4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Ralph 123

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

I knew I just read something about those wonderful Japanese trucks. They made safety recall history!<br /><br />Toyota recalls more than 750,000 SUVs, trucks<br />Problems with front suspensions may hinder steering<br /><br />The Associated Press<br />Updated: 9:08 a.m. ET May 18, 2005WASHINGTON - <br /><br />Toyota Motor Corp., in one of its largest safety recalls ever, said Tuesday it is recalling more than 750,000 pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles because of problems with the front suspension that could hinder steering.<br /><br />The company said the recall covers 774,856 vehicles in the United States, including the 2001-2004 model years of the Tacoma, the 2001-2002 versions of the 4Runner and the 2002-2004 model years of the Tundra and Sequoia.<br /><br />Toyota said the surface of a ball joint which connects to the front suspension may have been scratched when it was manufactured, which could lead to wear and tear over time.<br /><br />Any excessive wear or looseness in the joint could force drivers to exert more effort when steering, allow the vehicle to drift and increase the amount of noise from the suspension.<br /><br />Ming-Jou Chen, a Toyota spokeswoman, said the company had confirmed six cases in which the condition existed in the suspension. There have been no injuries associated with the problems.<br /><br />Toyota said it planned to conduct a similar recall of the affected vehicles in Canada, Japan, Australia and other countries, but did not immediately have the number of vehicles that would be covered outside the U.S.<br /><br />Chen said it was one of the largest recalls in company history.<br /><br />In 1992, Toyota recalled about 550,000 Camrys from the 1987-1990 model years because of the potential for power door locks to malfunction and lock passengers out of or inside the vehicles.<br /><br />In 2002, the company recalled nearly 400,000 subcompact and minicar vehicles exported to the United States, Europe and Canada because of improperly designed brake fluid pipes.<br /><br />In Tuesday’s recall of trucks and SUVs, owners will be notified beginning in July and will be able to have the problem fixed at no cost, Chen said.<br /><br /> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7887155/
 

Dunaruna

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Ralph, think about it - at least they care enough about customers to actually DO the recall. The number of recalls reflect their massive worldwide market share.<br /><br />All car makers have design faults in one form or another. How they handle those faults will determine future sales.<br /><br />Aldo
 

SoulWinner

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Ralph, those are all American made POS Japanese Toyota wannabe's. The reason fleets are made of American junk is because GM, Ford, etc., practically give them away to fleet users. A sales and marketing device invented by Lee Iacocca to save Chrysler when it was dieing.<br /><br />PierBridge, I have to say that if you are gonna lie, at least make it believable. You towed three LC's last year. That is statistically impossible unless you live under the following circumstances:<br /><br />1) You live in a very affluent area where these trucks VERY common. Like, the only other vehicles you ever encounter on the road or LC's, and you are the only one around that "Buys American!"<br /><br />2) You live in an environment that would kill these tanks, like the Moon, Mars, the surface of the Sun etc.<br /><br />3) You live where there are a lot of older FJ 40's and FL 60's that have about a billion off-road miles on them.<br /><br />Ralph, I am speaking specifically about the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ-80. They were made between 1992 and 1997. The FJ-100 is also a good truck, but I like the body style of the 80 series better. If you can show empirical data that shows that America can build a better vehicle, I will happily shut up. Until then, you guys buy American junk, and love it. As for me, Detroit has screwed me enough, and the American auto worker banged me again on that Tacoma. Screw American made motor vehicles. Ford F-250's were such heaps of crap that a local company that supplies birds to pet shops nation wide, lost their behinds two years when every one of their trucks were broken down in different cities across the US with bad transmissions. An F-250 can't haul some birds? Well of course not, it wasn't built in Japan.
 

SoulWinner

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Johnshan1,<br /><br />you should this really funny; GM recently announced that they are laying off 25,000 workers (if you want to call them that). Analysts say that isn't enough to save the hemorrhaging company. During the 1990's (the Clinton era of economic prosperity) they laid off more 100,000 workers. The reason? They can't compete with imports from Asia. Look on the bright side, with Toyota building junk in America, maybe now GM will have a fighting chance.
 

