If You Were Running Toyota Just How Would You Protect Their Image Through All Of The Bad News?

For years, Toyota Motor Corp. has investigated complaints from drivers saying their Toyota and Lexus vehicles accelerated all by themselves, and the company has identified essentially one cause. The trouble, according to Toyota, occurs when loose or ill-fitting floor mats, carpet covers or detached trim jam the gas pedal.

But after a highly publicized crash in August that killed four people when the driver lost control of a Lexus sedan, Toyota has come under intense pressure to reduce the risk of unintended acceleration.

The Japanese automaker and U.S. safety regulators are discussing changes to the gas pedal, as well as adjustments that would make it easier to stop a car that's accelerating, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 15 fatalities, including the four in August, are linked to hundreds of reports of unintended acceleration of Toyotas it has received since 2002.

While that's a fraction of the casualties associated with some high-profile vehicle-safety cases, such as the Ford-Firestone debacle, the issue is deeply worrying to U.S. safety officials and could be very damaging to Toyota.

kpaxx - 11/20/2009 2:09:24 PM

+1 Boost

Well in the past the just covered it up by bribing media and news. However, now I think they need to do what ford is doing and actually build and engineer quality products!

Agent009 - 11/20/2009 2:39:15 PM

-2 Boost

Well there is a history of how NOT to handle it. Look no further than Audi, it has taken them 20 years to recover from a similar fiasco. Let hope Toyota handles it better.

ItsMi - 11/20/2009 2:57:48 PM

+1 Boost

Many of the BMW X3 were bought back by BMW because of bad quality controls with the automatic transmissions. They became so rough and stalls at the worst time making it very dangerous to operate. Of course it's not before everyone signs that non-disclosure agreement. This is how BMW protects its image.

009load - 11/20/2009 3:05:29 PM

+2 Boost

Slip back into second place and let VW take all the shots. Toyota never wanted to be #1, because of everybody taking shots at you, and your own people becoming lethargic and demanding more money.

NannerPus - 11/20/2009 5:38:24 PM

0 Boost

They should announce that they are selling of all of their assests and leaving the automotive industry. That would improve their image drastically.

XYZZ - 11/22/2009 3:05:09 AM

0 Boost

after raising the bar for quality and reliability for the whole auto industry, toyota is now on another crusade to IMPROVE the planet: social darwinism.

to help resolve the OVERPOPULATION PROBLEM, the elephant in the room which the mainstream media has been ignoring, toyota is helping eliminate IDIOTS too stupid to just shift to Neutral. how much brains does that take? the planet is getting too crowded to put up with such dimwits crowding our roads.