Conflict of Interest - US Government vs. Toyota, page 1

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 11:29 AM

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Does anyone else see this as the most glorified car recall of all time? Add this to our government giving out conflicting information to the recall, along with a representative saying yesterday not to drive a Toyota at all - it seems like they are looking to sink Toyota.

Government representative today said to bring your Toyota into the dealership immediately to get it fixed, one problem is though that no dealerships are equipped to fix this as of yet. This causes confusion as well as Toyota's stock to drop. You would have to think when Toyota falls this means GM goes UP (gov. controlled).

IMO this has been a bit overdone and all major news outlets seem to be running this as their top story and making sure, again IMO, to paint this picture in the darkest of colors.

[edit on 3-2-2010 by GreenBicMan]

Carseller4

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 11:32 AM

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Ford is not government controlled. GM (Government Motors) and Chrysler are.

Funny how Ford is turning it around while GM and Chrysler are floundering.

GreenBicMan

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 11:35 AM

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reply to post by Carseller4

You are correct about Ford, editing, my bad

JBA2848

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 11:50 AM

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A recall due to 2.3 million vehicles that can't stop when you hit the brakes is a serious problem. How anybody could say its political I don't understand.

[edit on 3-2-2010 by JBA2848]

Ahabstar

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 11:50 AM

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reply to post by Carseller4

On a side note: I was considering my next vehicle to be a Chrysler product but after the bailout mess and control turned over to Fiat (that Italian company that did not fair very well when they were sold in the US market) I decided that I would return to Ford for my next purchase.

Nissan was in the mix for a while, but since Ford actually tried to sell me a car by negotiation and effort to fit my budget versus Nissan's "there it is buy it or don't" attitude from the dealership, I have to say I am leaning towards a Ford Focus or the reintroduced Fiesta this summer.

WEALTHunited

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 11:50 AM

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I have a very hard time with Toyota, Honda, and all other imports as well. I was the business manager at a high volume Toyota dealership until september. The company also owns a chevrolet dealership and they are located side by side. My concern is the multi-billion dollar stimulus program known as Cash for clunkers. Why would the american government basically give billions of dollars to the american populus to spend half the total on import cars...the money ended up in the bank accounts oversees. How does that stimulate the US economy. We did around 150 cash for clunker deals at the toyota store totaling near half a million dollars and only 10 deals at the chevy store totaling forty thou...go figure huh

GreenBicMan

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 11:55 AM

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reply to post by JBA2848

Because .gov has interest in a competitor and stands to make money on this when Toyota goes down. That is a conflict of interest IMO especially when .gov is making slanderous statements against Toyota (later retracted)

hillbilly4rent

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 11:59 AM

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A lot of yota's are made in the US so if this step go's to far that could be a shot to the unemployment rate (I hope not) but it dose seem fishy that most of the cars traded in the cash for clunkers scam were traded at Import lots

"…and also the top 10 purchases resulting from the trade-ins:"

Top 10 cash for clunkers purchases

1. Toyota Corolla
2. Honda Civic
3. Ford Focus
4. Toyota Camry
5. Hyundai Elantra
6. Toyota Prius
7. Nissan Versa
8. Ford Escape FWD
9. Honda Fit
10. Honda CR-V AWD

www.christianpf.com...

[edit on 3-2-2010 by hillbilly4rent]

Carseller4

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 12:00 PM

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Originally posted by JBA2848
A recall due to 2.3 million vehicles that can't stop when you hit the brakes is a serious problem. How anybody could say its political I don't understand.

[edit on 3-2-2010 by JBA2848]

For years and years Toyota had no problem making issues like these disappear. Things are different now.

Not to leave out Honda. For years Honda had a huge problem with steering wheels jerking, it was never mentioned in the media. I don't think they would get away with that now.

We have a state-controled media, and if the orders from government tell them to bash foreign car companies....they will do it. The government has a major interest in GM right now, and running down the competition is on the plate.

Zosynspiracy

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 12:06 PM

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Some idiot on CNN wrote in to Jack Cafferty or one of those guys saying how she thought the government should have enacted or legislated some sort of stop driving law. If you had a Toyota car you should not be allowed on the roads as a matter of law. This country and the average American's mindset is truly disgusting. The paternalistic attitude of our government and even my fellow Americans is shameful and embarrassing. What happened to our once great country that believed in independence, accountability, responsibility.

I think this whole gas pedal problem is 99% operator error. There are so many dumb drivers out there that expect a car to drive itself. People, including many Americans are just idiots. How many people have died from this stupid gas pedal issue? Less than 10? And how many millions of cars were recalled? Gimme an effing break! Our government has A LOT more to worry about than getting involved in this nonsense. If people are so worried about their Toyota SELL IT OR DON'T DRIVE! PERIOD! END OF STORY!

Zosynspiracy

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 12:08 PM

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reply to post by JBA2848

WRONG! Do you know what break torquing is? It's a technique where when in a car or truck you sit there with the break applied and hit the gas pedal............guess what happens??????????????? You sit there and spin your tires and create a big smoking mess. And guess where the car goes? NOWHERE! No one said anything about cars not stopping when you apply the breaks. It's a matter of the gas pedal sticking. HUGE difference. If people took the time to read their owner's manuals and educate themselves on how that vehicle they are driving WORKS than there wouldn't even be this huge issue. Like I said there are too many idiots behind the wheel.

hillbilly4rent

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 12:09 PM

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We have a state-controled media, and if the orders from government tell them to bash foreign car companies....they will do it. The government has a major interest in GM right now, and running down the competition is on the plate.