Ralph 123

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

A recall is a very specific legal requirement in the states. You don't get to choose to do a recall. It is mandated by the Gov based on complaints, accidents, etc. and it has to be safety related - My Sr consulting project in B School was working with a large American car maker on how to reduce recalls.<br /><br />Where the vehicle is assembled has something to do with quality but relatively very little. Most of the assembly is highly automated these days. You'd be surprised how little human touch is required. I had to visit several US Assembly plants so I am speaking from experience.<br /><br />Quality has more to do with the basic design and the requirements specifications for the components and the manufacture of the components - often by a tier 1 supplier. Bad ball joints has nothing to do with assembly unless Toyota had a bad procedure for installation.<br /><br />Toyota's American plants are set up almost exactly like their Japanese plants - same systems, same equipment, same management approach, etc. I had to study them in B School and it so happened that one of my classmates had been one of the supervisors for a Toyota Assembly plant in CA so we got a lot of first hand insight from him...
 

Nos4r2

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Just a thought-when the actuator solenoid failed on my 25 year old japanese piece of junk after 265000 miles and 10 years of hard farm use by the previous owner...<br /><br />It was replaced by a lever and linkage next to the gearshift. Works a treat.
 

PierBridge

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Originally posted by Nos4r2:<br /> on my 25 year old japanese piece of junk after 265000 miles and 10 years of hard farm use
I would not be so hard on your Japanese toyo they do have good motors. ;)
 

SoulWinner

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Originally posted by PierBridge:<br /> I would not be so hard on your Japanese piece of junk they do have good motors it's the frame, chassis, and drive train that make it a piece of junk.I would not worry about it to much it's a physics thing a 3/4 or 1 ton Truck "real truck" have an absolute advantage that your little truck can not compete with. ;)
So why is the Toyota Land Cruiser the most sought after vehicle in Africa? I would aldso hazzard a guess that the Cruiser is more popular in Australia too. Looks like Advantage: Toyota! Builders of a vehicle that your full size American crapola can't compete with.
 

KM2

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

This has gotten way off topic. Besides this is an apple to oranges comparison. You can't compare a "real truck" 3/4 or 1 ton Ford, Dodge or Chevy to a rare and very expensive Toyota SUV.
 

Nos4r2

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Originally posted by PierBridge:<br />it's the frame, chassis, and drive train that make it a piece of junk.I would not worry about it to much it's a physics thing a 3/4 or 1 ton Truck "real truck" have an absolute advantage that your little truck can not compete with. ;) [/QB]
;) Would it be the wrong time to point out that after 25 years of British winters and being used as a serious offroad vehicle my galvanised chassis is still fine and so is the drivetrain-and it can tow up to 5500lbs and has done on a regular basis for at least the last 10 years? Oh, and it weighs nearly 2 1/2 tons and can carry a full ton onboard too...whilst doing 22 mpg. <br /><br />Think I'll stay with my Daihatsu... :p :D
 

PierBridge

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Originally posted by Nos4r2:<br /> it can tow up to 5500lbs :p :D
Exactly my point. :) <br /><br /><br />
Originally posted by SoulWinner:<br />
Man I wish we got those here. [/QB][/quote]<br /><br />Maybe you could move over there it sounds like a good fit for ya. LOL.... :)
 

PierBridge

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Think I'll stay with my Daihatsu... :p :D [/QB]
Now thats funny.<br /><br />Here is Soulwinner and the new truck he wants..LOL<br /><br /> Soulwinners Ride.<br /><br />Are they really that small or is it just me. Small Daihatsu cars. <br /><br />The Copen looks kinda cool not sure about the rest of their line up though.
 

