Online DPS Petition...Interest?

[bjt]

Revised figures were released for the Prius tonight. 124 complaints about 37,000 affected vehicles.

I was gonna say, if Toyota sold 210,000 Prius in 2010, they'd be doing cartwheels in Japan.

 

[NancysToy]

I was gonna say, if Toyota sold 210,000 Prius in 2010, they'd be doing cartwheels in Japan.

I guess that 270,000 figure included japan, where they are extremely popular.

 

[Way2Fast]

I had always been under the impression that it was the NHTSA that was responsible for having manufacturers issue safety recalls on defective/dangerous vehicles. From what I read in todays newspaper it seems like the manufacturer is the one who decides if they will issue a recall. So what actually does the NHTSA do? Are they just another useless government agency that spends our tax dollars needlessly? Why bother to even file complaints with them regarding vehicle safety issues? They didn't order Toyota to do anything about the gas peddle issue. Now with the Prius brake issue...Toyota was quoted saying "at this time they don't intend to do a recall as the brake's are acting normally for a hybrid vehicle." Why are the safety issues left up to the manufacturer's. Any solution they come out with will be based on $$$ rather that a proper repair.

 

[lightman02]

From what I read in todays newspaper it seems like the manufacturer is the one who decides if they will issue a recall.

That’s why they call it a voluntary recall. The NTSA will recommend a recall however they will pass on reports of problems logged to the manufacturer and the manufacture will decide if they should issue a recall. However if there are enough reports of a dangerous situation and the manufacture does nothing then I believe the NTSA can step in and force them to do a recall or pull the vehicle if they find serious issues the manufacture is not willing to correct. The NTSA is a way to have you issue officially recorded in a database instead of the dealer or manufacture just blowing it off and pretending you never had the issue and covering it up.

 

[BajaRon]

That’s why they call it a voluntary recall. The NTSA will recommend a recall however they will pass on reports of problems logged to the manufacturer and the manufacture will decide if they should issue a recall. However if there are enough reports of a dangerous situation and the manufacture does nothing then I believe the NTSA can step in and force them to do a recall or pull the vehicle if they find serious issues the manufacture is not willing to correct. The NTSA is a way to have you issue officially recorded in a database instead of the dealer or manufacture just blowing it off and pretending you never had the issue and covering it up.

I believe this is correct. It's a pretty big stick that NTSA carries. Think about it. They can go to the manufacturer and say "Either you call it voluntarily and look good or we can call it."

Plus, if the manufacturer voluntarily makes the recall they can opperate within their own parameters, as long as it meets the NTSA goals. If NTSA calls it then the manufacturer has to proceed as NTSA dictates.

 

[NancysToy]

The way I understand it, there are several ways a safety recall through the NHTSA can be issued. First, the manufacturer can voluntary contact them and initiate a recall, out of the blue. BRP did this for the initial Spyder brake issues, and for the recent RT wiring problem. Second, there can be complaints to the NHTSA or the manufacturer, and the manufacturer can voluntarily initiate a recall. Third, the NHTSA can lean on the manufacturer, usually after complaints and an investigation, and the manufacturer initiates the recall under pressure from NHTSA. This was the case with the Toyota gas pedals this last time around. Finally, The NHTSA could, as far as I can tell, initiate the recall by itself, but this would involve actually pulling the vehicles off the road, since no fix would be worked out with the manufacturer. Obviously, this would rarely, if ever, happen.