"That is a load of bull" sorry couldn't resist and If you look at the list of imports that made the top 10 in trade ins I think Honda maybe next (just trowing that out there)

GreenBicMan

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 12:13 PM
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reply to post by Zosynspiracy

Yes, brainwashed people and the only reason IMO .gov is all over this is because they stand to profit from any Toyota downfall

JBA2848

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 02:30 PM
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www.dailymail.co.uk...#

Mark Saylor, 45, died alongside his wife Cleofe, also 45, their daughter Mahala, 13, and Mrs Saylor’s brother Chris Lastrella when the hired Toyota Lexus they were travelling in accelerated out of control on a highway in San Diego.
In the emergency call, Mr Lastrella is heard saying: ‘We’re in a Lexus… and we’re going north on 125 and our accelerator is stuck… there’s no brakes… we’re approaching the intersection …. Hold on … hold on and pray … pray.’
The recording adds to the public relations disaster that has enveloped the Japanese car maker since it recalled 4.5 million vehicles across the world because of 'sticky accelerator' problems.

On this news article there is a picture of a car that wrecked due to this problem.I guess they did more then sit still and spin the tires.

www.whas11.com...

Witnesses say that a driver's accelerator got stuck while he was in a parking lot sending the car down an embankment.
The driver, Todd Allen, is in serious condition at University Hospital.
He was driving a 2010 Toyota Camry, a car on Toyota’s re-call list because of a possible sticky gas pedal.
And in his police report Allen says he had his foot on the break but the car kept going.

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Heres another one where they didn't just sit there and spin the tires.

[edit on 3-2-2010 by JBA2848]

larphillips

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 02:49 PM
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This looks like a ploy by the Feds (owners of GM, Chrysler, and a major pro-Union administration) to not only bankrupt their competitors but also to break the backs of the non-union assembly plants in the US south. There is a huge labor union component to this whole story. Don't forget that on the heels of the initial Toyota recall news came the news of a Honda recall as well. Sure, it was significantly smaller, but the general idea is to create an impression in the minds of the public.

JBA2848

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 02:55 PM
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www.usatoday.com...

The recall includes an unspecified number of 2009-10 Pontiac Vibes, designed and built by Toyota for General Motors' now- discontinued Pontiac brand. Vibe is similar to the Toyota Matrix that's part of the recall.

Toyota did not identify Vibe in its announcement of the recall. GM made no announcement, but confirmed Vibe is included.

GM spokesman Alan Adler says: "We do not typically do pre-recall announcements. We tend to wait until there is something that can be done," before notifying owners.

Hanson has said it could be weeks before Toyota determines a remedy and gets it approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

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The recall will effect GM also due to Toyota makeing parts for 2009-10 Pontiac Vibes. So the government trying to boost GM by recalling Toyota means GM gets recalled at the same time.

JBA2848

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 03:11 PM
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www.thetruthaboutcars.com...

In the pedal-gate dept., Toyota will recall a combined 180,000 vehicles in the Middle East, Latin America and Africa due to faulty gas pedals, says the Nikkei [sub]. According to a Toyota spokesperson, the total number of vehicles to be recalled in all regions stands at 4.45m vehicles. That’s not including the ones that were carpet-bagged..

So its not just in the US there being recalled Middle East, Latin America and Africa. Not to mention Japan and US.

dolphinfan

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 03:12 PM
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reply to post by GreenBicMan

What interests me in all of this is the Japanese response, which has essentially been none.

Having worked in Japan some and being somewhat familiar with the culture, the fact that there have not been massive resignations or even a suicide is odd to me.

You're going to find that this was a legitimate recall, of course. You are also going to find that these were US parts and the Japanese firms will kibosh their use of those parts. The government reaction will also cause the Japanese to rethink their entire parts sourcing model. The Japanese don't directly do anything. They just elected the most anti-US PM in recent history.

While folks are happy that there will be an increase in US market share for US autos, in the long run the parts component is huge and this will be a net job reduction.

Oh by the way, check out how many GM cars are made in Mexico - a ton.

The car on the road in the US that has the highest level of US labor and US made parts? The Toyota Camry

JBA2848

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 03:17 PM
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www.autoweek.com...

Toyota Motor Corp., already grappling with recalls totaling 8.1 million vehicles on five continents, has been ordered by Japan's Ministry of Transportation to investigate a rash of consumer complaints about braking problems in its popular third-generation Prius hybrid vehicle.

Sounds like global plot to boost GM profits now. Obamas speeches must really be bringing the world together now.

schrodingers dog

posted on Feb, 3 2010 @ 03:21 PM
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Originally posted by GreenBicMan
reply to post by JBA2848

Because .gov has interest in a competitor and stands to make money on this when Toyota goes down. That is a conflict of interest IMO especially when .gov is making slanderous statements against Toyota (later retracted)

To be fair ...

Japan's Transportation Ministry has asked Toyota to investigate brake malfunction complaints in Japan on its Prius, the gasoline-electric hybrid car which was the best-selling vehicle in the country in 2009, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association. edition.cnn.com...

Not saying that american companies don't stand to benefit, though in the global economy jobs are affected everywhere including the US when Toyota has problems, but their own government is also involved. I imagine there's no conflict of interest there.