I faxed the NHTSA yesterday.
Does anyone know roughly the current number of subscribers to this list?
Regarding the letter to MCN. I think someone else should do this. It won't
look good if only one person is kicking up a stink. How about it, Jay?
Cheers Joe.
PS: Here are my comments on Mark's comments.
>>=> Here is my suggested press release:
>>
>>As Jay ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) said, a letter to the editor (MCN?) would be
more
>>appropriate.
Yes, by "press release" I meant what we go public with.
>>If you are going to send a letter, here are some suggested changes:
>>=>
>>=> **************************************************
>>=> YAMAHA GTS 1000 ABS FAILURE EPIDEMIC
>>=>
>>=> An internet discussion group for Yamaha GTS enthusiasts, has conducted
a
>> ^
>> delete the unnecessary comma
>>I think that "internet discussion group[s]" still don't have much
credence. It
>>may be better to simply say "The premier Yamaha GTS owner's group has
>>conducted..."
>>=> survey showing that at least 39 discussion group GTS owners have, or
have
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>> delete
I presume you mean delete "discussion group". This there just to make it
clear that this 39 out of a small percentage of owners, not out of all
owners. We could simply say "39 (or roughly 35%) of the group members have
had ABS system failures".
>>=> had, ABS systems which have failed. The brakes revert to conventional
>>You can just stay "have had ABS systems which have failed". Whether the
brake
>>system has been repaired or not, the failure occured in the past.
Agree.
>>=> operation without the owner being aware since the ABS malfunction
warning
>>=> light does not illuminate for this type of failure. The only way to
know of
>>=> the failure is to intentionally try to lock the brakes or to run a
>>=> diagnostics test.
>>I'd skip the "diagnostics test" because (according to the owner's manual),
>>there is _no_ diagnostics test. I'd refer to the owner's manual whereever
>>possible, and place the burden on Yamaha to diagnose the problem. It
sounds
>>more critical if the implication (absolutely true, according to the
>>manufacturer's procedures) is that there is no way for an owner to be sure
the
>>ABS is working without trying the brakes while riding!
I don't think this is an important point. I don't see any point in not being
openly truthful, plus it will genuinely help to inform owners of what they
need to do. Almost all owners won't know how to do the diagnostics test (or
reasonably be expected by anybody to do it themselves) and therefore they
are pretty much limited to the lock-up test anyway.
>>=> The GTS list has about 100? regular subscribers and only approximately
800
>>=> GTS's were sold in the US. Most owners have not had the system repaired
due
>>Better wording might be:
>>
>> The owners group consists of about 15% of all the GTS owners in the
US
>> and has owners from NN other countries. About 35% of US owners have
>> experienced ABS system failures.
>>
>>I'd avoid saying how few people own GTSs or what a small sample was really
>>involved.
We want to avoid stating anything as fact or any assumption unless we are
sure about it. I think "39 (or roughly 35%) of the group members have had
ABS system failures" covers what we need to say.
>>=> to the prohibitive cost charged for replacement of the ABS hydraulic
unit
>>=> (HU). Yamaha refuses to repair the HUs and has insisted on replacing
the
>>=> entire HU at a cost of about $2000.
>>
>>That's their option. I wouldn't beat them up over it. The aim here is not
to
>>make Yamaha seem like they are price gouging, but to get the brakes fixed!
If
>>it's a "sealed part" and they don't want to repair it, fine! As owners, we
>>don't care whether the part is repaired or replaced, as long as it solves
the
>>problem permanently.
I think this emphasises why it's such a big deal. It's not like we can just
get it fixed ourselves unless we're made of money. Also if Yamaha do weasil
out of a recall, maybe they could at least be pressured by bad publicity
into offering a cheaper and better alternative to the current fix.
>>=> The general consensus of opinion among GTS owners is that the problem
is
>>=> caused by corrosion of the HU components through moisture and/or air in
the
>>=> hydraulic fluid in spite of regular brake fluid replacement. Yamaha and
the
>>
>>Skip this! Again, you are leaving the door open for the possibility that
the
>>problem is due to owners not performing maintenance. Furthermore, I think
that
>>offering a diagnosis (which I _completely_ agree with, by the way) is a
>>distraction from the real issue--getting a permanent fix!
Yeh, you're probably right here.
