most certainly been removed, so some sort of remote control is the only logical expanation for this case of unintended acceleration involving a 2007 Toyota Avalon. Apparently, what this pesky floor mat - they're known to be vindictive and hateful -didn't count on was the driver being able to get the car to the dealer while the problem was occuring. If Toyota will look into this matter a little closer, they'll no doubt discover that floor mats are highly sensitive, and it irks 'em to be removed.

Based on my experience, floor mats get treated better than Toyota's customers.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/toyota-avalon-displays-unintended-acceleration-without-floor-mat.html

2010 Prius features brake failures galore

2009-12-29T12:23:00.000-08:00

Yessir, Toyota's little wonder car is just flat out unstoppable. Their latest edition features horrifying accounts of brake failure so prevalent they've already gotten the attention of mainstream media. I reckon' them thar floor mats are actin' up again...

At Toyota, it seems that quality is job NONE.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34611930/ns/business-autos/

Cause of Lexus crash still unknown

2009-12-15T09:25:00.000-08:00

Not that I'll ever believe anything Toyota says, but why would anyone wanna deal with a car company that can't even get it right regarding floor mats?

Police investigators say mechanical failure can't be ruled out in the horrific crash that focused national attention on unintended acceleration:
http://www.injuryboard.com/national-news/crash-that-led-to-toyota-recall-inconclusive.aspx?googleid=275542

Lexus owner targets unintended acceleration

2009-12-15T09:10:00.000-08:00

This Lexus owner is an attorney who thinks Toyota is guilty of unprecedented abuse, and he's lookin' into the possibilities of a class action lawsuit. If you own a Lexus or Toyota, its well worth your time to visit his website:
http://mylexusisdefective.com/

Runaway Lexus kills four. Voices taped by 911.

2009-10-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

A horrific crash involving a runaway Lexus was detailed on tape when one of the four occupants made a desperate call to 911. Speeding out of control at 120 miles an hour, the Lexus finally rolled, burst into flames, and all four occupants - including a 13-year-old girl - were killed. The driver was an off duty highway patrolman.

Publicity surrounding this tragedy has focused national attention on the issue of sudden, unintended acceleration. Question is, why wasn't this safety issue addressed by Toyota and/or the NHTSA years ago?
http://consumerist.com/2009/10/toyota-911-call-of-familys-fatal-lexus-crash-due-to-gas-pedal-stuck-on-floormats.html

Here's a FANTASTIC website for registering ANY Toyota problem:
http://www.ToyotaProblems.com/

Over three thousand customers petition Toyota

2009-09-13T10:53:00.000-07:00

Thousands of Toyota customers have resorted to signing an Internet petition in an effort to persuade Toyota to do the right thing regarding oil sludged engines. Sooo...

Sign the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/TMC2003/petition.html

Register complaints about ANY Toyota problems:
http://toyotaproblems.com/

Jury finds Toyota guilty of breach of contract

2009-08-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

After my experience with Toyota's "agreements," (see my 6/17/09 post, "More bullying from Toyota"), I certainly wasn't surprised to learn that Toyota has been successfully sued - the jury's decision was unanimous - for violating contractual obligations. What is it with Toyota? Do folks - in this case a small business - have to initiate lawsuits to get Toyota to do the right thing? No wonder Toyota - facing its deepest domestic sales decline in 30 years - is now shutting down one of its assembly lines.

The plaintiff's attorney emphasized that Toyota "isn't above the law," and says the jury "taught Toyota a lesson." Let's hope so on both counts, but it seems the only thing that's going to teach Toyota a lesson is a continuing plunge in sales. Find out the rest of the story when it comes to Toyota's attitude regarding a contract. Published links for several news articles were inoperative. Do a Google search: jury teaches Toyota a lesson

4Runner case alleges coverup, wrongful death

2009-08-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

A product liability lawsuit filed in California claims Toyota concealed safety data that showed a defective design in Toyota's third gereration 4Runner SUV. The lawsuit further alleges that the design defect was responsible for the driver's death when the vehicle rolled over. Attorneys have raised troubling questions about Toyota's business practices, including Toyota's advertising, which the lawsuit claims misrepresented the facts, thereby misleading the pulbic into thinking the vehicle was safe. This, of course, is merely the latest in a series of lawsuits involving the 4Runner.

Details in this tragic case are nothing short of alarming:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/08/prweb2780484.htm

Dealership named as example of bad business

2009-08-21T00:11:00.000-07:00

Toyota's rotten dealerships certainly aren't limited to the one's I've dealt with. James Feldman, who lectures businesses on the perils of offending customers, uses his experience with the Hartford Toyota dealership in Hartford, Connecticut as an example of how not to treat customers. Note that Mr. Feldman says Toyota never apologized. Toyota apologize to a customer? From what I've learned, when things go wrong, Toyota expects customers to take responsibility and apologize to Toyota.

