TOYOTA’S TROUBLES

4 11 2009

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Toyota anticipates they will spend approximately $440 million on a possible accelerator pedal recall, which has been reported to have cause deaths and serious injuries here in the United States.

Over 3.8 million vehicles are estimated to be recalled, for a faulty floor mat that can dislodge from the holding clip if equipped or not and suddenly becomes stuck between the accelerator pedal and the floor causing the vehicle to rev out of control.

This is Toyota’s claim and quick fix and it is not settling with many industry experts. Who believe there are other factors that can lead to such unfortunate occurrences even the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have found other problems on a Lexus ES 350 that was responsible for killing four people in the California.

Although pedal height to floor clearance maybe possible for some of these reported issues there are other areas needs to be explored intensively like the Pedal assembly design which are now cable-less a flyby wire system, loose components, faulty wiring Throttle Body Unit and any accompanying  sensors, monitoring computer command PID’s data signal, and a possible reprogramming of the PCM. A percentage remain that driver error could be a possibility.

To duplicate this intermittent concern can be tedious and time consuming, however for all the lives and money that could be save it is worth every investment, not to mention Toyota’s reputation

For anyone who has ever had a personal computer problem well there is no difference in the automobile.

In today’s sophisticated technologically advance automobile having upwards of thirty  individual modules that control system, like Brake, Steering, Climate Control, lighting, Anti-Theft, Suspension, Seats, Doors, Electronics Controls, Navigation System, Parking, Tire Pressure, to name a few, delivering their information over a network  can at times lead to mishap.

Imagine a classroom full of students all attempting to speak with their teacher at once, and for that teacher to intake, process, and command each student concern simultaneously in repetitive fashion throughout the day, at some point their bound to be an error.

The action taken to correct this problem by the PCM may not be favorable and this is where a glitch can happen. An uncharacteristic response becomes noticeable

Thousands of data are monitored and processed within milliseconds in response to drivers input and command, oftentimes an overload of information can cause an erratic performance where reprogramming the PCM sometimes fixes the problem.





The Recession Question: Repairing versus Buying?

14 04 2009

The economy is down, the automotive industry is trying to survive, and the good news is that the price of a vehicle has never been better. Some people are taking advantage of these savings and replacing all their fleet and/or personal cars. Others rather weather the recession by repairing their existing vehicles. So, that begs the question, is it better to buy now or to repair?

First of all, if you’re financially able to do it, as a favor to the auto industry and the economy please…PLEASE consider buying. Not only will you be able to get an amazing deal but you’ll also be part of the solution and helping the auto industry get out of this mess. If you rather wait and repair the vehicles that you currently have, think about this.

The four most expensive vehicle repairs are related to major engine, transmission, rear axle, and electronics problems. If these are not the current issues with your car, then it MAY be ok/practical to keep or “nurse” you car until you are in a better financial position to purchase a new one. Of course, if you’ve been neglecting certain repairs and then end up with a laundry list of items, you may want to check the blue book value of your vehicle and make a decision. You can also contact us or a friend who has automotive knowledge to help you decide.

So, if you just got a bonus and you’re trying to figure out what to do with the extra cash—consider buying a car. Prices have never been better. If you need a small repair like replacing a starter or radiator—go ahead and make a trip to the mechanic.

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