it be that Toyota actually planted that story in the Wall Street Journal? Is Toyota in on a high level automotive conspiracy that even the WSJ isn’t immune from? Will they tell us whatever they chose, leading us to believe it’s fact instead of fiction? Where’s Mulder & Scully!?! And we need the real ones, not the Kimberly Kane adult movie spoof versions! (Although, she’s a really good Scully too).

According to Jalopnik, “An unnamed spokesperson at NHTSA, the U.S. agency responsible for examining Toyota unintended acceleration problems, claims last week’s Wall Street Journal story asserting “driver error” was the main cause, was planted by Toyota.” Though the blog and pretty much anyone else involved say that, even though the story was planted, it probably was indeed driver error.

You see, somewhere around 99% of these “Sudden Acceleration” accidents are caused by the driver, not the vehicle itself. So, Toyota might have jumped the gun, sending this bit of info to the Wall Street Journal, but that doesn’t mean it’s false – just in poor taste. This too, is how Toyota (and any other smart company) gets out of paying off a lot of wrongful death lawsuits.

Also from Jalopnik: “A Wall Street Journal article from this past week claimed that initial findings from the US Department of Transportation (DOT), of which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a part, stated that drivers have been to blame for the unintended acceleration by pressing the wrong pedals.”

However, NHTSA, the body responsible for examining the Toyota pedal problems in the US, has firmly rebutted claims the story came from the safety organization. An anonymous NHTSA spokeswoman even went so far as to claim “that story was planted by Toyota” to the publication just-auto. She went on,”Toyota is the source – yes we know that for definite. It is [the] Toyota PR machine. We knew they were going to put it out.”

Stay tuned folks, because like Mulder we all want to believe.

Source: Jalopnik

The project is part of a global initiate by the Japanese auto maker, which involves 600 plug-in Prius vehicles sent to the United States, Canada, England and Australia.

Each plug-in Toyota Prius is almost identical to the third generations hybrid car on the roads of America and the UK today. But there is one distinct difference: each is equipped with a 240-volt rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack for power.

According to the press release: The rechargeable battery technology gives Prius Plug-in extended capabilities when it is driven in EV (electric vehicle) mode: capable of running for up to 12.5 miles solely on its electric motor – battery charge and road conditions permitting – at speeds up to 62mph, it can accomplish the great majority of typical urban journeys with zero fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions.

Prius Plug-in’s combined cycle fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are 108.6mpg and 59g/km respectively.

Toyota posted a surprisingly large $2.2 billion profit for their fiscal year, which concluded on March 31 2010. The amount was a massive improvement over their previous annual net total, a 437 billion yen loss.

Many of Toyota’s most popular vehicles have been the center of attention due to accusations of malfunctioning acceleration, braking, and steering mechanisms. Several lawsuits have already been filed against the company by consumers and shareholders, while the automaker has had to pay a $16.4 million fine levied by the U.S. government.

Source: WorldCarFans

Many of you have checked out the all new Toyota Prius at your local dealership. Some have even taken the Prius hybrid for a test drive. But how about a spin in the upcoming Prius Plug-in? Much like it’s gas-electric twin, Toyota’s Prius Plug-in holds that classic aerodynamic sedan form, made famous by the Japanese auto maker and their best-selling hybrid car.

But two very noticeable exterior traits separate it from the hybrid – Toyota’s Plug-in decals and the charging port. Behind that port door is a J1772 plug, which connects to three separate battery packs: the main hybrid battery and two sub-battery packs – all of which are lithium-ion. Prius Plug-in can be charged using standard American 110V or 220v outlets, requiring 3 hours to 1.5 hours of charge time respectively.

Under it’s hood, Prius Plug-in contains a completely new battery powered, rechargeable all electric engine. This allows for up to 60 miles per hour in full EV mode, with extra power taken from a 1.8L Atkinson engine.

Inside, the Plug-in Prius loses a bit of cargo room due to its three battery packs. But the vehicle still seats up to five passengers comfortably. Extras coming from Toyota include a leak sealant and battery-run air compressor, to be used in the event of a flat tire.

Source: EV World

Toyota’s 4Runner, which is build on the same frame as GX 460, will have a special eye kept on it during testing. Although, during the same run, Consumer Reports did not find the same issues with 4Runner. This may be because 4Runner’s body is wider then it’s Lexus twin. This announcement follows a recall of 600,000 Toyota Minivans.

