Toyota Greensburg

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Toyota To Introduce Active Steering

Posted by Toyota of Greensburg on 6:41 AM

Safety is a top priority at Toyota. The automaker’s Star Safety System — a bundle of numerous safety features — is already standard on every vehicle it sells. Now, the automaker is preparing its latest safety innovation: active steering.

Some cars feature technology that applies the brakes when a danger is identified in the vehicle’s path. This technology is helpful to avoid collisions with other vehicles or even pedestrians (when it works properly), but Toyota’s active steering system goes a step further and actually steers your car away from danger.

The new system uses cameras and radar in the front of the vehicle, to detect a potential collision with a pedestrian. If it detects a pedestrian, the system will steer the car out of the way automatically, essentially overriding input from the driver.

“We must learn from accidents and keep making improvements in safety features,” said chief safety technology officer Moritaka Yoshida.

Toyota has not announced the model that’s going to receive this technology first, but emphasized it will be available to consumers soon.

While fatalities have been declining in auto accidents, deaths among pedestrians in traffic accidents haven’t gone down in Japan. Toyota’s pre-collision tech is intended to provide a new level of protection for pedestrians.

Vote For The Westmoreland County Food Bank Today!

Posted by Toyota of Greensburg on 6:26 AM

The Westmoreland County Food Bank is in the running to win a new Toyota as part of Toyota's 100 Cars for Good. Today is the day to vote! Please visit http://apps.facebook.com/carsforgood/ to cast your vote!

Tips On How To Properly Wash and Wax Your Car

Posted by Toyota of Greensburg on 6:26 AM

Check out the tips below on how to properly wash and wax your car.

More than one-third of car owners use damaging non-automotive products when washing their cars-products that could contain harmful detergents, abrasives and additives. And almost half of motorists don't ever wax their vehicles.

"Waxing at least twice a year is recommended for maximum protection, yet surveys show that 48 percent of motorists don't wax their vehicles at all," said Jeffrey Webb, director of retail marketing at Turtle Wax, Inc.

Motorists should avoid dish detergent, which contains harsh chemicals that, intended to cut through grease, will strip away the wax finish on your car. Some are hard to rinse off and leave streaks. For best results, a formulated automotive wash is recommended, one that gently lifts the dirt and grime while protecting the finish.

Washing an automobile on a regular basis protects it from the natural elements that harm the finish. The Car Care Council recommends the following dos and don'ts when it comes to a do-it-yourself car wash:

Don't wash cars in direct sunlight. Do wash cars in shade or in cooler temperatures in the early morning or late afternoon.

Don't use dish detergent. Do use a formulated car wash.

Do fill your bucket with warm water.

Do use a soft terrycloth towel or washing mitt.

Do spray the car often with water.

Don't scrub the car all at once. Do complete one section at a time, rinsing repeatedly to prevent the soap from drying on the paint.

Do use soft terrycloth towels or scratch-free fabric to dry the vehicle.

Don't neglect waxing the vehicle. Do prep the car for waxing using cleaner/polish to remove contaminants.

"The myth of not having to wax your car because you have a clear-coat finish is just that, a myth," Webb said. "Clear-coat finish is only as thick as a piece of paper and can become damaged from the effects of sunlight, UV radiation, acid rain, salt, dirt and air pollution."

10 Most Annoying Things Other Drivers Do

Posted by Toyota of Greensburg on 4:42 AM

What driving habits annoy you the most? Tell us! Or just check out this Top Ten list created by Car Talk radio personalities Click and Clack:

It's a known fact that everyone reading this is an above-average driver — and that each of us always displays deep and abiding civility toward our fellow travelers. So we're sure you won't recognize yourself in any of the items listed below.

But what about all those other jerks on the road?

What things do other drivers do that annoy you most? Here's our list, with an invitation to share your pet peeves below.

Yours in Pounding the Steering Wheel,

Tom and Ray Magliozzi, Car Talk
Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers

1. Talking on a cell phone

When you're talking on your cell phone, you're as likely to cause an accident as when you're legally drunk. Now, what's your excuse? What's more annoying than a driver who's willing to riskyour life so he can pick up his General Tso's chicken without waiting? Even when distracted drivers don't cause a wreck, they weave from lane to lane, create confusion in intersections and generally drive slower than other drivers around them while they're trying to do two things at once, leaving a gang of irate drivers in their wake.

Don't Be a Jerk: Put the phone down while you drive. You know about voice mail, right?

2. Driving too fast for road conditions

Just because a speed limit is 65 mph doesn't mean that's always the right speed. Snow, ice or rain can dramatically reduce your car's braking and handling abilities, as well as limit visibility. The right top speed for those conditions is that at which you feel safe and in control and able to react in time to anything that happens up ahead. That could be 40 mph. Or zero mph.

Drivers who fly past you at 50 mph when conditions call for 15 mph are not just risking their own lives — they might take you with them. If they lose control, they could easily spin into you, knocking you off the road and down an embankment. Or, at the very least, they could cover your windshield with a thick film of slush or rain, leaving you temporarily blinded. Annoying? We'd say so.

Check out the full top ten at Cars.com

Happy 4th of July!

Posted by Toyota of Greensburg on 4:10 AM

I love to see the starry flag
That floats above my head.
I love to see its waving folds
With stripes of white and red.
“Be brave,” say the red stripes.
“Be pure,” say the white.
“Be true,” say the bright stars.
“And stand for the right.”

Author Unknown

Toyota Moves Up 14 Positions In The 2011 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS)

Posted by Toyota of Greensburg on 10:29 AM

Toyota Moves Up 14 Positions In The 2011 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS)

Toyota’s luxury arm, Lexus, was honored as the as the highest ranking nameplate in the industry, while the Toyota Division moved up 14 positions to place seventh.

This year’s study revealed that Toyotas had 16 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, enabling the brand to return to the top 10 among all nameplates. Models that improved their scores from last year’s study included the Corolla, Prius, Tacoma, Tundra, Venza, RAV4, and Sequoia.

“We are quite pleased with the quality improvements Toyota and Lexus have made over the last year and Lexus’ highest position overall in the 2011 IQS,” said Jim Lentz, TMS president and chief operating officer. Lentz continued, “We are committed to the quality and dependability of our products.”

100 Cars For Good Still Going On

Posted by Toyota of Greensburg on 9:01 AM

The 100 Cars For Good Program is still going on. Please visit the Toyota Facebook page daily to cast your vote!

Toyota continues to give 100 percent support to its charitable efforts with its ongoing “100 Cars for Good” program, which will give away 100 new Toyota vehicles to 100 U.S. nonprofit organizations this summer—as chosen by visitors to the Toyota Facebook page.

To kick things off, a panel of independent expert judges provided Toyota with a roster of 500 deserving nonprofit groups that could be greatly assisted in their work by the gift of a new vehicle. Now, every day through August 16, the automaker will post the names of five of these finalists on its Facebook page and ask the public to choose which one will earn a vehicle. To help with the voting, each of the nonprofits has created an online profile, many with video clips, explaining how they would use the vehicle to continuing doing good for others.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to shine a light on the outstanding work carried out by each of the 500 finalists,” said Jim Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “The positive impact of these organizations in their respective communities is immeasurable. We encourage the public to learn more about these great nonprofits and actively participate by casting a vote. We wish all of the finalists the best of luck.”