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Official: State Farm warned NHTSA on Toyota in '07
Nick Carey
DETROIT
Mon Feb 8, 2010 5:42pm EST
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE61751H20100208
DETROIT (Reuters) - Private insurer State Farm informed a government regulator of a worrying trend of vehicle-caused accidents involving Toyota Motor Corp as far back as late 2007, an official at the company said.

Toyota's once-golden resale value gets dented
By DAVE CARPENTER, AP Personal Finance Writer Dave Carpenter, Ap Personal Finance
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100208/ap_on_bi_ge/us_toyota_used_car_value
CHICAGO – Toyota owners looking to trade in their cars have little reason to sing the carmaker's old ad slogan, "I love what you do for me — Toyota!"

PADDY COMYN and MICHAEL McALEER
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2010/0206/1224263887379.html
TOYOTA OWNERS with noticeably faulty cars who are aware their car is part of the recall by Toyota could be charged under the Road Traffic Act if involved in a traffic incident, it has emerged.
A solicitor specialising in road traffic law has raised concerns of whether Toyota owners would be liable in the event of an incident, if they had been made aware their car was part of a recall and noticed a problem with the accelerator.(MORE)

©2010 Bloomberg News
By Angela Greiling Keane
Feb. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp. is guilty of an “unseemly coverup” in dealing with reports of dangerous sudden acceleration by some of its vehicles, consumer advocate Ralph Nader said.
http://news.businessweek.com/article.asp?documentKey=1376-KXC7BE07SXKX-5
“Toyota dropped the ball -- too little, too late,” Nader, who founded groups including Public Citizen to push for strong auto-safety regulation, said in an interview yesterday. “It was an unseemly coverup.”

In the wake of deaths and sharp criticism, Toyota changes course.
03:15 | 02/04/2010 Video
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/toyota-denies-electrical-problem-prius-9...
Toyota: Software to blame for Prius brake problems
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/04/japan.prius.complaints/
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Without issuing a recall of its iconic Prius hybrid vehicles, Toyota said Thursday a software glitch is to blame for braking problems in the 2010 model.

Congressman Says Toyota Telling Different Stories in Public and Private
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/RunawayToyotas/toyota-recall-questions-mot...
Toyota's massive recalls of its floor mats and gas pedals may turn into a lot of finger pointing, with new questions about what the motor company knew about the safety problems and when.
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak reports problems with his Prius.

In Strongly Worded Letter, Reps. Waxman and Stupak Suggest That in Private Toyota Execs Are Telling A Different Story About the Causes of Runaway Toyotas
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/RunawayToyotas/waxman-toyota-told-us-gas-p...
Two congressmen issued a strong statement Tuesday afternoon suggesting that recent statements by Toyota's top U.S. executive to the public about the causes of random acceleration were misleading, and that in private Toyota officials had said that sticky gas pedals were not the cause of the most serious acceleration incidents.

Business is far from usual at Toyota dealership
Quote from article:
"Now, the staff has found itself the butt of jokes. Instead of cracks about General Motors' government bailout or Chrysler's collapse, friends now sent mocking text messages about sticky pedals and crashing cars. People at a grocery store snickered that Toyota stood for "This One You Oughta Tow Away.""
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-dealership1-2010feb01,0,4783152,fu...

Honda recalls Fit model over fire danger
Dayton Business Journal
http://dayton.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2010/01/25/daily47.html?ana...

Honda Motor Co. is recalling 140,000 Fit hatchbacks in the United States and another 506,000 worldwide over a potential fire hazard relating to the power window units, according to media reports.

Consumer Reports suspends recommendations on eight Toyota models
Jan 29, 2010
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/01/consumer-re...
Consumer Reports has temporarily suspended its "recommended" status for eight Toyota vehicle models and one Pontiac model that may have accelerator pedals that can stick and cause unintended acceleration.

Saw this on CNET today, how timely it is (or lack of for Toledo). Politicians say let's ban, and research says it does not matter. Those that win are those who feel better for passing such laws.
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The Highway Loss Data Institute, a nonprofit organization funded by the auto insurance industry, compared monthly collision claims in four states that have banned handheld cell phone use before and after the bans took effect.

General Motors offers incentives to Toyota owners worried by recall
Bring in a Camry, for example, and get $1000 off this 2010 Chevrolet Malibu LT.
By GM, Wieck
General Motors launched a campaign today to give Toyota owners worried about the ongoing recall over sticking gas pedals extra incentive to consider buying a GM vehicle.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/01/general-mot...

By KEN THOMAS

I know this topic came up here before, but Popular Mechanics has the latest on the Toyota unintended acceleration cases. Toyota thinks they have narrowed it down to one accelerator part manufacturer and have issued an additional recall. And Wolfie, it does not include the Prius, so Fred is safe. I hope you are not disappointed :).
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January 14. 2010
Obama wants banks to pay for auto bailout losses
David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau
http://detnews.com/article/20100114/NATION/1140433
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/a-spot-of-tea-vs-a-plea-for-m...
The White House wants the nation's largest financial institutions to repay taxpayers for the costs of bailing out banks and automakers.

Under the proposal, the largest 50 banks -- including GMAC Inc. -- would pay $90 billion over 10 years to cover taxpayer losses under the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program.

NHTSA Tracking Braking Loss on Prius Hybrids
Toyota owners are unhappy about the performance of the system, calling it defective. Pedestrian lives at risk?
by Ken Zino on Dec.24, 2009
Drivers are unhappy about stopping distances on bumps, tracks and slippery surfaces.
Dozens of owners of the current third generation Toyota Prius models have filled complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the alleged brake failures they have experienced.

A George Mason Physicist, Eugenie Mielczarek, saw Wolfman's post on unintended acceleration and wrote to send his thoughts on the issue. His theory is quite interesting. Eugenie is saying that she feels the Toyota cases of unintended acceleration could be a result of RF interference given all of the wireless controls on a car right now. He speaks with experience being he was a victim of his Subaru Tribeca taking off for no apparent reason.

Experts point throttles, not floor mats, in Toyota incidents
Ken Bensinger and Ralph Vartabedian / Los Angeles Times

WTH?
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LANSING -- A Toledo-based company that plans to build a $12.4-million plant in Detroit to build parts for Chrysler Group LLC is among 10 projects granted state tax credits with promises they'll produce 1,507 new direct jobs, Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced Tuesday.

Ohio Module Manufacturing Co. plans to hire 200 employees at the plant, which will build chassis for the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Dodge Durango assembled at the Chrysler Jefferson plant. The company will get a tax break worth $1.8 million over five years.

Toledo ranks low on congestion.
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Among other Ohio communities, the prime-time commuting congestion was thickest in Cincinnati (30th), followed by Cleveland (31st), Akron (68th), Dayton (69th) and Toledo (93rd), according to the report, which was released this week.

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/08/31/daily31.html