Toyota continues to have problems with its throttle assembly, and the company doesn’t seem to be getting any closer to a solution. The throttles are manufactured by CTS Corporation, and Toyota and CTS have put out differing statements as to the cause, and even the effect of the throttle problem.
Toyota says the pedal assembly has a friction issue that may make the pedal “harder to depress, slower to return, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position.” On the other hand, CTS says the friction problem accounts for only a handful of cases, “and in no instance did the accelerator actually become stuck in a partially depressed condition.”
This is rapidly becoming a public relations nightmare for Toyota, and a huge boost for competing car makers, who are aggressively courting potential buyers of Toyota vehicles. This situation is reminiscent of the late 1980’s when complaints were made that certain Audi sedans would suddenly accelerate. Several people were seriously injured in accidents, and the problem received widespread television coverage. An investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration essentially absolved Audi from any blame, but the damage had already been done, and sales of Audi cars plummeted. Audi did make changes to prevent their cars from being shifted out of Park unless a foot was on the brake pedal.
Toyota needs to find a solution quickly, before further damage is done to a fine auto manufacturer.
A couple of weeks ago, I left my lights on for a not too long time and came out and was unable to start my car (2009 Corolla XLE). A nearby car had jumper cables and jump started it, then went away. When I tried to drive the car I found it was going two miles an hour. I could press and press the gas medal the two miles an hour was it. All the lights were working, etc. I called AAA, the checked the battery again. They said I had to take the car to the dealer. I turned it off and started it again — this time I got more power from the gas pedal and took a chance and made it home. I took it to the dealer (a sunday) and they found a throttle problem and ordered a throttle box thing and replaced the battery too. But a few minutes after I came in, they pulled out the throttle box thing to show another customer. By the way, it took three days for them to get the throttle part. They gave me a loaner. Today, I took the car in for the pedal recall. They installed a “skim” or “stim” on the pedal; another dealer called it a support bar. They were unable to fix the mats because they said my car didn’t have hooks. Lo and behold I had a fit. I called another dealer who said they should put back the mats and then called Headquarters customer service. Finally I called back the other dealer to see if they had the hooks – they didn’t but they did a little research – and told me the reason they didn’t have the hooks was because the hooks were delivered with the new cars and were in the glove compartment. I went out to my car with my boss. We found the hooks and instructions in three languages. He took the mat out of the trunk and installed the hooks and the mat. I think the dealers of certain models and/or years were not told the hooks were in the glove compartments and they shoved in the mats without the hooks. People all over the US may be driving around with the hooks in their glove compartments, and this may be part of the problem along with the throttle problem which may be responsible for vehicles NOT accelerating as well as for overaccelerating. My car is a 2009 Corolla XLE. There’s another problem with the electric steering that the axles make noise in turns and pulling out of parking spaces, etc. and that has been since the car was new. The dealer has admitted unhappiness with the electric steering but no fix. That’s the next thing for Toyota. That drove me crazy. They took no responsibility for that problem but said I shouldn’t have bought the 2009 Corolla because it was the first year the auto had that electric steering. They sure didn’t tell me about it when I bought the 2009 Corolla. Bad business. It’s going to get worse. The electric steering, as they call it may be a bigger and more complex problem. That is if the problem is really the electric steering not some other mechanical mechanisms in the axles and wheels……Toyota’s problems are not over.
Very interesting. Thank you for warning us about these potential problems.