I own three cars. All of them are Toyotas. The first one I bought is a 2000 Solara, purchased when it had 12,000 miles on it. I drove it for six years, then passed it on to my wife. The second one I bought is a 2006 Prius that I bought new. For the past three and a half years the Prius has been my car. Last year, in January, I bought a 2009 Camry, with 8,000 miles on it, for my wife. The Solara became the car used by our child's weekday/workday caretaker, to get to and from our house for work, and to pick our daughter up from school and various appointments, as her own car became disabled. The 2009 Camry is now the car my wife uses to go to work every day. It's the car she uses to take our three year old daughter to physical therapy, to school, and to the park.
As you can see, we're fairly utilitarian in our automobile usage. We didn't buy the cheapest cars in the world, but they're certainly not among the fanciest. Two of the three were bought used, though in very new condition, still under their original warranties. What I want, when I buy a car, is to own one that works. If anything goes wrong with it, I want the manufacturer to be responsible for the repair.
Our newest car, the 2009 Camry, is now one of 9 million automobiles worldwide for which the company has issued a "recall." Usually the term "recall" is used to describe a situation in which a product is to brought back to the manufacturer, to be either altered or replaced. It's generally a tactic that's used only as a last resort, when a company has no other alternative. In the case of a 2009 Toyota Camry, the "recall" has been issued due to a design flaw of the accelerator pedal, which can make the pedal stick in the open, depressed, position. This can lead to unintended acceleration. It can lead to accidents. It has already caused a number of deaths.
"A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop a vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death," Toyota spokesman Irv Miller has said.
But my 2009 Camry, in spite of the announced "recall," is not being returned to Toyota. Not because I still want it. I don't. It's not being returned because Toyota has not yet figured out how to fix it. So, in spite of announcing a "recall," all Toyota has done is to issue some warnings, to state that they're "working on" a solution, and to instruct my wife and me to be alert to the problem. If it manifests, we're supposed to apply the brake firmly, shift the car into neutral (or, if that's not possible, to turn off the ignition altogether, which would leave the power steering and power brakes without any power), pull over to the side of the road, and then call a Toyota dealer to come get the car. That's assuming the unintended acceleration hasn't propelled us into another vehicle, or over an embankment, as has already happened to other drivers.
Maybe I'm too much of a worrier, but I'm not comfortable with the situation. Toyota has offered some comfort to others like myself. In addition to the concise instruction on how we should handle it if our car starts to behave in uncontrollable fashion, and in addition to Mr. Miller's rather sober assessment of the possible repercussions, Toyota has said, "We would also like to reassure customers: the potential accelerator pedal issue only occurs in very rare circumstances."
Hey, Toyota: That doesn't comfort me one bit.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found that sudden acceleration events in Toyota vehicles have led to 19 deaths in the past decade, nearly twice the number of deaths associated with similar events in cars manufactured by all other automakers combined. Hence, the "recall," in which my vehicle not actually being taken back. In this "recall," I'm being told to keep driving it.
Beginning on September 29, 1982 seven people died from Tylenol capsules that had been tampered with, and poisoned, by a still undetermined individual. On October 5, 1982, Johnson and Johnson issued a nationwide recall (note the word) of Tylenol products. An estimated 31 million bottles were in circulation, with a retail value of over $100 million. The company also advertised in the national media for individuals not to consume any products that contained acetaminophen. When it was determined that only capsules were tampered with, they offered to exchange all Tylenol capsules already purchased by the public with solid tablets.
Recall. Johnson and Johnson issued a recall. That means they took back all the capsules, even though almost all of them were probably safe, and destroyed them. Customers were given a safe replacement product. There were 31 million bottles in circulation, and seven deaths.
Toyota's (as yet) make-believe recall involves 9 million current vehicles, similar models to which have caused 19 deaths. But my wife and I are being told to continue driving our daughter in their car, because the problem only occurs "in very rare circumstances." By my count, the problem occurs almost three times as often as as deaths from Tylenol occurred in 1982, while the potential problem causing those deaths exists in less than one-third the number of products.
Were Tylenol consumers told in 1982 to call the manufacturer if they took a pill that made them start to feel ill? No. They were told to destroy the product, or return it to the manufacturer for replacement. So why am I being told to continue driving a car that has a greater chance of killing someone than Tylenol did in 1982?
My guess is it's because a car is a whole lot more expensive to replace than a bottle of pills. And that's true. But my wife and daughter will not be any more easily replaced than were the people who died from poisoned Tylenol. So, as you might imagine, I'm not satisfied. And I don't think other owners of compromised Toyotas should be, either.
Apparently now the U.S. House of Representatives will hold a February 25 hearing on the accelerator issues that led Toyota to issue their massive "recall," which - so far, at least - isn't really a recall at all. My advice for a first order of business would be to make sure that the company actually recalls the cars it's supposedly "recalled." Because, so far, that's not what they've done.
Follow Evan Handler on Twitter: www.twitter.com/EvanHandler
Loading comments…
I posted last week that you had every right to be angry at Toyota, but in the end you should forgive them. Yeah, I was wrong. You should be angry, get your money back and/or get rid of your cars. I had heard about the recurring problems on NPR a few days ago, went back to the LA Times article which they referenced and was deeply saddened by the articles (looking down on the page, I see that TerryLeftgoff provided the links). I used to own a couple of Toyotas and had been happy with them, but I am happier now that I own a Honda.
I hope it works out for you.
"[The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee]...is likely to look at the Toyota Tacoma pickup as a key case study in the hearings, because it does not use the gas pedal that Toyota has said is vulnerable to sticking in other models and yet has a large number of sudden-acceleration reports -- some in which the drivers have said there were no floor mats.
