SUA Scandal: Toyota Knows, Doesn't Tell How to Make Cars Run Away

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

It’s the war of the unreleased documents. Days after a former NHTSA chief accused the NHTSA of burying evidence that shows that driver error was the cause in 23 out of 23 cases, ABC has the story that Toyota knew long ago how to cause sudden unintended acceleration in their cars, and failed to tell everybody how to go about it.

ABC’s source: Plaintiff’s lawyers who have Toyota in U.S. District Court in Southern California. The charge: Forty Toyota owners claim that cases of sudden unintended acceleration have caused them financial harm by reducing the resale values of their cars.

According to the suit, “Toyota failed to disclose that its own technicians often replicated SUA events without driver error.” How it’s done is still murky.

When contacted by ABC News, Toyota would not comment on the documents that allegedly show the company’s technicians and dealers confirming sudden acceleration incidents. In reference to the class-action lawsuit, however, a Toyota spokesperson said, “To date, plaintiffs have not cited a specific cause that would support their claim of a defect in Toyota’s Electronic Throttle Control System.”

ABC is not a disinterested party in that matter. Ever since the David Gilbert / Brian Ross debacle, ABC has been the news outlet of choice for supposedly incriminating Toyota evidence – and has the black and blue eyes to prove it. The story appeared on Brian Ross’s blotter which has turned into a Toyota attack-page. Someone is desperately trying to redeem himself.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Mcs Mcs on Aug 04, 2010

    A couple of days ago in Newburyport MA, a Dodge Caravan accelerated out of control and hit three people watching a parade. The driver was 91 years old. Yet another UA story that doesn't show up in the national media. If it had been a Toyota, you can bet it would have been on the evening newscasts nationally.

  • George B George B on Aug 04, 2010

    The evidence of driver error is the combination of accelerator pedal pushed to the floor AND brake pedal not pressed. Most likely way to create that combination of ECU inputs is for the driver to push on the accelerator when they thought they were pressing on the brake. Alternate explanation requires multiple part failures to occur at the same time.

  • Giltibo Giltibo on Aug 04, 2010

    In that video, if you freeze-frame the moment where the engine RPMs "surge", you notice a)That the "BRAKE" light is on and b)The speedometer shows "0". That's strange...

  • ChuckR ChuckR on Aug 04, 2010

    Fox News wasn't even in existence yet when CBS/NBC/ABC had already perfected the hour long so-called 'news' show. From blowing up trucks with remote triggered model rocket solid fuel boosters to employing vacuum (or something) lines to goose the ol' Audi into a rampage to innuendos about nuclear power to hand wringing over global cooling to poison apples (alar scare) to God knows what else, these people are closer to a tabloid than a news organization. Except that the Enquirer tabloid got a Pulitzer, so its actually closer to a news organization than they. It's not a requisite, but a lobotomy sure would be helpful to tune in to over the air 'news'. All true before Fox was in existence. Having a laugh over this assertion by ABC is like laughing at a dimwit, excuse me, mentally challenged person. Shame on you all, ABC et al can't help themselves.

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