Toyota Points To Media For Increasing Reports Of Unintended Acceleration Cases

Some 431 customers from around the country have reported unintended or sudden acceleration in their Toyota Tacoma pickups, resulting in 51 crashes and 12 injuries, but the automaker said there are no flaws in the trucks and that many reports were "inspired by publicity."

Federal regulators are still weighing whether to upgrade the investigation launched in February, which has broadened to include 775,000 Tacomas sold between the 2004 and 2008 model years. That probe was spurred by a Tacoma owner who noted 32 complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over acceleration problems.

A deeper investigation could force Toyota to recall the trucks if officials find a defect, and raise questions about sudden-acceleration claims that safety regulators and automakers have blamed on driver error for years. It could also address why no pickup model other than the Tacoma has garnered more than a few complaints of unexpected acceleration to the NHTSA during the same period.

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kpaxx - 6/10/2008 1:52:03 PM

+2 Boost

Just like the sludge fiasco blame someone else. When are they going to take responsibility for the poor quality of their products.

F1_Driver - 6/10/2008 2:14:37 PM

-1 Boost

431 customers out of what number? 775,000 Tacomas??? I say that's a pretty insignificant number of "unintended accleration".

Maverick2020 - 6/10/2008 2:31:34 PM

-1 Boost

Irv Miller and his gang of merry spinsters in the TMS P.R. dept are a bunch of little weasels.

autopro - 6/10/2008 2:47:02 PM

0 Boost

I think they should consult with Audi on how to handle this.

AlexTx - 6/10/2008 10:45:19 PM

-1 Boost

Except there was nothing wrong with the Audi 5000.... just incredibly bad American T.V.....

M35MT - 6/11/2008 12:40:44 PM

+3 Boost

Oh ok, lesson learned.

When its a German automaker it's the fault of the press, when its Japanese, it's the automaker.

You guys remind me of Hillary Clinton.

Move to Europe with the rest of socialists already - get out of my country.

AlexTx - 6/11/2008 9:26:11 PM

0 Boost

Yeah except look back, and it is exactly what happened. THe only design fault on Audi's part was the fact that the pedals were too close to each other which caused the person to press on both pedals which made her thought that the car accelerated by itself.
It is a known fact that 60 minutes drilled a hole in the tranny to try and duplicate the problem.
60 minutes with their lies almost killed Audi.

And maybe there are some lessons to be taken from a few countries in Europe...
There are couple of things that happened to me here that I would not have to deal with if I had been living there.
YOU need to get out more..

carguy68 - 6/10/2008 3:18:40 PM

+1 Boost

431 customers is more than enought to recal or do a major investigation on these pieces of S trucks.

85bmw745i - 6/10/2008 6:18:03 PM

0 Boost

I wouldn't say they have had good products for the last 15-20 years, in fact their worst has been within the last 15-20 years. Only recently have they made a dependable product, (GM) that has an interior at least equal to the Japanese. Come on, I know you love America but be realistic. Our cars had crappy interiors that fell apart, cheap electronics, shoddy workmanship and overall poor fit and finish. An 89 camry was better built than alot of our late 90's cars. GM has paved the way and has finally built something that can compete honestly without the use of gimmicks and lies to persuade people.

ChicaneShooter - 6/11/2008 9:19:10 AM

0 Boost

one of the sorriest examples EVER of how not to build a decent compact p/u was the s10/s15.

i have seen more sick and dying, and downright DEAD examples than any other vehicle.

the tacoma could have 100x more recalls (which toyota will TAKE CARE OF) and it would STILL be a better truck than the s10/15 EVER was.

ChicaneShooter - 6/12/2008 8:46:20 AM

+1 Boost

almost 1/2 dozen. and looked at as many more. to buy cheap (most WERE!), fix, and re-sell at a profit.

s10s had a common problem of doors almost falling off, or not wanting to stay shut. VERY BAD, cheap hinges. with drivetrains of like quality.

ChicaneShooter - 6/11/2008 10:12:58 AM

+3 Boost

hey EVIL SEE NO, HEAR NO, SPEAK NO, monkey man. YOU are the one who needs to stfu. permanently!

if you want to contribute anything PRODUCTIVE to interesting exchanges, LEARN to be civil.

egog - 6/11/2008 12:37:10 PM

+2 Boost

Is it just me or isn't this just like what happened with the audi 5000? Some lady lied about the car jumping so she could take the blame off of herself for running into her kid? Then our rediculous U.S. media took the story and ran with it? Almost caused Audi to leave our market,because a bunch of hyperchondriac drivers believed that they experienced that bullshit? COME ON! Get youselves together.

M35MT - 6/11/2008 12:44:52 PM

+3 Boost

Maybe with all the safety features and "driver nannies" on Toyotas and Lexus' today, these stupid consumers figured the U.A.P.S. was malfunctioning (Unintended Accerlation Prevention System) by which, sensors on the driverside floor communicate with the brain to determine if the foot 'accidentily' slipped onto the accelerator without the intention of doing so.

autopro - 6/12/2008 10:45:08 AM

+1 Boost

Loose connection between the steering wheel and the seat.