Just another case that exposes the realities of tryin' to survive when you deal with Toyota. Read how Mr. Feldman was treated. Find out more about how Toyota "values" customers. Click on the following link and scroll down to paragraph 13: http://www.shifthappens.com/bc_custpower.html

Toyota now characterized as a "Loser in America"

2009-07-22T09:20:00.000-07:00

Ho, ho, ho. I just love it when a company's lousy products and equally lousy attitude toward its customers catches up with the ol' bottom line. I hope my efforts to expose Toyota for what it is have contributed to Mr. T's plunging sales. For the first half of 2009, Toyota's U.S. sales are down a whopping 38 percent, which is three percent over the national sales average.

That's right, Toyota. Keep refusin' to reimburse customers for damages when your defective engines have to be replaced, and keep blamin' your customers when things go wrong. And of course, if a customer protests too loudly about being ripped off for thousands of dollars, rely on sheer thuggery to shut 'em up. Toyota, you're a bonafide disgrace to common decency.

Get the latest scoop on Toyota's continuing downfall:
http://www.carversation.com/2009/07/22/toyota-becomes-a-loser-in-america/

Video: dealership employees caught stealin', etc.

2009-07-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

Based on my experiences with Toyota, I was hardly surprised to learn that some of their dealership employees got videotaped stealing, snooping through a customer's belongings, and - really, folks - one of their employees actually licks his hands to get the residue from the customer's prescription medication. Okay, I'll admit, I did find that last one just a wee bit shocking...

Of course, Toyota's customer got no cooperation from management until he obtained the video and sent it to local media. See to believe:
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/07/video-toyota-dealer-employees-caught-snooping-through-customer/

Regrettably, no more comments. Here's why.

2009-07-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

To begin with, I don't like anonymity. It smacks of deceit, fear, and cowardice. It appeals to the kind of people who would sneak around and vandalize someone's car. The kinda folks who lie, make death threats, and gang up on someone. People who would do the bidding of a corrupt corporation. Years back, when I began blogging and posting comments on the Internet, I decided on a simple policy. If I can't give my name, then I can't make the comment.

Nor am I willing to host inane ramblings, or comments laced with obscenities. When I create posts for my blogs, I make a concerted effort to address issues and offer references. I avoid the use of even the mildest slang.

This blog addresses a culture of disrespect that has been evolving for many years regarding business attitudes toward customers. Almost without exception, the comments to my posts were reflective of the intolerable atmosphere I've encountered in my dealings with Toyota. I don't have time to moderate comments. There are countless websites where individuals can indulge their preference for inane, anonymous commentary, laced with obscenities. My blog isn't on the list.

Prius prompts class action lawsuit, possible recall

2009-07-14T15:54:00.000-07:00

Here we go again. Toyota is being accused of concealing a defect from owners, and this time the result is a class action lawsuit over High Intensity Discharge headlights in the Prius. There have been so many complaints, a possible recall is even in the works. Not to worry. Toyota will step up to the plate and explain the connection between these headlight failures and customers not changing the engine oil at proper intervals.

Gee. Maybe Toyota could wire up the Prius' headlights the same way as Toyota's Check Engine lights. That oughta make 'em come on often enough...
http://www.autospies.com/news/Toyota-Facing-Lawsuit-Potential-Recall-Over-Prius-HID-Headlights-45562/

Toyota U.S.A. ad shields Prius from criticism

2009-07-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

For a master of deceit, Toyota's hard to beat. All those rosie YouTube viewer comments on Toyota U.S.A.'s Prius video ads are apparently a bit misleading. Charlene Blake, well known consumer advocate and longtime thorn in Toyota's side, dared to post evidence of a few Prius problems, such as bad brakes and unintended acceleration. Toyota U.S.A. demonstrated its devotion to free speech by removing the post and blocking Charlene from making any more comments.

I'll bet Toyota wishes they could also remove posts - and block everyone's access - to Charlene's online petition regarding oil sludge. So far, almost three thousand of Toyota's customers have embarrassed ol' Mr. T by listing their names and making comments.

Poor lil ol' Toyota. They're afraid of Charlene Blake...

