Congressional Memo Casts Doubt on Runaway Toyota Prius - Emerging as Possible Hoax

They tried to replicate the problem in a BMW.

Yes, but this wasn?t possible...

Because in the USA you can sue other people for your own stupidity and win. Just one of the flaws of our courts.

I couldn't of said it any better than Xenicide.

reason: #1: 2008, Toyota surpassed GM as no. 1 automaker in the USA. #2: 2009, GM meltdown, bailout & bankrupt...until today, still struggling. #3: economy in the US is bad, govt couldn't do anything for financial & insurance institutes BUT they can save its biggest industry in the US: auto industry. the whole thing made me feel it's all conspiracy & planned acts.

Good theory, but with Ford surpassing both GM and Toyota I don't think it really holds as much validity as it would if it was last year.

oh yes, one more thing...why Prius now all of sudden? it's halo car of Toyota, & GM's Volt on the horizon. now all these "hoax" or fake incidents of Prius, are all ripple effects... speeding in a Toyota & got pull over? no problem, just tell the cop it wasn't you, it was the car! get into acccident & it's your fault? no problem, if you're driving Toyota, claim against the vehicle fault! better yet, you may be able to bring that into a lawsuit against Toyota & get some money!!

Xenicide, Ford is all set itself, Chrysler is all set with Fiat. just GM is still struggling...shutted the door of Pontiac, Saturn & Hummer, liquidating assets... plus their "image" at all time low due to govt bail them out by taxpayer money...

Ford is American, Toyota is the best selling foreign car company, also importing the most cars within the US. If they were to systematically take a car company down why would it be an american one?

So, it's a U.S. conspiracy designed to prevent Americans from buying Toyotas, with the main benefactor being a rejuvenated U.S. economy. So what makes you think they'll buy a Ford, or even a GM? They could just as well purchase a vehicle whose contribution to the U.S. economy is far less than one that is American made, such as a Hyundai, or a Mazda, or a VW. And I still have yet to see how GM benefits from getting caught up in a scandal such as the one that some purport it is currently involved in. GM is still on very thin ice. If it doesn't want to fall through this thin ice it will do everything in it's power to ensure that it receives nothing but the most favorable attention from the media and the public. After all, they want our trust. When GM gets our trust we will reward them with our money. Nobody ever gained trust by getting involved in a scandal. As a side note I've not interviewed any of the people who were involved in these "incidents," nor do I claim to possess any psychological ability in analyzing people's minds based on a few sentences describing their actions as written on an automotive themed website. But, as a person who has crashed a vehicle at a high rate of speed, it is my personal opinion based on actual experience that whether or not these people crashed on purpose or on accident, the VERY LAST thing on their mind in that moment just before impact was the state of the U.S. economy and whether or not they could improve the situation by crashing their Toyota Prius. For me the 3rd and the 5th paragraphs of the story tell me all I need to know. It's probably just another case of people trying to scam a large corporation for financial gain, a corporation that just so happens to be Japanese. And to you Mr. James Sikes, I give you two emphatic thumbs DOWN for failing to remove a Prius from the road. Next time run it into a stone wall like that chick from New York did.

@EDavis, don't mean to offend you but you still missed the point. it's all matters of "opportunities". GM needs an opportunity, do whatever it takes to get that "opportunity". but who should they thrwn a punch to? of coz the biggest & tallest guy! it won't create such ripple effects if it is on Mazda, Nissan, or even Honda. Toyota is DIFFERENT. plus, there is long term "damage" to Toyota: resale value & insurance cost to consumers. in the long run, this may benefits to other auto brands as well. & like i've mentioned many time...why Prius all of sudden? because Prius is the halo car of Toyota. Honda Insight? cost less but still couldn't win (in 9 to 1 ratio). Ford Fusion? still an underdog. why? customers buy Pruis are NOT because of price (median household income of Prius owners at over US$100,000). so, what's the point? this is a big fat market!!! now, look at GM, Volt at the horizon...how can it wins over the Prius...need i say more? it's the US culture...just like in presidential campaign, candidates are all over opponents & try to make-up/ dig-out opponents' history, even thou they know votes may not get to them...it's the culture of US & how they get things done...

oh, EDavis, forgot one more thing... yes, US Govt can try to do something to protect it's industries. remember like 10 or 15 years ago, one of the stupid idea to implement 100% sales tax on import vehicle? just to protect the...ur...big-3!!

Not sure if your stereotypical Toyota buyer would buy Ford / GM. They'll just go off and buy a Honda / Nissan / Mazda or some Korean...??

no doubt about it! Toyota quality is the best...this whole Toyota-circus is so annoying...