“Toyota said it is testing stability-control systems on all of its SUVs and that it has had no complaints from customers in regards to the problems stated by Consumer Reports. According to the magazine’s testers, the slow reaction of the vehicle’s electronic stability control system when a driver takes it around a corner while quickly lifting off the throttle can lead to a situation called “lift oversteer,” which in conjunction with the vehicle’s weight and tire specification can potentially lead to a rollover.”

Via: Motor Authority

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will seek a $16.4 million civil fine from Toyota for failing to acknowledge “unintended acceleration” problems. NHTSA rules require automakers to notify the regulatory board within five days of discovering a problem. The agency claims that Toyota knew of sticking accelerator pedals by the end of last September—and warned Toyota dealers in Europe and Canada—but didn’t notify U.S. owners or NHTSA for another four months.

For its part, a Toyota statement acknowledged the NHTSA fine and reiterated that the automaker has already taken steps toward improving its safety record. While we don’t condone Toyota keeping information to itself, if that’s actually the case, we stand by our belief that this whole situation has been blown way out of proportion. This is likely NHTSA’s attempt at saving face, as it has also come under fire for its handling of the recalls.

Just a day after Mr. Sikes apparently lost control of his Toyota Prius in Southern California, a suburban New Yorker claimed they couldn’t brake and slammed a Toyota Prius into the side of a building. NHTSA states their computer data from the Toyota Prius shows at the time of the accident its throttle was open. Meaning: driver was not applying the brakes. Tisk tisk, crafty New Yorker.

But mounting speculation against Mr. Sikes and this negative test result only adds insult to the case against this possible new Ballon Boy. Or was this all the media’s fault? According to Fox News, and this hilarious yet completely serious clip, this all might be:

In the end, we may never actually know if Sikes was full of it, or that his Prius really did try to kill him. Everyone has their opinion, and Toyota, of course, disagrees with his claims:

While a final report is not yet complete, there are strong indications that the driver’s account of the event is inconsistent with the findings of the preliminary analysis.
The investigation revealed the following initial findings:
• The accelerator pedal was tested and found to be working normally with no
mechanical binding or friction. It should be noted that the Prius is not subject to a recall for sticking accelerator pedals and the Prius component is made by a different supplier than the one recalled.
• The front brakes showed severe wear and damage from overheating. The rear brakes and parking brake were in good condition and functional.
• A Toyota carpeted floor mat of the correct type for the vehicle was installed but not secured to the retention hooks. It was not found to be interfering or even touching the accelerator pedal.
• The pushbutton power switch worked normally and shut the vehicle off when depressed for 3 seconds as the 911 operator advised Mr. Sikes to do.
• The shift lever also worked normally and neutral could be selected. The neutral position is clearly marked and can be easily engaged by moving the lever left to the “N” marking.
• There were no diagnostic trouble codes found in the power management computer, nor was the dashboard malfunction indicator light activated. The hybrid self- diagnostic system did show evidence of numerous, rapidly repeated on-and- off applications of both the accelerator and the brake pedals.
• After examination of individual components, the front brakes were replaced and the vehicle was test driven, during which the vehicle was observed to be functioning normally.
• During testing, the brakes were purposely abused by continuous light application in order to overheat them. The vehicle could be safely stopped by means of the brake pedal, even when overheated.

You can’t let the public think for a second that there’s a shadow of a doubt you’re full of s–t. Rumors began from the moment a CHiPs officer saved “runaway Prius” driver James Sikes that he was faking the entire event. 911 calls from whens he supposedly traveled at 90+ MPH down a San Diego highway didn’t help Sikes case – an operator had to instruct him how to use the emergency brake.

Is a dumb driver enough to make claims he was lying? No…but other facts surfacing are not helping his case. Mr. Sikes is somewhere around $700,000 in debt, bankrupt, and 5 months behind on payments with his Toytoa Prius. James and his wife, Patty, who were both in charge of a failed real estate firm, filed for bankruptcy in June of 2008. Sikes ALSO has an apparent history of items in his possession being stolen, followed by insurance claims (see pic above).

And now the oddest part of James Sikes’ story: a search of California Business Records shows the company Adutlswinglife LLC is owned by a Mr. James Sikes. The company operatesAdultSwingLife.com, which advertises that it supports “The Adult lifestyle, wife swapping, hook-up, Swinger clubs, adult social club, booty call, Friends with Benefits, NASCA” with web chats, message boards and other services. Sign us up, Mr. Sikes!

Sources: Jalop 1 | Jalop 2