Toyota has told the committee that the Tacoma is among the three models with the most sudden-acceleration complaints, along with the Camry and Lexus ES350."
Congressional committees gearing up for Toyota hearings
Investigators will focus on discrepancies in the automaker's explanation of the sudden-acceleration problem and examine the regulatory role of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fi-toyota-congress7-2010feb07,0,2932068.story?page=1
Not enough people have died.
All cars have problems.
My Toyota has 100B miles on it.
It’s safe, my mother drive a Toyota.
Just turn off the ignition switch, you f@#$in’ idiot. That one was from an undercover Toyota rep.
I’ve owned a Tacoma since the 80s so there can be ‘anythin’ wrong. Note: Toyota’s first Tacoma came off the line in 1995.
The cost would be too much for Toyota’s shareholders to write off.
My favorite: get over it Toyota is taking care of the minor problems we are having with you in mind your safe with us! No commas intended.
DATA POINT TO TOYOTA's THROTTLES, NOT FLOOR MATS
Amid widening concern over acceleration events, Toyota has cited 'floor mat entrapment.' But reports point to another potential cause: the electronic throttles that have replaced mechanical systems.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-throttle29-2009nov29,0,5254584.story
GRAPHIC: COMPLAINTS INCREASE WITH INTRODUCTION OF NEW THROTTLES
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-112909-fi-2toyota_throttle-g,0,6259535.graphic
the point of this is that *in my opinion* , in the short term, customers should make sure the carpet is not on top of the base of the pedal, until toyota fixes the recall to adress the real issue.
my original comments can be found at the following link, for some reason that account has been terminated. my sole interest is simply to get information out.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/evan-handler/if-my-car-is-being-recall_b_441370.html?page=8&show_comment_id=39123336#comment_39123336
Evan, thanks for the story and this forum.
In Wed and Thurs' LA Times:
Toyota probes take a new turn
Investigations are focusing on electronic throttle systems.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-congress3-2010feb03,0,7933465.story
Disputed Toyota documents could shed light on safety accusations
An arbitrator is asked to unseal the documents in a federal case in which a former company lawyer claims the automaker concealed evidence.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-lawyer3-2010feb03,0,7374631.story
Denial is a familiar road for Toyota
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik4-2010feb04,0,817396.column
An arbitrator is asked to unseal the documents in a federal case in which a former company lawyer claims the automaker concealed evidence.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-lawyer3-2010feb03,0,7374631.story..."
Let the sun shine in.
A real secondary problem is the expectation of perfection. In the '50s and '60s, belts broke, tire were crap, brakes did not work too well and if a car lasted 100,000 miles, it was something of a miracle. To get to that mileage there were 4 or 5 brake jobs, a valve job, several generators maybe a starter or at least a solenoid and god knows what else. Today, many cars go 10.000 or more miles between service and if they ever do break we are appalled and threatening to sue someone.
Basically Toyota screwed up, big time, by trying to minimize the extent and cause of the problem while they searched for a fix. In reality, there is probably nothing "wrong" with the circuit beyond a random interference from another component. Would not have happened with a cable or rod but then, good gas mileage would have been more dependent on a competent, engaged operator instead of a genius engineer.
This is just another example of the first casuality in a company whose market is global. Quality assurance goes the way of the dinosaur and our mercenary/contractor economy facilitates the race to the bottom when corporate execs in their infinite wisdom see only the bottom line when choosing suppliers (aka the lowest bidder).
The point is, expect these types of mass recalls to become more, not less, frequent. I have.
People need to use their rational brain instead of the lizard brain.
While I think that Toyota has been slow to resolve this issue and the PR surrounding it has been abysmal, I do think they are trying to handle this in a deliberate manner to make sure that whatever they come up with is the proper fix. This is not a company that does things irresponsibly . . . I just think they are completely overwhelmed by the problem.
To continue to pile on Toyota in some kind of schadenfreude doesn't really solve the problem at hand.
The fix is already started to be installed. Celebrity clowns like yourself expect Toyota to fix everything instantly.
Well I expect the clown Obama to fix the economy in his first week in office. Oh well where is your outrage about that. Shut up and wait for your Toyota to be fixed. Oh wait you are worried about the word "Recall"
Why are we all bent out of shape over 3 Deaths out of MILLIONS OF TOYOTA CARS?
This Toyota fiasco is the same thing. I drive a Toyota. If they really want to fix something that isn't likely to break AND I have the time AND don't need the car for a few days, Toyota's welcome to try. The likelihood that the fix may be worse is much greater than the likelihood that this will happen to any single Toyota. I'll take my chances, along with all of life's other risks, including the greatest modern risk, simply driving a car in the first place.
Life's too short for this Nanny State ... everybody must take care of me ... mentality. Get over it.
Btw... the first paragraph of your comment is complete hogwash and has nothing to do with spending a lot of money on something and expecting it to work properly, especially when you or your family are at risk.
Take some responsibility for your own car and learn how an accelerator pedal works. If you read up on the issue, all that is going to happen is that IF your accelerator pedal mechanism wears out and IF that leads to this issue, you might discover that it doesn't release as quickly as normal.
If that happens, put it in neutral and pull over.
It's not going to magically accelerate you into a wall. You have a much higher chance of getting into an accident by talking on the phone while you drive.
This culture of victimhood is killing America.
I'm so glad I don't own a Toyota. I keep thinking about that poor man who drove at uncontrollable speeds and couldn't stop, all the while seeking help from 911 (and being recorded) until the whole family died in a fiery crash. I hope your family is not in a vehicle in the path of a Toyota under similar circumstances.