Toyota USA President Hints At HD Tundra’s Future

In Automotive News, Toyota USA President Yoshi Inaba answered some questions about Toyota, including offering some interesting tidbits about the Tundra. From Automotive News (subs. req’d):

Question: Why is the Tundra having only limited success against Detroit’s full-sized pickups?

Inaba’s Answer: Let’s face it. Tundra competes in a subsegment of full-sized pickups. It does pretty good. The simple situation is with the market collapsing and fuel prices going up, it hinders us from being more aggressive and not reaching the volume where we bounce from there. We are not disappointed. We are not 100% happy, but we are not discouraged.

Here’s what I think these comments mean. Read more…

Power Seat Problems? Toyota Tundra Power Seat TSB

Toyota has released a TSB for some of its 2007-2010 Tundras regarding a power front seat that fails to operate because the 30-amp seat fuse is open. An improperly seated wiring harness has been determined to be the cause and installation of an updated wiring harness protector has been identified as the fix.

Installation of the updated wiring harness protector will be installed under Toyota’s Comprehensive Warranty until the expiration of 36,000 miles or 36 months from the date the vehicle was placed in service. The TSB number is 0060-11.

How to Repair the Power Front Seat and Open Fuse Issue

1. Make sure that the front power seat is inoperative and that the fuse is open. If either of these conditions is not met, then this TSB isn’t applicable. There will be another one, not to worry.

2. Remove the front power seat switch. Read more…

Toyota Delays 2012 Tundra Regular Cab – Is Regular Cab Going Away?

In a sign that Toyota may abandon the regular cab, Toyota has decided to delay production of the 2012 Tundra regular cab until December. In years past, sources at more than one automaker have commented to me that the regular cab really only makes sense as a fleet vehicle – consumers, as a general rule, are more interested in double cabs and crew cabs, which means that the regular cab is one of the least popular configurations.

I also have it on high authority that Ford considered canceling the regular cab F-150 prior to the 2004 F-150 redesign, but relented because fleet buyers prefer that configuration. I have also been told – again by numerous sources at multiple automakers – that the cost of building a regular cab pickup is only slightly lower than the cost of building a double cab…which brings us back to the 2012 Tundra. It could be that, when the next generation Tundra debuts, a regular cab model is not available. Read more…

Funny Chevy Camaro Unintended Acceleration Video

When you watch the video below, you’re likely to laugh:

The question is, why? It could very well be that this is a documented example of a Camaro with unintended acceleration. Perhaps there’s a difficult to detect flaw in the accelerator pedal assembly or engine computer that occasionally causes the Camaro to lurch out of control – even when the brake pedal is being pushed. It could be that thousands of Camaro owners are in serious, serious trouble right now because of a safety flaw in the Camaro’s design.

I think that it’s time to call ABC news and demand an investigation. I think it’s a good idea for Consumer Reports to stop recommending the Camaro. Sure sure – there’s absolutely no proof that this is anything more than a case of careless driving – but let’s assume the worst anyways.

Maybe the Secretary of Transportation could threaten GM executives and promise to “hold their feet to the fire” until they investigate this problem? Congress should get involved too – it’s not like we can let this go.

Electric Superchargers: Still a Scam

Electric superchargers are one of the biggest scams ever perpetuated on drivers looking to increase their vehicle’s horsepower and fuel economy on the cheap. The builders of these inexpensive devices prey on the willingness of people to believe in seemingly reasonable claims couched in pseudo-scientific explanations, and they are marketed by companies no more reputable than the snake oil salesmen of the Old West.

One of the fundamental disconnects between an electric supercharger’s advertised benefits and its real world performance is that these products are not actually superchargers at all. Superchargers by definition cram more oxygen into a given volume of air by pressurizing it, a process that takes a considerable amount of energy to accomplish. This additional oxygen adds more power to an engine by allowing for more fuel to be combusted without increasing the motor’s displacement.

The Turbonator: It's a scam.

Most electric “superchargers” (like the Turbonator) are actually just electric fans Read more…