Are you having problems with your Toyota? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest Toyota issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the Toyota in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.
We'll be alleging in court on behalf of the people of Orange County that Toyota knowingly sold cars and trucks with defects that caused Toyotas to accelerate suddenly and uncontrollably,'' Orange Country District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said.We intend to prove that Toyota ignored, omitted, obfuscated, and misrepresented the evidence that was amassing for many years regarding serious safety defects in their cars.Toyota has already been hit with dozens of lawsuits from owners seeking compensation in the wake of a series of mass recalls due to defects that led to sudden, unintended acceleration. At least 89 class-action lawsuits have been filed against the Japanese auto giant, which could cost it $US3 billion ($A3.28 billion) or more.Toyota has also been called to Washington to answer a congressional investigation and faces scrutiny by regulators and a US federal grand jury investigating whether there is sufficient evidence for criminal charges related to problems with Toyota's brakes and accelerators. Friday's suit is the first filed under consumer protection laws and the district attorney is seeking a civil penalty of $US2,500 ($2,731.94) for every violation of the state's unfair business practices act.These defects exist in hundreds of thousands of Toyotas sold to Californians over the last several years,'' Rackauckas said. Rackauckas said the purpose of the suit is to protect the public from "unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent business practices.''"Toyota has known about these defects but intentionally did not disclose them to California purchasers,'' he said. "Rather than halt the sales of products in California until the problem was fixed, they made a business decision to continue selling and leasing their defective products to Californians.''Toyota said in a statement that it "has not received the complaint and is not in a position to comment on pending litigation''. Toyota has insisted that it has found a solution to the defects that triggered the recall of more than eight million vehicles worldwide, including six million in the United States, and have been blamed for about 50 US deaths.The most high profile case was the death of California Highway Patrol officer and three members of his family whose heart-wrenching 911 call for help has been played repeatedly on national television.Critics question whether the mechanical fixes being applied to recalled vehicles are sufficient or if there's a problem with the electronic engine controls. The Japanese automaker made headlines earlier this week after a Prius owner sought help from police after the car sped uncontrollably along a San Diego freeway. US Federal safety regulators are investigating more than 60 reports of sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles which had already received the mechanical fix.
Every day there seems to be something new, from extra customer complaints to a damaging internal document which points to deliberate delaying tactics on the safety front. The total cost of the fiasco is likely to be around $2 billion in lost sales, but no-one can yet say what the safety disaster - everything from faulty accelerator pedals to steering complaints on the Corolla and a brake drama on the Prius - will eventually cost the company in long-term respect.Even in Australia, where Toyota has been largely insulated from the safety problems, apart from the 1700 Prius owners who got a computer tweak to their car's brakes, there are people who are worried about buying a car from the company. And it's early days yet for the full impact on consumer confidence down under.Things are so bad internationally that Akio Toyoda, only recently installed in the top job, will head to Washington to represent Toyota in congressional hearings into the safety failings. Toyoda is seen as the 'new broom' at the world's largest carmaker, with the potential to turn the company into more than just a brand that mass-produces cars for people who put transport ahead of personality or style. He is already pushing cars like the FT-86 concept, which is expected to be a born-again Sprinter for Gen-Y when it reaches production in 2011.But even he could be tainted, just as Australia's Jac Nasser - once the shooting star at the Ford Motor Company - was brought undone by the unsuccessful campaign to protect the Ford Explorer from a safety crisis in the USA.Toyota has reacted with things like a brake-against-throttle safety switch, but other brands have had that protection against a runaway for years. It has also set up a new global committee for product quality, which will be chaired by Toyoda, but people are asking why it was not done before.The reason is simple: the Toyota production system is designed to stop faults and flaws before the factory gates. It's so good that it has been copied around the world, and by many companies outside the auto business, for decades.But the safety shortcomings highlighted by the multi-million-vehicle safety recalls show the system is only as good as the people who run it. And Toyota has been caught short. The Toyota safety story has a long way to run and I am not expecting much good news for a long while yet.
Pressure cleaning modern engines with all the electronics they have is fraught with danger and I would guess that’s the reason the Mercedes dealer won’t do it. The Toyota dealer might have a different view, but most mechanics these days won’t do it because of the risk of water getting into connections etc. and causing problems.
If it was under warranty it would most certainly be covered, but I assume your warranty has run out. Even so there is no good reason for the water pump to need replacing after 20,000 km, except for a faulty part, so I would suggest you take it up with Toyota. At the very least they should pay for the replacement part.
It is possible, but it is a radical implant and would require quite some surgery. You would need to check the physical dimensions of the Holden engine and gearbox to make sure it would fit under the bonnet, then have the driveline reworked to adapt hem to the Toyota drive train, and then there’s the fuel tank and system. Contact a Toyota four-wheel drive specialist and get their opinion. The alternative is to turbocharge the existing diesel engine, which might be the easier option.
Your mechanic is correct, but so are you. The mechanic's suggestion of a Corolla is a safe bet, one that won't come back to bite him in the long run, but the other cars you mention are also worth considering. All are solid, generally reliable cars, although I would be cautious about recommending the Astra to you. Stick to the well-known Japanese brands and she won't go too far wrong.
I would persist with cleaning the injectors and have them cleaned, the injector cleaners work best when they’re used regularly, they don’t always work when only used when there’s a problem.
The BFG tyre is regarded by the industry as one of the best of its type, but what you’re feeling is a characteristic of the type of tyre and not related to the brand. Any tyre of this type, with the large tread blocks, moves around and feels uncomfortable, but the movement reduces as the tyre wears and blocks wear down. They then feel better, which is why the half-worn tyres felt better when you put them on the rear. It would also feel better if you replaced all four tyres at the same time.
A four-cylinder car is the way to go when you're learning; toomany young drivers buy turbos, V6s and V8s and often get into troublewhen they outdrive their skill and experience. The Astra is one ofthe cars I would certainly consider, but you need to be aware of thecam timing belt problems they had with that model. To avoid breaking the belt, and causing massive internal damage to the engine, the beltneeds to be replaced every 60,000 km. With that in mind it'simportant to makesure that any car you consider has had the beltchanged according to that schedule, and be aware that he will have toreplace it every 60,000 km in the future. A 10-year-old Astra willset you back $8000-$9000. Others to consider are the Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Pulsar, Mazda 323 and Toyota Corolla.
There's no problem with filling it with regular unleaded all the time, it won't cause any damage to the engine.
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