Johnshan1

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Look around the job sites of America, as I said before you wont find any toyotas on a construction site, and theres a reason for this- they wouldnt hold up! Buying american because the fleets get a discount is plain bull, they buy GM, Ford and Dodge because they are real trucks, plain and simple. Do you really think nearly every single contractor buys these 3 brands of trucks and they dont hold up? If that was the case they wouldnt buy them. <br /><br />Like someone said before, go get some grocerys with that land cruiser and remember you dont have to use 4wd on pavement!<br /><br />I think everyone will agree- take your alternative lifestyle avaiator and get lost you wacko.
 

Nos4r2

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Originally posted by SoulWinner:<br />
Originally posted by Nos4r2:<br /> <br />Think I'll stay with my Daihatsu... :p :D
Man I wish we got those here.
You do. It's a 2.8 litre 4 cyl turbo diesel Daihatsu Fourtrak. I think it's rebadged in the States as a Rocky.<br /><br />It helps with the MPG that it's a stick shift and I've done a course (from work) in reducing fuel consumption(that got me from 18mpg towing to 22). It's also not a fantastically comfortable ride and quite unstable above 70mph.<br /><br />You'll get even better gas mileage if you can get an early 2.3 litre turbodiesel stickshift Isuzu trooper-but they rust badly. I used to get 36mpg from mine, and 27mpg towing. Unfortunately they aint easy to get hold of now.
 

SoulWinner

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Oh yeah, the Rocky. Those used to be offered here but they were pulled from this market after a year or so. Still them around, and I have seen several that were lifted to accomodate 36" tires. VERY capable off road. I have seen them and even a couple of Suzuki's go places that only Toyota's could go. Something about the combination of light weight truck with 44" Boggers makes these Yota's unstoppable.<br /><br />My truck, however, is very heavey. Once I lift it and put on 35" BFG Mud Terrains, it should outperform anything from the big three off road. <br /><br />So anyway PierBridge, if Chevy trucks are so great, why is it that the Toyota Land Cruiser is the truck that conquered Africa and the Australian outback? Hmmmmm?
 

Johnshan1

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Well, why is it the military uses Hummers and not land cruisers you bloody fool?
 

Skinnywater

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Specifically the fault with the actuator is the feedback potentiometer develops poor contact.<br />The purpose of the potentiometer is to communicate with the traction control unit the actuators position, 2wd/4wd/4hi/4lo, depending on the transfer case used.<br />The most common reason for failure is non-use.<br />Extended periods of the actuator being "parked" causes corrosion to develop on the potentiometer.<br />Extended periods of being parked can lead to a secondary condition of where there is excessive resistance between the armature and brush contact areas. This resistance is also caused by a corrosive film.<br />An additional cause of failure is on some applications the actuator is placed to close to catalytic converters or other hot exaust components without the benefit of adequet shielding.<br />This is generally a worse scenario as it not only tends to cook the electrical componenets inside of the actuator, the hot to cold cycle naturally causes increased condensation with-in the actuator.
 

SoulWinner

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

Originally posted by Johnshan1:<br /> Well, why is it the military uses Hummers and not land cruisers you bloody fool?
Well first, you're not very nice. Not well informed either. The LC does not meet the spec. criteria the military demands, which the H1 was created specifically to do. Also, Hummers are sold (as I had read somewhere) to the DOD for a quarter of they sold to the public for. A price far below that of Land Cruiser. As noted above, the DOD specs call better approach and departure angles, higher hillside travers angles, and greater suspention articulation than a stock Cruiser offers. Most of this can be achieved in the Cruiser, as is evidenced by the many of them crawling all over Moab in places H1's can't even get to.<br /><br />Whoever, if you look at what the International Red Cross drives all over Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and and the Middle East, they are exclusively Land Cruisers. If a Chevy could do the job, and do it with the reliability and aplomb of the Cruiser, wouldn't be using Silverado's?
 

Nos4r2

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Re: 4WD High & 4WD Low Blinking

A friend of mine has a spare wheel cover on his jacked up Landrover 110... says "Hummer Recovery Vehicle".<br />Says it all really. ;)
 
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