“Stop driving Toyotas” says Secretary Ray LaHood
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In a sudden fit of irresponsibility, Department of Transportation Secretary Ray laHood now says publicly that owners of recalled Toyotas should “stop driving their cars”.
Pretty crazy if you ask me.
Just tell people to go get the cars fixed ASAP but don’t start a panic.
Here is the stuff from CNN:
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told lawmakers Wednesday that Toyota owners should stop driving cars affected by the recall and bring them back to the company.
“My advice is if anyone owns one of these vehicles stop driving it and take it to Toyota dealer because they believe they have a fix for it,” LaHood told a House committee.
Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa, had asked if the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration should broadcast information about how to handle a sticky gas pedal — whether the driver should shift into neutral, brake or turn off the car.
LaHood said that safety information has been publicized, but his own advice would be to not drive the recalled cars at all.
LaHood also acknowledged that NHTSA is investigating Toyotas not just for problems with gas pedals, but for problems with the electrical systems, as well.”
From CNN
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UPDATE FROM A.P:
“WASHINGTON – Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood now says he misspoke when telling owners of recalled Toyotas to stop driving then.
Instead, LaHood says take them to dealerships to get them repaired.
LaHood told reporters it was “obviously a misstatement” when he told a House panel earlier Wednesday that he would advise owners not to drive recalled vehicles. The remark came during testimony to the Appropriations subcommittee on transportation.”
he's actually retracted his statement.
What idiot would ever say it? Stop driving ford exploders would save far more lives.
Thats good. I have been a Toyota owner for 15 years without any major issues. If anything, the next batch of Toyota that come are going to be absolutely rock solid. They are not going to make the same mistake twice. My next car will be a Toyota in a couple years. Not because of this fisaco, but my car -04 Corolla with a 100K miles is running great.
Good job Joe – just keep sending those dollars so desperately needed here off to Japan.
If you are looking to replace a corolla in a couple of years, Ford and GM are going to have STELLAR models in that segment, including the upcoming focus and the cruze.
It should be every American's OBLIGATION to at MINIMUM, test drive and evaluate domestic models before making a design on a foriegn car.
Toyota should change their advertising tag line from "Moving Forward" to "Moving Forward Unexpectedly" LOL
Lest we forget, the US government has an investment stake in GM and Chrysler, having bailed them out. Would it be above them to start a panic against the biggest rival to the Big 3?
I'm Japanese American… And when I buy my Honda its more American than your Ford. Therefore more domestic please be quiet with your patriotic bore, Anon.
HONDA USA > FORD =).
Forget the panic button, instead, Toyota needs an "Easy Button".
How is a honda more american than Ford?
Please explain? It is very easy to make a statement like that, but hard to back it up.
Are you saying this because it is built here?
Ford designs a car in America with american engineers, they do the testing in america, they hire project managers in america, they hire accountants in america, they pay property taxes in america. What I am saying is where a car is built is not that big of a deal. A plant hires say 2,000 people?
What does Honda do in the states? What jobs do they provide? By the way, I used to work for a Japanese company. We broke even every year because they did not want to make a profit in America so they did not have to pay taxes here before the money went over to japan. If we were making money, the parts we purchased from them were marked up so we would not make a profit. The design comes from japan, the part suppliers are from japan, but it is built in America. Everything else is in japan.
So what is better for the american economy?
I do not work for automotive anymore. I did for a long time, and know the business.
So please, how is Honda more american?
Now they're also recalling PRIUS's for faulty breaks. ( & Tacoma's ). But this shouldn't be a problem (for Prius) since Prius's are notorious for "sudden shutoff" when the car can just turn off at 50 MPH; leaving the driver stranded on the highway. (LOL).
I really agree with those who called the sudden acceleration "the tip of the iceburg". Toyota's quality problems go a lot deeper than just a few dozen fatal accidents caused by failed brackes & failed accelerator components. These are not simple "blame it on supplier quality" problems. There's a plethoria of problems endemic to the Worldwide Toyota organization, in my opinion. Way too many coincidences. Over too many years. Covering too many different models.
I'm trying to sell all my Lexus's ASAP before resale drops any further!!!! I traded the LX 470 for a Jeep — at least THEY don't have mega safety issues!
I stopped driving Toyotas 22 years ago & I will never go back.
Ah What a stupid comment. i've Toyotas from 15 years ago and am absolutly satisied . My actual car is a GS 450 hybrid and it has actualy around 280,000 KM yes
280'000 and is still perfect.
Toyota Stock dropped like a lead balloon today. I sold ALL of mine & bought FORD. I think the deeper the governmnet looks into Toyota, the more "coverups" they'll find. (And here my neighbor almost had me convinced that the problems I've had with my own Lexus's were just "rare flukes".)