Sales keep droppin' - Toyota pins hopes on Prius

2009-07-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

Update 12/11/2010 - Prius problems continue: 650,000 recalled to fix water pumps. http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2010/11/30/toyota-announces-another-prius-recall/
http://tinyurl.com/2ejlb9v

Toyota's sales continue to plummet, down almost sixty percent in Russia, and in the U.S., Toyota has recently been outpaced by Ford. Looks like the public is finally catchin' on to Toyota's slick marketing versus the sad facts of the corporation. Toyota and its dealerships are the absolute worst experience I've ever had in the automotive industry.

Not that all of their products are pure junk, or anything like that, but its downright amusing that Toyota is pinning its hopes on the Prius. Must be a case of nervous desperation, 'cause the Prius is developing a reputation for such niceties as unintended acceleration, brake problems, strange behavior on gravel surfaces, and less gas mileage than folks are being led to believe.

Toyota losing sales? Couldn't happen to a finer bunch.
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/may2009/gb2009058_991777_page_2.htm

Toyota Center violates the law - I call the cops

2009-07-08T05:37:00.000-07:00

Update 5/3/2011 - Management at the Toyota Center has changed hands since this was posted. Current management has been sincerely concerned about incidents of this kind and has taken appropriate measures to ensure that such encounters will not happen in the future.

I finally had to call the cops on the Toyota Center.

Yesterday, while I was picketing, one of their thugs snatched my sign - ripping it apart in the process - and ran off into the Toyota Center. This was the same guy who had previously told me that what I was doing wasn't worth dying over, threatened me with his car, and said he would return with a "gang of technicians."

Can't say much for the West Columbia police department, either. They refused to arrest my assailant, and unnecessarily delayed me - despite my repeated requests - from getting home to check on my dad. Believe it or not, the first cop to arrive on the scene even told me that since I was protesting the Toyota Center, they "had a right to protest me." 'Course, maybe our local boys in blue are simply unaware that such things as theft, assault, malicious destruction of property, and death threats are somewhat less than legal. Then again, maybe they just have a soft spot in their tender little hearts for Toyota...

Stay tuned.

Update 3/30/2011 - the two cops referenced above - both of whom were belligerent - are identified on the police report as Kyle Ostrander and Jeff Phillips.

Sudden acceleration: Prius joins Camry, Solara

2009-06-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

Oops. Bad enough for Toyota that government investigators have been looking into allegations of unexpected speedups in Camrys and Solaras. Now it seems that Toyota's much touted Prius is yet another model with a mind of its own. Worse yet, customers say the Prius also has a nasty habit of ignoring those frantic stabs at the brake pedal. Just keeps going, and going, and going. Ask the guy whose Prius wound up taking him inside a convenience store and then exploded. He has filed a lawsuit against Toyota.

Leave it to Toyota to blame its customers. When the problem is an outrageous number of engine failures, Toyota says its because their customers don't change the oil regularly. When the problem is unstoppable, sudden acceleration, Toyota says its customers can't distinguish between the gas pedal and the brake. Toyota has also suggested - with a straight face - that some of those pesky customers have even jammed floormats underneath the brake pedal. Comforting to know that Toyota thinks folks who purchase its products are so highly intelligent.

Horror stories galore:
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2009-04-23/news/hybrid-hell-the-toyota-prius-can-be-a-devil-to-drive

Video: victims of oil sludge speak out

2009-06-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

Take a look at oil sludge, hear interviews with Toyota's victims, and check out an automotive expert's opinion regarding what caused the problem. He calls Toyota's response to customers "demeaning." Hear about someone who accepted Toyota's "one time goodwill offer," only to have her engine stop running again after less than 300 miles. Click "more info" for a written summary of the problem, and links to other websites.

Apparently, Toyota's engine failure/oil sludge issue isn't going away anytime soon. Customers are still complaining, at least one lawsuit is in progress, and hopefully there will be class action lawsuit number two, including models not initially listed. Hear some howlin' at
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fs7WI2s-CVw

More bullying from Toyota

2009-06-13T07:32:00.000-07:00

Update 10/30/10 -
This week, documents surfaced showing that on two occasions, Toyota service personnel drove vehicles to investigate customer complaints of sudden acceleration and verified that the customers' claims were correct. Toyota repurchased the vehicles and urged both customers to keep quiet, even requiring one of them to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Yahoo news censored my comments about this matter, and is now refusing to publish any comments I submit, regardless of the topic.

