Honda Recalls 410,000 Cars

Staff / Truthdig Mar 17, 2010 It's not quite the 8 million vehicles that Toyota has had to swallow, but the next-biggest Japanese automaker announced a recall of its own. Honda is calling 410,000 Odyssey and Element vehicles sold in the U.S. back to the farm to address brake issues. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

What Do Toyota and Big Tobacco Have in Common?

Staff / Truthdig Mar 9, 2010 Fed up with a certain automotive academic who has been challenging Toyota's claims about its car troubles, the automaker demonstrated similar problems in its competitors' vehicles and fielded a team of experts to argue counterpoint. One of those experts runs a consulting firm for hire that once found no link between secondhand smoke and cancer. (continued) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

GOP Lawmaker Demands Recall of Car That Drove Him to Gay Club

Andy Borowitz / Truthdig Mar 8, 2010 The senator said not only did the car drive him to the gay nightclub, but it forced him to enter the club and party there for hours, resulting in his later arrest for DUI. (Editor's note: Although Roy Ashburn is a real state senator who really was arrested on a DUI charge after allegedly being at a gay club, in this column Borowitz takes the liberty of manufacturing a set of quotations for satire's sake.) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Toyota’s Issues May Drive Change in U.S. Brake Standards

Staff / Truthdig Mar 3, 2010 February wasn't a good month for Toyota, what with the fallout from the automaker's recent recall, but Toyota's pain may lead to a gain for U.S. drivers, in the form of a potential requirement for automobiles to include a brake override system. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Toyota Chief Overshoots Congressional Hearings by 150 Miles

Andy Borowitz / Truthdig Mar 1, 2010 Toyota President Akio Toyoda said he was having difficulties with the brakes on his 2010 Toyota Prius, which finally came to rest after crashing into a blacksmith's shop in Colonial Williamsburg. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Not as Dumb as He Looks

Mike Luckovich / Truthdig Feb 25, 2010 Dig deeper

You Bet Your Ass

Mr. Fish / Truthdig Feb 25, 2010 Dig deeper

Toyota’s Big Apology

Staff / Truthdig Feb 23, 2010 Amid major setbacks leading to massive recalls related to unintended acceleration, faulty brakes and other mechanical calamities, Toyota is shifting into damage control mode. On Tuesday, the Japanese carmaker's president, Akio Toyoda, made a personal apology before the U.S. Congress, admitting that his company got ahead of itself, prioritizing growth over quality control. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

So Much for Plan B

Staff / Truthdig Feb 10, 2010 Car buyers troubled by Toyota's recalls may have considered turning their attention to Honda, another Japanese automaker with a sterling reputation for reliability. Unfortunately, the second-biggest Japanese automaker just announced an expanded recall of its own. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

And Now for Another Big Toyota Recall

Staff / Truthdig Feb 9, 2010 Sorry, Toyota. Certainly there'll be a slew of jokes about the automaker's old "Oh, what a feeling!" commercials -- oh, wait, too late! -- now that Toyota has caught yet another tough break (sorry again) in the form of a recall of about "436,000 hybrid vehicles worldwide," according to the BBC. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Stealing Fire From the Gods

Eugene Robinson / Truthdig Feb 5, 2010 A friend of mine once had a Toyota that wouldn't die The odometer had only a dim recollection of passing 100,000 miles, the body was dinged and the paint was faded and the interior was worn, but the thing just kept running He finally parked it at the airport, removed the plates and walked away. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Make It Three: Prius Brakes Could Spark Another Toyota Recall

Staff / Truthdig Feb 5, 2010 The brakes on the 2010 Toyota Prius have prompted a U.S. government investigation and a possible third recall for the troubled automaker, if a report in Japan's biggest business newspaper is to be believed. (continued) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )