Toyota is making conflicting claims on runaways, U.S. lawmakers say

[DainBramaged]

Toyota Motor Corp. officials have made different statements publicly and privately about the causes of unintended acceleration, says the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Henry Waxman. In a television appearance this week, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. President James Lentz said the problem was restricted to two causes: floor mat interference with the accelerator pedal and a sticky pedal, Waxman noted in a letter yesterday to Lentz. But in a private Jan. 27 meeting with staff from Waxman's committee, Toyota officials said the causes of unintended acceleration are "very, very hard to identify," the letter said. At this same meeting, Toyota officials said sticking accelerator pedals "are unlikely to be responsible for the sensational stories of drivers losing control over acceleration as their cars race to 60 miles per hour or higher," said the letter from Waxman, a California Democrat, and Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., head of the oversight subcommittee. Toyota spokeswoman Cindy Knight said the company is reviewing the letter and will cooperate with the committee's inquiry. The Waxman letter also asked Lentz to provide any evidence related to his televised assertions that electronic defects were not to blame for Toyota's accelerator problems. The U.S. Department of Transportation is looking into whether cases of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles can be traced to defects in the electronic controls rather than just the mechanical problems cited by the automaker, a Transportation official said yesterday. The lawmakers' letter asked Lentz to clarify his statement about the role of sticky accelerator pedals. He also should provide any new information that had surfaced since the Jan. 27 meeting that led Toyota to think that sticky pedals may have caused high-speed accelerations, the letter said. Waxman and Stupak gave Lentz until Friday, Feb. 5, to respond. The two congressmen have begun an investigation of Toyota's problems dating from 2000 and have scheduled a Feb. 25 hearing.

http://friendfeed.com/us-politics/42047b94/toyota-is-making-conflicting-claims-on

[Brickbat]

1. This is not over, not by a long shot.

The more they try to cover, the worse it looks.

Huh.

[DainBramaged]

2. It is their own fault, they refused to accept responsibility for too long

[Brickbat]

6. Yes indeed.

I'm guessing a software/wiring problem will surface in the coming weeks. OOOOOOOOOPSIEEEEEEEESS!

[DJ13]

3. I think they're foot dragging (literally)

They dont want the expense of replacing the ECU in millions of cars.

It kinda reminds me of Ford's decision in the late 70's that it was cheaper to deal with some lawsuits than to replace all the gas tanks in the Pinto.

[DainBramaged]

5. Could be truth

however, replacing the Engine Control Module is a fast and actually inexpensive fix.


It may not be the ECM. On GM cars there are a multitude of modules that have to be programmed when replaced, I am sure it is the same on Toyotas, so it could be a module is bad not just the ECM. Power train control module, body control module, programmer, Instrument module, and on and on........

[DJ13]

7. On my 01 Mitsubishi the ECU has a baseline

And it relearns the parameters of all the sensors and modules within the first 150 miles of driving.

The individual sensors/modules dont need reprogramming.

[DainBramaged]

8. Starting with 09 CTS, Equinox, and Camaro EVERY module is reprogrammed

when replaced by hooking up through Global Connect and downloading the program into the module. Under the old system, the modules reprogrammed themselves, no more. ALL the future vehicles will be dealer programmable ONLY. Thanks OBD2


Which means, NO MORE DRIVEWAY MECHANICS!!!!!!!!!!!!! if you buy a GM product. The 2007 Tahoe has 25 modules in its network, 2007 Corvette with 21!


Ford on the other hand, still makes their Mustang weekend warrior friendly, with EVERY part replaceable in your driveway.


Go figure....


http://tomboynton.com/GMnetworks.pdf

[DJ13]

9. Well that sucks

I use my own OBD-II scanner to help me diagnose any problem I've had so far.

My OBD scanner is just a reader, but I have seen programming OBD scanners on sale recently, and until now I couldnt figure out what those were for.

[madrchsod]

4. the pedals are going to be fixed with a shim....where?

http://www.ctscorp.com/automotive/pedal/specifications.htm


i`m betting it`s the control module