Car safety nanny tech

[theholycow]

Ouch, I guess it isn't too soon, huh? Oh wait, 15 years, yeah.

(Cow or somebody, get me a good reaction gif! I can't post any at work because they won't load.)

...also, the Cruze has been out for 15 years? Boy do I feel old.

[six]

The Cruze hasn't been out for 15 years lol. I think that was the point Rope was trying to make.

[Rope-Pusher]

The Cruze hasn't been out for 15 years lol. I think that was the point Rope was trying to make.

This...and if EVERYONE had waited 15 years before buying one,......

[wannabe]

if everyone waited x number of years before purchasing a new vehicle, no one would know it had faults.

[Rope-Pusher]

if everyone waited x number of years before purchasing a new vehicle, no one would know it had faults.

We have a winner! It figures - she's a Michigander.

You have your choice of any of the prizes on this shelf, right here, between the chewing gum and the Chiclets.

[theholycow]

Cows aren't known for being smart.

[Shadow]

That's why for years, the advice has been never to adopt the first year of a new vehicle. You could also potentially say that for any piece of vaguely complicated tech. The manufacturers, no matter how much testing they do, cannot find every possible problem that might come up compared to when you sell thousands of them.

Yet some manufacturers can get it right, while others can't. Go figure.

[Squint]

if everyone waited x number of years before purchasing a new vehicle, no one would know it had faults.

There are plenty of dumb people that will always buy first gen of something just to have first gen. I rarely am in that much of a rush for technology/car/whatever that I can't wait at least a year to see what issues arise.

It certainly wouldn't be everyone that waits. You work in customer service, you know that are plenty of maroons out there.

[AHTOXA]

That's why for years, the advice has been never to adopt the first year of a new vehicle. You could also potentially say that for any piece of vaguely complicated tech. The manufacturers, no matter how much testing they do, cannot find every possible problem that might come up compared to when you sell thousands of them.

Yet some manufacturers can get it right, while others can't. Go figure.

I thought that just about all manufacturers have had first production run issues with their models? Granted, some are more severe than others, but they are always there.

[AHTOXA]

if everyone waited x number of years before purchasing a new vehicle, no one would know it had faults.

There are plenty of dumb people that will always buy first gen of something just to have first gen. I rarely am in that much of a rush for technology/car/whatever that I can't wait at least a year to see what issues arise.

It certainly wouldn't be everyone that waits. You work in customer service, you know that are plenty of maroons out there.

I bought a first gen Sonic because conceptually, the car fit all the criteria that I was looking for. Not everyone buys a first gen just because they want to be different for a few weeks as the only guy on the block with a given car. It's more prevalent with higher-end cars. With your standard plebeian car, people just buy it as an appliance first and foremost.

[Shadow]

That's why for years, the advice has been never to adopt the first year of a new vehicle. You could also potentially say that for any piece of vaguely complicated tech. The manufacturers, no matter how much testing they do, cannot find every possible problem that might come up compared to when you sell thousands of them.

Yet some manufacturers can get it right, while others can't. Go figure.

I thought that just about all manufacturers have had first production run issues with their models? Granted, some are more severe than others, but they are always there.

It's common for sure, but there are vehicles that have had virtually no significant issues from the very first model year of a generation. A good example is my old 4Runner. The 4th generation spanned from the 2003 model year to the 2009 model year. From the very first model year, Toyota put out a basically bulletproof vehicle that had no significant issues to worry about. My 4Runner was a 2004 (second model year of the generation) and the ratings on my year are actually a bit lower than the 2003 models. All model years within the generation were extremely reliable and trouble-free, but the amazing thing is that the very first year was certainly no worse than any of the other years of the generation. I know that seems totally counter-intuitive, but it's true.

[Shadow]

I bought a first gen Sonic because conceptually, the car fit all the criteria that I was looking for. Not everyone buys a first gen just because they want to be different for a few weeks as the only guy on the block with a given car. It's more prevalent with higher-end cars. With your standard plebeian car, people just buy it as an appliance first and foremost.

