My Nissan sales rep didn't mention that Toyota made an SAS system that would fit my new 3 wheeler. Can it be dealer installed?

Actually, Toyota dealers must turn off the SAS system if so requested by the customer. The customer needs to sign a waiver and the dealer can come in and actually shut down the system. This has been done by some of my customers that I service. OSHA has nothing to say about shutting down the SAS system since the system is not mentioned anywhere in their wording of any laws or requirements governing forklifts. I would recommend to any customer who is unhappy with the SAS system simply contacting Toyota directly (circumventing the dealer) and requesting the SAS be shut down.

If I remember correctly Yellow did not want SAS because of the Union. If one brand of truck (Toyota) had SAS all brands of trucks Yellow owns would have to be equipped with SAS.

I know this may not make sense, but sometimes unions do things that make you shake your head.

Iv had to repair sevral SAS systems.Just simple stuff so far and thanks to a person here not an all day repair.Customers love it when it works hate it when its broke.That about every lift out there when it runs they are fine when they put money in it they are piXXed

Why is it that one of Toyota's largest customers (Yellow Freight) will not accept a new Toyota equipped with SAS?

The new Nissan is very impressive, they like Toyota are concerned with performance, reliability and value. The comment that in the future the shade tree mechanics will be gone is accurate, customers in my area have come to realize it makes more sense to use reliable OEM parts and reliable factory trained techs. Up time and productivity seem to be more important than saving a couple bucks while an independant stands there scratching his head...Hmmm. What a concept...Up time, Productivity...What does that cost a company????

Because no matter what the subject someone finds a way to take a shot at Toyota's SAS.

BTW, has anyone actually seen the Nissan 3 Wheel. Impressions? Anything new that Toyota doesn't have? Happy Holidays!!!

Why are we discussing the Toyota SAS system in a Nissan 3 wheeler discussion forum????

And it amazes me how you can take over 300 words or more to simply NOT answer this my question. Who are these companies? By the way, I have been in the forklift business since 1980.

My point was why take any company that is trying to make a safer product to task for doing so? Do you remember when Clark designed a non-fade clutch pack braking system? It was a great idea! Unfortunatly it was poorly designed and actually resulted in a less safe forklift. Clark lost millions of dollars in warranty claims. Trying to lead this industry in making a safer forklift is risky. And where did you get the idea that the SAS is a substitute for operator training? Not from Toyota. Our dealership conducts safety training at customer locations regularly and encourages yearly refresher couses.

Might I ask what you believe is the cause of most auto accidents? Operator error of course. With your logic, as I understand it, why should we have airbags, lap and shoulder belts, and specially designed collapse zones? We have those safety systems because, in my opinion, our society values human life, even if it is imperfect and error prone. Not because there are more parts and labor to sell. From 1999 to 2004 over 150 people have been killed in the USA because of forklift tip overs. Not one of those fatalities involved a Toyota SAS equipped forklift. That is a fact.

NACCO is presently fielding a brake system that uses the transmission clutch packs to assist in braking. The idea, as I see it, is to reduce brake fade and reduce brake repairs. I hope it works. If it does their forklifts will be safer. See my point of view? I will not accuse NACCO of looking for additional parts and labor revenues.

Safe forklifts are good for the operators, good for the industry, and good for business. Let's encourage each other to make the safest forklift possible. Happy Holidays!!!

WOW, it amazes me how sensitive some folks are. I am sure that no company sets out to make anything other than a good piece of equipment and confident in saying anyone can make a mistake or have a problem.
It is how it is handled is the point and the only point I was trying to make.
The fact is some Toyota Customers were not happy with the way thier problems were handled and the cost incurred to restore a factory designed "Safety System" that they HAD to have repaired due to OSHA Standards.
I never claimed to know it all but I do have 30+ years in the business and actually know a few things.
Sorry the Toyota guys took offense to reality but I was only stating the facts as they happened. The Toyota Dealership is who did the repairs and sent the customers the bills.
I simply was informed, unsolicited, by the customers. I guess they were the.23% Toyota mentions in their report.
I have yet to find anything man has made to be perfect, including Toyotas.
The safety system may be benifical to some but as it is a proprietary component which by OSHA Standards stating any safety item installed by a manufacturer must be maintained and can not be removed or disconnected. With the cost involved according to the customers who did have problems and given the fact that the componets in the system are wear parts it gives rise to questions.
The most common accident involving a lift truck is turning one over which is caused by improper operation by the driver.
Hand it to Toyota for seeing an opportunity but a good safety program and proper enforcement by management of the companies who own the forklifts is an option.
It seems many folks want to rely on technology to do the their jobs but when is winds up costing them money they become unhappy.

I found the release and Toyota says, Based on 2004 data and a truck population in excess of 81,000 SAS has experenced a 99.77% reliability rate. They also state that for every 1000 trucks less than 3 of those trucks had an issue. This is based on warranty claims on file and parts sold to dealers from 1999 thru the end of 2004. This is on SAS part numbers and SAS warranty claims. This was released in August 2005

Actually Soup, I believe that the 1% refers to warranty dollars spent by Toyota with 100% being all warranty claim dollars spent by Toyota. Not a failure rate....But you do have the right idea. Being the leader in any field will make you the target of the "also rans". Folks, if we don't make our forklifts as safe as possible, the governemnt will force us too.

Toyota has over five years experience with their SAS System and recentley released the failure rate of SAS problems for the trucks shipped with SAS.
They claim less than 1% and when I find my report I will state their exact figures.
SAS has no reliabilty issues, the only problems I have seen with SAS is from operator abuse, I also work in the souteast.

I grow weary of unsubstaniated Toyota SAS and AMC systems failures from folks who purport to be experts. A request please, list the customer's name and location so that we might verify the problems. I live in the Southeast and work at a Toyota dealership. We have over 1,000 SAS equiped forklifts in the field and have had zero, that means NONE, problems with the SAS. If there is, and that is a big if, a Toyota customer with SAS or AMC problems, please let us know so that we can help them out. Customer first is our top priority. Seriously, Toyota is committed to satisfied customers. Help the customer and Toyota out by letting us know who these customers are. And, Happy Holidays!!

well then Id say the dealer in that area needs to step it up a notch. I have been trained in the factory's intensive course on the system and am very comfortable in diagnosing and repairing it. If a tech needs 10 hours or so to fix a problem they are doing something wrong.