While this is not the news that the owners of Tundras with frame rust were hoping for, Toyota seems to be moving in positive direction in regards to frame rust complaints on first-gen Tundras. Before, Toyota seemed to blame frame supplier Dana for this issue. Now, it seems that Toyota has determined Dana is not responsible for frame rust problems on the first-gen Tundra.

This is an interesting distinction that, when combined with other facts, could indicate Toyota will take action…but it’s still very early.

Tundra frame rust.

According to a story in the Automotive News, Toyota seems to believe that:

1. Frame supplier Dana is not the source of the rust problem.
2. NHTSA is likely to expand their investigation of Tundra frame rust to a full engineering analysis.

Much of this is based on statement by Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons, who is also the main point of contact at Toyota for the unintended acceleration issue.

Here are the statements made by Lyons to the Automotive News: …click here to read more →

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Here are 5 “best of Craigslist” posts that have at least something to do with cars. Some important points before we continue:

1. There will not be any apologies for offensive language. If you read from this point forward and click on the links, you WILL see something offensive. Such is the beast.
2. None of the holier-than-thou “I ride a bicycle and I’m better than you” rants that are so popular on Craigslist made it on our list. Sorry. (OK, not really sorry. Screw those people.)
3. Keep the conversation going. Feel free to post a link to a best of Craigslist post that’s automotive in nature in the comments

Best of Craigslist posts with an automotive flavor

Number 1: One BAD Personalized Plate

How can one person get 50 parking tickets, each one for a different car…the answer? They have a personalized plate that’s simply “NV.” …click here to read more →

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Unfortunately for Toyota, rumors of rampant incidents of unintended acceleration have been irresponsibly perpetuated by news organizations more concerned about ratings than facts. The L.A. Times has been particularly aggressive in their efforts to slander Toyota and stoke public fears. Two “news stories” have printed un-substantiated opinions as fact and used incendiary imagery to stoke fear in the hearts of Toyota owners.

While the L.A. Times isn’t alone in this practice, they’ve been leading the charge. Here’s what Toyota owners need to know. …click here to read more →

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According to a limited and (admittedly) flawed NHTSA study, hybrid cars seem to hit twice as many pedestrians as non-hybrids in certain low-speed maneuvers. The reason? Hybrids are nearly silent when operating in electric-only mode.

Are hybrid cars REALLY stalking pedestrians? NHTSA says "probably"

Specifically, the study states that: …click here to read more →

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First reported in Japanese newspapers (and now on Reuters and PickupTrucks.com) it looks as if Toyota is voluntarily recalling nearly 3.8 million cars and trucks in order to fix and/or replace the accelerator pedals. If this is indeed the official “fix” (Toyota has yet to announce this formally), it’s a bit disappointing.

Since many Toyota vehicles have electronic throttle controls, a software upgrade to the engine management system would cure this issue. A software upgrade that prevents a vehicle from operating at full throttle whenever the brake is depressed would almost completely eliminate the possibility that a vehicle could careen out of control because of a stuck throttle. Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz vehicles with electronic throttles already have this feature – it’s called a “brake to idle failsafe” – but Toyota, Lexus, and Scion vehicles do not.

Toyota's gas pedal "fix" isn't the best solution for preventing run-away throttles.

New gas pedals are probably a cheaper “solution” to this problem, but they’re not the best way to solve the problem. …click here to read more →

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Forbes and Yahoo have compiled a list of the ten dirtiest vehicles on the road, and surprisingly this list is NOT dominated by pickups. Instead, the list identifies a handful of SUVs and uber-expensive luxury cars that are “dirty” – as in “most polluting.”

Their calculation is pretty simple – they take the EPA’s emissions score for each vehicle and add it to the EPA’s greenhouse gas score. Both scores are a number from 0 to 10, 10 being the best. The lowest scoring vehicles rank as “dirty.”

The ten dirtiest / highest polluting cars are (according to the list here): …click here to read more →

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