On 5/12/09, which was less than a week after I began directing people to this blog, I got a telephone call from Mr. Dave Adams - Southeast Toyota's "Customer Loyalty" guy - claiming he wanted to "help me get some of my money back." But it turned out to be exactly the kind of bullying I've come to expect from Toyota. Specifics - if you can call them that - were kept verbal (the trademark of someone who's tryin' to scam you), I would be expected to accept considerably less than my expenses, and I would be required to tow the line in terms of loyalty to Toyota. They don't call him the "Customer Loyalty" guy for nothin'. To ensure that Toyota was making a "good investment," I would "say nice things" about Toyota when I visited their dealerships, and this blog "might have to come down." Seems I also needed to "learn how to be a gentleman." Any more picketing, and the Customer Loyalty rep would see to it that I didn't get a dime. Even gave me a couple of days, he did, to "think things over." Yessir, he put on quite a performance. Flogged me good n proper for darin' to criticize Toyota, and simultaneously whined that my remarks about Toyota had "hurt his feelings." Touchy folks, these "Customer Loyalty" guys. But things could have been worse. At least I wasn't required to buy a new Toyota...

Since Toyota refused to offer bonafide specifics and put them in writing, I finally made my position crystal clear. Sent 'em an e-mail stating that I better not settle for anything less than reimbursement for all of my expenses. Reminded 'em, I did, of the continuing problems I'm having with the engine they rebuilt. Unfortunately - as I've noted elsewhere on this blog - multiple engine failures are not uncommon. And incidentally, when it comes to hurt feelings, my feelings were also just a wee bit challenged when I had to fork over thousands of dollars due to Toyota's improperly designed engine.

Point is, Toyota shouldn't profit from their design defect, and potential reimbursement shouldn't be held as a club over a customer's head. C'mon, Toyota. Clean up your act.

Engine failures in MR2 Spyders

2009-05-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

Starting last year, I began picketing in front of the Toyota Center and Dick Dyer Toyota after these two dealerships and Toyota's corporate headquarters refused to make allowances for a design defect in Toyota's MR2 Spyders. Although Toyota has yet to include Spyders in the sludge fiasco, engines suddenly lose oil, disintegrate, and the exhaust system can also be ruined. I've been out $8,500 in repair bills - $2,000 to Dick Dyer and $6,500 to the Toyota Center - and all Toyota does is stonewall. For more details - and a multitude of cases like mine - visit http://www.spyderchat.com/ Click Community Forums, then Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting, then Catalytic Converter/Engine Failures (Post Yours). My Post is number 128. Notice that some customers have lost several engines in rapid succession, and some folks don't have the money for repairs, which leaves these unfortunate souls making payments on a car they can't use. Since Toyota refuses to address their design defect, I have been unable to obtain any assurance that the defect was corrected when my engine was rebuilt, such that my engine will not suddenly disintegrate again.

For additional cases, and an in-depth technical discussion of Toyota's design defect in their MR2 Spyders, visit the British Spyder owners' website at http://www.mr2roc.org/ and click Maintenance, Problems & Troubleshooting, then Pre-cats: The Official MR2-ROC Information Thread.

I accidentally discovered "the rest of the story" about engine failures in MR2 Spyders while browsing the Internet. Its way past time for a class action lawsuit aimed at forcing Toyota to satisfactorily resolve the outrageous number of engine failures in MR2 Spyders. If the problem is oil sludge, MR2 Spyders - and probably a number of other models - need to be included in the initial class action. Spyder owners are a relatively small group compared to the number of folks who own other models, so class action lawsuits are less feasible. Apparently, this is the sort of thing Toyota relies on. Talk about a bully.

Toyota problems? Here's a FANTASTIC website for registering complaints:
http://www.ToyotaProblems.com/

Center for Auto Safety versus Toyota

2009-05-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

For further evidence of Toyota's lousy products - with an attitude to match - visit the Center for Auto Safety's website at http://www.autosafety.org/ and click on the Center's various campaigns. Given Toyota's glitzy advertising, you'll no doubt be surprised when you get the rest of the story.

In addition to directing people to this blog, the sign I'm holding up in front of Toyota's dealerships says UNFAIR TO CUSTOMERS. The wording is certainly appropriate, but I'll admit, its a bit of an understatement.

"Mr. T" must stand for thuggery

2009-05-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

Dealership employees have complained to local law enforcement about me exercising my right to picket, have used four-letter filth, and have threatened me with bodily harm. Around midnight, about 48 hours after I complained to Toyota regarding Dick Dyer's sales manager (!) suggesting that I "get the f... outta here," I received two obscene phone calls emphasizing the f-word. Toyota's position on this sort of thing is that they have no control over their "independent" dealerships.

