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GM is recalling some 2006-'07 Chevrolet Cobalts, Saturn Ions and Pontiac G5s because a couple crack-prone parts could lead to a fuel leak -- and the wrong kind of ignition when you turn the key.

Here's what NHTSA has to say: "The plastic supply or return port on the modular reservoir assembly may crack. If either of these ports develops a crack, fuel will leak from the area. If the crack becomes large enough, fuel may be observed dripping onto the ground." So what? "Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition, could result in a fire." Yikes.

 

Affected models include '06 Cobalts and Ions sold or registered in Arizona or Nevada, and '07 Cobalts, G5s and Ions sold or registered in Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada and Texas. Dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly free of charge, and they will also perform preventative maintenance on models from a number of other states.

Regardless of your '06-'07 Cobalt/G5/Ion's origin, we'd recommend calling Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-972-8876, or Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 -- or consulting the GM Owner Center at www.gmownercenter.com.

http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2009/11/hot-in-here-cobalt-g5-and-ion-recalled-due-to-fire-threat.html

It's from November but Toyota should not be singled out for safety recalls, their are plenty out there that have not garnered the national spotlight yet should!

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I'm sure I'll take some heat for this, but I'll say it:

I think Toyota is being beaten so thoroughly by the government because they're a foreign automaker that has a large market share.  Stop and think... who wins if Toyota temporarily stops selling vehicles and has its name smeared all over the headlines?

Don't read the above as implying that Toyota doesn't deserve some of this, they do.  But some of the things being said by government officials are not being said in good faith. 

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ES ~ '94 Mazda Miata

I can offer after having owned many examples of GM, Ford, Chrysler, VAG, Honda, and Toyota product, my experience was that the Toyota dealer and manufacturer experience was the worst of any of those car companies for product support after the sale.  A substantial warranty issue I took to my selling dealer was "owner abuse".  I'm not a kid either.  There were many of us on this board with 7th gen Celica GT's who went through multiple transmissions due to mainshaft bearings going bad. Blatant engineering defect as the tranny did not hold up to high load high RPM input in 5th. No more Toyotas or any Lexus for me. Ever.

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Rob Foley

09 C6 Z51
86 Civic EP or GP
87 CRX ITB

adhowe70:

I'm sure I'll take some heat for this, but I'll say it:I think Toyota is being beaten so thoroughly by the government because they're a foreign automaker that has a large market share.  Stop and think... who wins if Toyota temporarily stops selling vehicles and has its name smeared all over the headlines?

Don't read the above as implying that Toyota doesn't deserve some of this, they do.  But some of the things being said by government officials are not being said in good faith. 

Other than a quickly retracted statement, what has the "government" done to Toyota that isn't part of the well established safety hazard system? I've seen lots of media coverage since it is a BIG story given the huge number of Toyotas on the road, most driven by "normal voters". Has the "government" done anything "special" to go after Toyota? Have the politicians done any more than they would say about any big deal story that impacts voters? Is this just an example of commentators/politicians who hate American car companies/unions making up a conspiracy so they can blame democrats/unions?

Should the media "covered up" the story? Should government officials have kept quiet? Would other media/politicans jumped on them for not acting/speaking soon enough?

Dick

Dick Rasmussen:

adhowe70:

I'm sure I'll take some heat for this, but I'll say it:I think Toyota is being beaten so thoroughly by the government because they're a foreign automaker that has a large market share.  Stop and think... who wins if Toyota temporarily stops selling vehicles and has its name smeared all over the headlines?

Don't read the above as implying that Toyota doesn't deserve some of this, they do.  But some of the things being said by government officials are not being said in good faith. 

Other than a quickly retracted statement, what has the "government" done to Toyota that isn't part of the well established safety hazard system? I've seen lots of media coverage since it is a BIG story given the huge number of Toyotas on the road, most driven by "normal voters". Has the "government" done anything "special" to go after Toyota? Have the politicians done any more than they would say about any big deal story that impacts voters? Is this just an example of commentators/politicians who hate American car companies/unions making up a conspiracy so they can blame democrats/unions?

Should the media "covered up" the story? Should government officials have kept quiet? Would other media/politicans jumped on them for not acting/speaking soon enough?

Dick

That retracted statement is the basis for the government involved in a smear campaign to boost their sagging GM and Chrysler Group's sales!

