The Steering Column

     Some people don’t like flying because they’re nervous about old airplanes coming apart mid-flight.  Some don’t like old cars because they think they’ll break down on the way to their boyfriend or girlfriend’s house.

I prefer a car that has a little character, that has been tested in the field and that won’t start accelerating whenever it wants.

If you haven’t heard, some of Toyota’s cars are experiencing malfunctions that cause them to accelerate without warning — and without stopping.  Others are having trouble with their ABS braking systems.

In total, 12 late-model Toyotas are affected with some kind of problem big enough for the company to issue a recall.

Their website claims that “many vehicles are unaffected” followed by a link to a list of five cars.

I might not have passed calculus the first two times, but I’m pretty sure that’s a 70 percent failure rate.

Recalls are awful for any company.  Not only do they lose massive amounts of cash and inventory, but they also tarnish the corporate image.

Toyota is calling their situation a “voluntary” recall, meaning they don’t think the situation is so dire as to warrant a state of emergency.  After all, they want as few people as possible running for refunds.

They’re telling customers to bring cars in only if they’ve experienced the problem, but how much peace of mind does that offer? These are things you want fixed before you notice the symptoms.

 To Toyota’s credit, they’re probably getting more flak for this than they deserve. 

But when you even have a remotely consistent problem show up regarding safety in the car-making business, you’ve got to squash it before the entire industry turns on you.

If you’re driving a fairly new Toyota, it’s definitely worth Google-ing the recall and seeing what actions are needed.

I’m not saying your car is going to try and kill you next time you go to City Market, but it never hurts to be cautious.

I don’t think Toyota has been cool since the MK IV Supra died in 1998, but I know a lot of you hippies like your Priuses and I’m pretty sure UVM owns a few hybrid Camrys.