After I stopped picketing last Wednesday, two Toyota Center employees had hemmed in my car with two vehicles, and refused to allow me to exit, even after I told them I needed to get home to take my Alzheimer's stricken father to the bathroom. Instead, they sauntered around in close proximity. I finally managed - just barely - to get my car out, checked on my dad, and returned to picket some more. After a few minutes, someone with the Toyota Center came to talk with me about the risks of standing close to the road, during which time two or three cars barreled by and suddenly swerved toward me, abruptly cutting back to avoid a collision. Just another strange coincidence, I guess. Like those obscene phone calls...

Update 5/3/2011 - Management at the Toyota Center has changed hands since this was posted. Current management has been sincerely concerned about incidents of this kind and has taken appropriate measures to to ensure that such encounters will not happen in the future.

Forced arbitration, courtesy of Dick Dyer Toyota

2009-04-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

Seekin' service at Toyota's largest dealership in South Carolina? Take note of your repair order, which informs you that "THIS TRANSACTION IS SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION PURSUANT TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA UNIFORM ARBITRATION ACT." Read the fine print, and you'll discover that once you sign, if things go wrong, you'll be required to submit to the arbitration process before you can take the matter to court. Worse yet, Toyota selects the arbitrator, which turns out to be the so-called Better Business Bureau. How many people do you know who won their case in front of an "arbitrator"? The process is exactly what you would expect from a bully like Toyota: its a deck stacked in favor of big business, which tends to wear the consumer down and discourage further action. 'Course, when folks take their vehicles in for service, they're usually in a bit of a bind - over a barrel, you might say - and don't have time to consider a mess of legal niceties. Which brings us to the crux of the matter. Why does Toyota's largest dealership in the state find it necessary to hamper a consumer's right to have their case heard in court? Must have tons of unhappy customers...

Shoddy service: Dick Dyer and The Toyota Center

2009-04-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

DICK DYER TOYOTA (Columbia, SC): When I noticed my oil was suddenly several quarts low, black as coal, and the engine was losing power, I took my car to Dick Dyer Toyota, proudly touted as the largest Toyota dealership in South Carolina. They didn't even do an oil consumption test, replaced the exhaust system without telling me what had clogged it, and sent me on my way with an engine that was literally coming apart (when the engine was rebuilt - at a different dealership - it was confirmed that a piece of the catalytic converter had blown into the exhaust system, which accounted for the rattling sound I had mentioned to Dyer's service tech). Of course, the car was in no condition to be driven, and this is particularly troublesome because the service tech and others at Dick Dyer were well aware of the fact that I used the car to transport my elderly father, who has Alzheimer's. He also suffers from a heart condition and is legally blind with macular degeneration. I'm thankful we didn't wind up in an accident, or simply stranded alongside the road, perhaps at night, perhaps without heat. For my dad, who is subject to sudden, violent chills, it would have been a life threatening situation. Safety concerns aside, the new exhaust system was exposed to oil, etc. being blown into it from the rapidly desintegrating engine, and I'm lucky the new exhaust system wasn't also ruined. When I called to report that my engine was still using way too much oil, the service tech said he would have to ask around to see if anyone would be willing to rebuild my engine, and when he hadn't called back after a week or so, I contacted a different dealership, the Toyota Center.

Apparently, Dyer didn't have a mechanic qualified to rebuild an MR2 engine. Actually, that's not too surprising given the fact that one of their mechanics - supposedly an ASE and Toyota Certified Master Diagnostic Technician - couldn't even fix the hood release, and suggested that I switch to another grade of oil - thicker than what the manufacturer recommends - to see if that would reduce the oil consumption. I eventually learned that the hood release was yet another of Toyota's design defects, and should have been replaced. Furthermore, Toyota dealers had been notified of this via a Technical Service Bulletin.

Talkin' with other folks around town regarding my experience at Dick Dyer Toyota, I repeatedly heard a vulgar cliche, apparently long known to most. Its "D... Dyer before he d.... you." Trite, to be sure. Even humorous to some people. But I don't like dirty jokes. And considering my experiences with Toyota's dealerships, I'm certainly not amused. Speaking as a newcomer to the Toyota brand, "deeply disappointed" would be more like it.

THE TOYOTA CENTER (W. Columbia, SC): The Toyota Center's "Senior Mechanic" rebuilt my engine. There's unevenness at a certain rpm, and the Check Engine light keeps coming on. I've taken my car back several times regarding these problems, but to no avail. Search the Internet, and you'll find plenty about Toyota's problem with Check Engine lights coming on.

Regarding Toyota, I guess you could say I've "seen the light... "

Update 12/13/2010 - The Toyota Center also attempted to fix the hood release, but I finally had to take my car to an independent shop (See "Speaking of Hoods, Toyota"). Same regarding the engine problems (See "Hey, Toyota: Someone else fixed my car").