Wait....are you talking about the first generation of a particular model or the first model year of a particular generation? There's a difference there, as people often feel that it's wise to never buy the first model year of a new generation of any particular model. That's exactly the case with my Jeep. 2014 wasn't even a new generation, but rather a mid-cycle refresh. There were so many changes that I thought it would be a good idea to wait until the 2015 model year in the hope they they ironed out some of the bugs. So far, I'm not impressed. My expectations were high coming from a 4Runner and going to a Grand Cherokee, but all I can say is, well, I'm not impressed. 'Nuff said....

[AHTOXA]

The 2003 4Runner may have been bullet proof, but not fire-proof:

Recall ID # 62698 - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE Plus Hide Details
Recall Date:
APR 14, 2003
Model Affected:
2003 Toyota 4Runner
Summary:
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES, THE FUEL PULSATION DAMPER, LOCATED ON THE FUEL RAIL, MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED, CAUSING A DIAPHRAGM IN THE PULSATION DAMPER TO BE DAMAGED. IF THE DIAPHRAGM FAILS, FUEL MAY LEAK.
Consequences:
THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE IF A HEAT SOURCE OR AN IGNITION SOURCE IS PRESENT.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PULSATION DAMPER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 5, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Potential Units Affected:
29482
Notes:
TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.


Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2003/toy ... z3PU4CO4cz

[AHTOXA]

I bought a first gen Sonic because conceptually, the car fit all the criteria that I was looking for. Not everyone buys a first gen just because they want to be different for a few weeks as the only guy on the block with a given car. It's more prevalent with higher-end cars. With your standard plebeian car, people just buy it as an appliance first and foremost.

Wait....are you talking about the first generation of a particular model or the first model year of a particular generation? There's a difference there, as people often feel that it's wise to never buy the first model year of a new generation of any particular model. That's exactly the case with my Jeep. 2014 wasn't even a new generation, but rather a mid-cycle refresh. There were so many changes that I thought it would be a good idea to wait until the 2015 model year in the hope they they ironed out some of the bugs. So far, I'm not impressed. My expectations were high coming from a 4Runner and going to a Grand Cherokee, but all I can say is, well, I'm not impressed. 'Nuff said....

If the new generation is a heavy re-design, it may be comparable to a first generation of a particular model, in regards to reliability and bugs present in the beginning.

[Shadow]

The 2003 4Runner may have been bullet proof, but not fire-proof:

Recall ID # 62698 - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE Plus Hide Details
Recall Date:
APR 14, 2003
Model Affected:
2003 Toyota 4Runner
Summary:
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES, THE FUEL PULSATION DAMPER, LOCATED ON THE FUEL RAIL, MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED, CAUSING A DIAPHRAGM IN THE PULSATION DAMPER TO BE DAMAGED. IF THE DIAPHRAGM FAILS, FUEL MAY LEAK.
Consequences:
THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE IF A HEAT SOURCE OR AN IGNITION SOURCE IS PRESENT.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PULSATION DAMPER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 5, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Potential Units Affected:
29482
Notes:
TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.


Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2003/toy ... z3PU4CO4cz

Hahaha....I love the fact that you looked up the recalls on the 4Runner to see if I was being honest. Fact of the matter is that recall was VERY early in the 4th gen's lifespan and only affected a small number of the early build 2003 models. It was so insignificant that I completely forgot about it.

Either way, don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying the 4th gen 4Runner was perfect. It wasn't. There were issues that lasted throughout the entire generation. For example, anyone who lives in the rust belt will eventually experienced seized pistons in both front calipers. It's a common issue and basically a design flaw. But my point is that the 2003 models (first year of the generation) are just as good as the models years that followed. Toyota had no real bugs to iron out during that first model year, with the possible exception of an assembly error at the beginning of the run. It's actually amazing that the 4Runner spanned seven model years with hardly a recall. That's gotta be rare indeed.