Toyota is trapped and cannot lash out at the DOT Sec. but they should when the moment is right and file a lawsuit against him/federal government for damaging statements!  The DOT Sec. cannot just ramble off, what he says can greatly affect the sheep out there let alone market value and so forth!

The DOT Sec. should be repremanded or forced to resign.  But if his statements are the true intentions of the federal government to target Toyota, the damage has been done. 

Ford has a similar brake problem with their hybrids, yet only Toyota gets national exposure?  And if hearings are to be opened by the federal government, how can those hearings be fair?  The federal government owns GM and Chrysler Group, what ever happened to free enterprise in this country if hearings are opened?  If hearings are opened then the federal government is officially targeting Toyota (they are unofficially are today with damaging statements by the DOT Sec.)!

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oxi:

That retracted statement is the basis for the government involved in a smear campaign to boost their sagging GM and Chrysler Group's sales!

Toyota is trapped and cannot lash out at the DOT Sec. but they should when the moment is right and file a lawsuit against him/federal government for damaging statements!  The DOT Sec. cannot just ramble off, what he says can greatly affect the sheep out there let alone market value and so forth!

The DOT Sec. should be repremanded or forced to resign.  But if his statements are the true intentions of the federal government to target Toyota, the damage has been done. 

Ford has a similar brake problem with their hybrids, yet only Toyota gets national exposure?  And if hearings are to be opened by the federal government, how can those hearings be fair?  The federal government owns GM and Chrysler Group, what ever happened to free enterprise in this country if hearings are opened?  If hearings are opened then the federal government is officially targeting Toyota (they are unofficially are today with damaging statements by the DOT Sec.)!

 Do you have proof regarding your claim about a smear campaign? Or is that idea a "smear campaign by "some people" to smear the current administration? The news media uncovered stuff Toyota was keeping quiet for years. Once it was all over the news, the "government" and Toyota had no choice but to act. "Some" would have been all over the "government" no matter what the government response . . . unless the "other side" was in power. The a different "some" might have spouted off.

Regarding Ford's situation, seems like it hit the news as soon as Ford brought the topic up. I saw this info all over the internet. Did the "government" even know about the Ford situation? Were there actual accidents (or claimed accidents) from the Ford situation? Ford says no delay in braking, just a "perception" of less braking during the transition. Toyota customers and Toyota say there is a one second delay in actual braking during the transition. Sounds like a different problem to me.

FYI Toyota is running PR ads on National TV talking about how they failed and how hard they are working to restore trust in their products.

I feel sorry for any Toyota employees that have been damaged by Toyota's quality problem. I feel more sorry for the apparently killed and injured Toyota customers and for the millions of other customers whose trade in values have been hurt by a problem Toyota admits. Ford, GM, Chrysler, etc. have all take similar hits in the past and probably will again. Hard to feel sorry for Toyota when it finally happens to them.

It is not the "government's" fault unless you believe the "government" should not be involved in safety for our citizens.

Dick

Oxi, how about altering your signature so the picture doesn't require me to scroll to read your posts? 

 

As for recall info, Chevy's issue hasn't lead to a single death and isn't widespread.  Like you, I like Toyota too, but I don't think trying to put the heat on other companies will work to diffuse their problem.  They screwed up and only time and better quality control will get back what has been lost in reputation. - AB

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'10 Subaru STI SE - BS#87 (ProSolo)
'08 Z51 Corvette - SS #27 (National Tour)
'06 Chrysler Crossfire - DS #87(retired in '08)
'04 RX-8 BS #87 (retired in '07)
'01 Celica GTS STS #193 (retired in '05)

B1mmer:

They screwed up and only time and better quality control will get back what has been lost in reputation. - AB

This.  This can never be overlooked.  Toyota is 100% responsible for their problems and their liability is real and considerable.  At some level the professionals responsible for allowing this to continue need to be disciplined.

As to the retracted statement, the man was speaking what he believes at some level.  He doesn't think these cars belong on the road.  When the head of an agency thinks this way, it is reflected in policy decisions.  He may not have other motives (I can't say) but it is almost a certainty that others in the organization do have a hidden agenda and they are encouraging aggressive pursuit of this issue.  I don't feel that it is coincidental that the actions being considered against Toyota play to the political advantage of people involved.  Politicians aren't angels. 

Andy 

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ES ~ '94 Mazda Miata

"Do you have proof regarding your claim about a smear campaign?"

It's called politics, they issue harsh statements to the media and the media accepts them at face value where those statements are later retracted AFTER the damage has been done in the sheeps mind! Politicians do this all the time! 

