Toyota Doesn't Know How to Fix GX460's Stability Control Yet

This could be a problem with the Asian culture or language.

For one, I think it is rude in that culture to point out that something is wrong? To confront someone and say they are not correct, etc. To tell someone their product has faults. No problem doing this in America...

Then due to the complexity of languages there, I think it is common for people to never fully understand everything in their languages. I think they tend to be passive if they don't understand something someone says - do nothing. In America we would say "What do you mean? Please explain!"

As a result of this (or something else?), they have a weakness in the software and quality control areas. Things will mostly work to the specifications, but will not work exactly right.

For example I bought a USB to Serial adapter made in Asia. It mostly worked ok, but could not send or receive a BREAK signal! This would be buried deep in the English language technical specifications. Someone designing this product probably did not understand the translation, so did nothing...

Then there is a WALL between America and Asia. I can't exactly call them up or send them an email and explain what is wrong with their product technically. They would not understand what I was talking about. I have tried this in the past and they were defensive. Could not understand what I was saying. So I don't even try anymore.

You're in the ballpark, but I don't know that you are hitting the nail. Toyota REFUSES to admit to problems, even when they are glaring and obvious and have serious implications. That may be somewhat cultural, but they know enough about business that they realize the business implications of denial, or acknowledgement, both culturally and in a business sense.

I had a problem with my Toyota back in 1986 while still under factory warranty. It was a relatively small problem but could result in a car fire. It was clearly a design issue and likely affecting every single Toyota they'd made.

Toyota refused to acknowledge that it was their fault (Asian?) and quickly retreated to repeatedly reading me a statement denying any responsibility from their lawyers (Business!!!). I was shocked at how fast my request to get reimbursed to the dealer became a corporate legal issue. It became obvious that they did not want to admit to the problem because of the huge liability from the fires (accidents & death) and of course the cost of retrofitting all those cars at if they did. So, they refused my warranty claim. That was the last Toyota I bought.

Same scenario lately, with every Toyota problem: The sludge issue, the truck frame problem, the sudden acceleration problem.

Back years ago I'd tell people my story and they'd look at me like "you must be nuts, Toyota has the utmost quality and support!". He who laughs last, laughs best.

What was the problem? Is there a reason why you are not saying what it is? I'd sure want to know. Thanks.

On Sat, 17 Apr 2010 09:55:00 -1000, dsi1

The problem was three fold: First, the air intake ducts under the cowl were on the bottom, not rear (firewall) or ducted from above as they are on better designed cars. That allows (and almost begs for) foreign matter such as pine needles to be pulled into the duct system. Second, the fan then chops that material and sends it along to the third problem: the heating fan resistors were exposed wound wire type that literally glowed cherry red when used to keep the fan on lower speeds (unlike properly designed systems in other vehicles where they are encased in an aluminum cover/heatsink).

The result was that the bottom draft duct design allowed the material to be pulled in, the fan then chopped it up and packed it against the resistors, then the resistors ignited it. Fire would result, with the fan literally fanning the flames.

The ductwork problem is not easily rectified in the field, it's a engineering issue. However, the problem could have been repaired simply by encasing the resistors in an aluminum heatsink/cover that would have prevented ignition.

Thanks for the info. I'll have to check this out when I see an 86 Toyota.

You'll have to, because I certainly won't be... that was the third Toyota I owned, but the last. So, I don't know when they moved to a better design like other manufacturers were using. Not that other manufacturers like Nissan, Honda, etc haven't had their issues too, and American history on engineering and defects is sometimes quite the hoot. But, I didn't need to be jerked around again by corporate attorneys when my car needed a simple $300 warranty repair due to bad design.

What do you own/drive now?

Well? By your own standard, your whine doesn't hold water unless you can name a car brand that does better by its customers. What do you drive/own?

My guess is that Hyundai is pretty good although that's just my initial impression after owning a used one for a couple of months. Time will tell. They're gonna replace the evaporator core in my 2006 Sonata under the 50K bumper to bumper warranty and I'm the 3rd owner. Thank God!

The silence speaks volumes. The guy probably bought another Toyota and now is embarrassed to admit it.

More likely he either dropped you in his kill file and never saw it, or just got tired of the playful banter and went looking for a serious car forum.

You didn't major in logic, did you? The fact that Toyota has a long history of avoiding major warranty payouts; the fact that I personally experienced that back in the 1980s; and the fact that they are now seeing their long term cultural (corporate and Asian) problems come home to roost are not impacted in any way by what vehicle I drive now.

Your only reason for asking the question was an cheap attempt to point a "yours too" finger at me. Even if you were able to do that, it would not change the history and current status of Toyota.

You didn't major in logic, did you? The question remains, compared to what?

Hypothetically, I can complain about the best product on the market all day. It's moot. At the end of the day, a consumer as to choose between products A, B, C, D, etc. (Is that logical enough for ya?)

Repeated silence speaks even more volumes. Like I said before, he probably bought another Toyota and now is embarrassed to admit it.