|
The most popular car brand on Earth, Toyota, is suddenly looking like chopped liver. How can that be? They just began the largest auto recall in history for uncontrollable acceleration problems. Now, their beloved Prius brand is having a brake recall on top of that. Has the automotive world gone mad? They had hoped it would all go away, but there were too many incidents and complaints which resulted in a call to action by the largest consumer of Toyota products, the United States.
Drivers are not prepared to have automobiles with accelerators that have a mind of their own. The results have been disastrous. Brakes can not save you because the engine will overpower your efforts to stop the vehicle. For the record, if this ever happens to you, the experts say to immediately put your car in neutral and guide it over to the shoulder. Then, turn the engine off. For my own experimental purposes, I turned our 1996 Camry engine off and tried to steer the car in a parking lot. You can not turn the steering wheel if the car is off because the power steering is not engaged, and the wheel is really impossible to handle.
I've always loved Toyotas. My wife had an ancient Corolla, and we still have the above-mentioned Camry, and a 1977 Toyota long-bed truck. It's like a Timex watch: it takes a licking and keeps on ticking. That rusted out relic just won't die. Luckily, none of them were included in any recall. They're much too old and simple. But, the main question is: can Toyota survive this nightmare? You'd think that in time, and if the recalls are handled properly, they will regain their status. But, what if there are more design flaws lurking in the wings? And, it has to make you wonder if other car brands have problems yet to be uncovered. I had to take our 1995 Ford Windstar van in for a recall fix, and that was only recently. Scary.
It seems that as the vehicles we drive become more sophisticated, relying on computers and advanced but much more complex systems, there are many more chances for things to go horribly wrong. You often hear mechanics complaining about how difficult the modern-day automobile is to fix, not only in expensive equipment needed to diagnose problems, but in regard to the know-how to fix them once a problem is determined. Hopefully, this "Toyotapocalypse" will subside, and the Company and their consumers will be much the better for it. But, it will make you think twice before purchasing a Toyota for a while.
About the Author:
Grant Brad Gerver is an entrepreneur and creative consultant for Filibi Classified Ads & Printable Coupons. 70% commissions. Click here to post your free ad with pictures. No cost to join and earn. No gimmicks. Simple. Practical. Profitable. "Gerv" is also a YouTube (gbgerver) blues singer-songwriter and guitar player who performs with The Buzzard Brothers. He's a retired elementary school teacher who works in the mental health care field.
|