"The news media uncovered stuff Toyota was keeping quiet for years. Once it was all over the news, the "government" and Toyota had no choice but to act."

News media especially the national news being independent?  They have editor's and bosses that guess what?  Fund political campaigns and even choose and recommend candadites and with evidence that media outlets like Google, Facebook and Twitter having connections to the federal government by working with them should be alarming to most that the media has agenda's.

"Regarding Ford's situation, seems like it hit the news as soon as Ford brought the topic up."

Not really.  I have not heard of Ford's brake issue on the main TV nightly news of late and if it wasn't for a Consumer Reports writer having those brake problems it would have never made any coverage.  Still Ford has received so small of coverage with their hybrids it kind of looks like Toyota is the target.

"FYI Toyota is running PR ads on National TV talking about how they failed and how hard they are working to restore trust in their products."

Toyota was pinned into a corner, they had no choice but to respond like that.  The federal government and their minions the national media were like working hand in hand with this one!  I have never seen such blatent coverage of issues for any auto company as Toyota has been going through.  Think who seeks to benefit from all of this negative coverage?  And who owns 2 of the big 3 auto comapnies?

"Ford, GM, Chrysler, etc. have all take similar hits in the past and probably will again. Hard to feel sorry for Toyota when it finally happens to them."

Not on this scale bud!  This looks deliberate to derail the top auto giant in the world at a time when the 2 federal government owned auto companies are sagging in sales, what better way to boost sales of those 2 companies! 

"It is not the "government's" fault unless you believe the "government" should not be involved in safety for our citizens."

That's not the issue.  The issue is the federal government owns GM and Chrysler Group, main competitors to Toyota and both are still lagging in sales and profitability.  So to actually trust the federal government when they are on the side of GM and Chrysler Group does not sit well with me.  I cannot trust the federal government regarding auto issues, regulations or safety because they have vested interest in the share value and profitability of the 2 mentioned companies. 

Who says they are not looking out for GM or the Chrysler Group at the expense of Toyota.  If this was just a low level recall like 99% of them, no big deal but when the federal government represented by the DOT Sec. makes damaging statements (to later retract them after the damage was done) and spins negative publicity within the national media for over a week as one of the top stories carried by the majority of major news outlets, day after day where Toyota's massive stock value drops by over 20%, sales nearly stop and resale values of Toyota's take a huge hit, this is no longer an issue that just concerns an auto company.  We are talking about a deliberate move to unseat Toyota to help sagging sales of the 2 domestic brands that are struggling.  The federal government has a vested interest in the health of GM and Chrysler Group and boy they would love Toyota to pay dearly.

The DOT Sec. comments is evident of this not to mention Toyota was the winner of the cash for clunkers where the Corolla was the top selling car for trade in of a federal government program to boost sales!

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Is your name Oxi because it's short for Oxycontin?  You need to get off the stuff and come back to reality. 

Remember when Ford Explorers were the root of all evil?  Night after night, Ford Explorers were thought to be killing people.  Then it turned out to be Firestone tires.  How do you think Ford's stock did during that time?  This was a big American company that the media night after night was talking about, and it went on for nearly a year.  This has gone on for what, 3 months at best?  Ford only recalled Explorers with Firestone tires.  Toyota is doing a series of recalls that affect about 75% of their offerings.  You need to relax and figure out that Toyota just plain screwed up.  - AB

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'10 Subaru STI SE - BS#87 (ProSolo)
'08 Z51 Corvette - SS #27 (National Tour)
'06 Chrysler Crossfire - DS #87(retired in '08)
'04 RX-8 BS #87 (retired in '07)
'01 Celica GTS STS #193 (retired in '05)

Uhh yeaa.... keep going back to as well.  Try in the 80's when 60 minutes went after the Chevy trucks.  They couldn't get one to catch fire so they strapped flares to the bottom and set them off to get the drama they wanted.  The media has always loved getting under the skin of the American companies.  Sometimes deserved and sometimes not.  Now one of the Asian companies screws up and people are calling foul.  Toyota should have read about the GM screw up in the 60's  with the Corvair before they decided to push issues under the rug.

Jeff Christianson 

Oxi is completely correct.  There is a conspiracy, but it is my fault not Obama's.   