Honda is more American because the cars are born here… Not south of the border.
All the guys at the Honda Office here are American as well. Some might be Japanese Americans but still the engineers are AMERICAN. Especially for the ACCORD and TL bread and butter cars for Acura and Honda.
Please learn your Americanism before speaking again. Like I said I am Japanese American, for me Honda is Japanese American as well… so I can support Japan and America and be true to my American Roots.
So from my American perspective buying a Ford is more like buying something from south of the border. The cars aren't born in America. Its not made in USA. Like my Oakleys, they are made in the USA.
Ford outsources its LABOR… which is a much bigger expenditure than Engineers in Japan anyway. So whose the one creating more American Jobs per dollar of company size??
Yeah…. be quiet.
gansta LaHood might be out of the line a bit but he's right in raising the awareness. should have shorted TM a month ago when LA times broke the story…
Toyota should change their advertising tag line from "Moving Forward" to "Moving Forward Unexpectedly
HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!
I agree totally.
Or how about "Moving Foward — Fast!"
I was watching on the news that Toyota also is recalling Trucks & Priuses for repeated rampant brake failures. Then they cut to commercial and it just happened to be a Toyota Ad. It ended with the tag line: "And of course there's Toyota's reputation for reliable Quality" I just about fell out of my chair, laughing. Then I saw my own Toyota sitting in the driveway and felt sick!
At least my Toyota hasn't killed ME! -yet.
Brandon,
Honda employs 19,000 people in USA, data is from March 31, 2004. At the beginning of 2009, ford employed 89,000 people in the united states. That is direct hires. Also, that 19,000 people includes generators, lawn mowers, etc. Honda has 181,00 employees world wide, ford has 213,000. Honda employees 10% of its total work force in United States. Ford has 42% of its work force in the united states.
Why are you afraid to post facts? The numbers for Ford does not include all the suppliers, dealerships, contract workers, etc. That is direct hires. I would say ford contributes more to the economy.
I have no connection to ford. I just hate it when people say honda is more american because it is made here. Honda has 4 plants in the united states.
February 3, 2010 11:09 AM said
"They are not going to make the same mistake twice"
They've alread made it HOW MANY TIMES????
Over the past SIX YEARS!!!!!
Time to wake up and smell the Toyota burning!
Honda does have 4 plants, but they also engineer, design, distribute, support dealerships, have contract workers, have many suppliers that add to their already big impact in USA.
Are they more American, no, but, they are none the less mostly American, yes. Make no mistake, when you buy and Acure TL, Honda Accord or you choose to buy ford taurus or fiesta, the US economy is equally supported.
"when you buy and Acure TL, Honda Accord or you choose to buy ford taurus or fiesta, the US economy is equally supported."
WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING? So you like Honda. O:K, we get it. But they're impact on Amercia isn't even 10% of what Fords is. ( or even Chryslers) Or even 5% of GM's
GET REAL!!!
If you buy a Honda AND mail $1000 to the US Government (for no particular reason) you STILL are helping the US FAR FAR LESS than simply buying a Cobalt!!!
Toyota's slogan should be "Moving Forward — Whether You Like It Or Not!"
Regarding the whole "Buy American" argument, wake up people! This is a global economy now. "Buy American" is a great ideal, but it's nearly impossible to produce ANY affordable product using American resources alone. We consumers are largely to blame for it since we expect the latest and greatest, but don't want to pay for it. Would you honestly pay 25%, 50%, or more for something JUST becuase it is 100% American? I don't know about the rest of you, but where a product is made rarely factors into my buying decision. That doesn't mean that I am anti-american, it just means that I am a practical consumer. It's survival of the fittest out there, folks.
Full disclosure: The last 6 cars I've owned have all been Hondas. Why? Because they have been reliable, affordable, safe, and met my needs. I buy Dell computers and Logitech peripherals for the same reasons.
If you're going to compare Honda numbers vs Ford numbers, at least use numbers from the same year. Comparing Honda's 2004 numbers vs Ford's 2009 numbers is clearly a one-sided comparison.
"Are they more American, no, but, they are none the less mostly American, yes. Make no mistake, when you buy and Acure TL, Honda Accord or you choose to buy ford taurus or fiesta, the US economy is equally supported."
Once again you do not give any facts. Yes, Honda does employ people in the United States.
Answer this question, how much money does Honda of America make? If they make a profit then they pay taxes in united states right?
I can answer this one, Honda does not want to pay taxes in United States and Japan. What they try to do is finish off the year making zero dollars in united states. They want the profits in Japan. What my company would do is if we made too much money, they would increase the cost of parts coming from over there or charge us for some service.
They do not want to make money in the united states.
I am guessing you do not work in accounting.