In November of 2009, I purchased a used Toyota Camry because of the Toyota's reputation for quality superiority.  I have a lifelong history of screwing things up for organizations.  In 1976, I became a fan of the Minnesota Vikings.  They have not been to the Super Bowl since.  I am also a fan of the Chicago Cubs.  Used to be a Red Sox fan, but switched to the Cubs because I knew that the Red Sox would never win the World Series.  I was a big proponent of HD-DVD over Blue Ray, Beta over VHS, and Sega over Playstation.  My impression was that Nicky would be the most successful Hilton sister.  I was sure that Arsenio would always rule latenight...  You get the picture. 

Thus, Oxi is right.  Its a conspiracy.  In no way is Toyota responsible for managing the probabilities of potential problems with manufactured parts conspiring (he he) to cause the deaths of humans.  It is my fault.  Toyota would always have been immune from regression to the mean had it not been for my insensitive choice in used cars.  Who knows how many lives would have been saved?

Now please.  Lets put this to rest, or at least move the discussion to the forums at consumer reports.  We have more important things to discuss like how (insert your favorite manufacturer's cars) always get screwed in decisions about autocross classes. 

 Bleh. 

Cito:

Oxi is completely correct.  There is a conspiracy, but it is my fault not Obama's.   

In November of 2009, I purchased a used Toyota Camry because of the Toyota's reputation for quality superiority.  I have a lifelong history of screwing things up for organizations.  In 1976, I became a fan of the Minnesota Vikings.  They have not been to the Super Bowl since.  I am also a fan of the Chicago Cubs.  Used to be a Red Sox fan, but switched to the Cubs because I knew that the Red Sox would never win the World Series.  I was a big proponent of HD-DVD over Blue Ray, Beta over VHS, and Sega over Playstation.  My impression was that Nicky would be the most successful Hilton sister.  I was sure that Arsenio would always rule latenight...  You get the picture. 

Thus, Oxi is right.  Its a conspiracy.  In no way is Toyota responsible for managing the probabilities of potential problems with manufactured parts conspiring (he he) to cause the deaths of humans.  It is my fault.  Toyota would always have been immune from regression to the mean had it not been for my insensitive choice in used cars.  Who knows how many lives would have been saved?

Now please.  Lets put this to rest, or at least move the discussion to the forums at consumer reports.  We have more important things to discuss like how (insert your favorite manufacturer's cars) always get screwed in decisions about autocross classes. 

 Bleh. 

Well, what are we gonna DO with you? Spanking? (nah, Lehman would enjoy it too much) Stand you in the Corner? (no, wait - that's Bob's thing)

Tar and Feathers? Grease and Spoons?

A good Ol'-Fashioned Lynchin'?

Maybe someone should do a poll to see how we should pin the blame............

 

 

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-Scott Creech
F-Stock Bullitt Mustang; OMRSCCA

Parfois, on fait pas semblant
"It's 2 O'Clock in the Afternoon - Do you know where your EYES are?"

B1mmer:

Is your name Oxi because it's short for Oxycontin?  You need to get off the stuff and come back to reality. 

Remember when Ford Explorers were the root of all evil?  Night after night, Ford Explorers were thought to be killing people.  Then it turned out to be Firestone tires.  How do you think Ford's stock did during that time?  This was a big American company that the media night after night was talking about, and it went on for nearly a year.  This has gone on for what, 3 months at best?  Ford only recalled Explorers with Firestone tires.  Toyota is doing a series of recalls that affect about 75% of their offerings.  You need to relax and figure out that Toyota just plain screwed up.  - AB

Back then the federal government did not own 2 of the big 3 auto companies!

They do today and their sales are sluggish and profitability is still in question.  So do not think for once the federal government would get their dirty hands in on this one.

The comments from the DOT Sec. opened the door that the federal government is doing what it can to regain lost sales for GM and Chrysler Group at the expense of Toyota.  If the media simply covered the news, no big deal but when the DOT Sec. representing GM and Chrysler Group lashed out, that lies the argument of a smear campaign.

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Ya know?  I think if anyone has this much of a political axe to grind, and politics, conspiricy thoeries, black helicopters, and government hating obsolutely permeats and consumes your life to this degree, you might enjoy a polital forum better.  I know you P.P., I like you and you're a nice guy, but frankly I would prefer to not have to sift through these types of discussions on my Autocrossing forum.  Shall we talk about religion too?

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Patrick Washburn
Lucky Lugnut Racing
SoloPro Driving Schools
Red Eye Brewing Co