Toyota suspends sales of 8 models in recall

[Bartek S.]

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/04/fixing-toyotas-recalled-pedals-the-video-starring-doug-the-mas/

 

[Sovereign]

I guess that Honda will be a big winner out of this fiasco. Honda has an equally good reputation for quality and engineering as Toyota. Toyota had superiror quality reputation in the past but Honda was very close, whereas Honda is considered to be the Japanese BMW in engineering.

Honda hasnt been like Toyota in raising their output in the past. It has far fewer models and those few models like the Accord, Civic, City and Jazz are responsible for the major sales. I hope that Honda will not feel the pressure to raise output quickly if there is inflow of new customers at its dealers.

 

[Merc1]

Ahh...but you know they will. Honda is quiet and very shrewd which makes them very tough competition. They'll quietly build/ship more cars as sales pick up from this.

The thing is I don't expect the stop-sale situation at Toyota to last too much longer. I'd bet by the end of this month or early next month they'll be back in business.

I read where this is costing Toyota about 155 Million USD a week!!! Youch. Anyone else would be going under, but Toyota has the money to get through this.


M

 

[EnI]

Sure temporarily there will be a lot of mistrust in Toyota brand image & Toyota cars. Therefore sales could be lower - perhaps that would not be seen since eg. there will still be growth compared to 2008. But will the rivals grow faster in the particular segments? IMO they will.

But what will hurt Toyota more is that they will no longer be viable to promote their cars as the most reliable etc. It will sound like a bad joke.

So, what' a Toyota than - if you take away the promise of great reliability & durability? Are they another advantages Toyota can offer over rivals? IMO Toyota will have to find out a new or at least additional differentiation / selling point for the Toyota branded products.

Look, MB image & sales were hurt a bit due to reliability issue, so I'm sure Toyota will also suffer from it. No car brand is immune to that.

And it also depends on rivals (Honda, ford, Hyundai, Nissan, VW) if they are will react properly & capitalize on Toyota's problems.

 

[Centurion]

Hell is raining down on Toyota. Recording their first ever financial loss in 50 years and now a technical faulty hauting one of their most important models, the Prius.

Martin Winterkorn: Please had over the Toyota voodoo doll you have in the lower drawer

My account on this is that Toyota will re-emerge out of this with a dented reputation but will still not dramatically suffer from decreased sales. This is a rather isolated incident -- a short term problem that can be repaired with ease. However, Toyota are still very much in the danger zone as one problem has now uncovered another. That makes people question how many other more problems there might be. IMO this is not a reliability or quality problem -- it's simply a manufacturing slip-up. A severe problem would be a faulty engine or gearbox that should shorten the life of a Toyota -- but this accelerator paddle glitch won't.

It's reminicent of British Airways' disastrous terminal 5 launch. Now we know what Toyota will spend their 2010 advertising budget on: Restoring trust and confidence.

 

[Gullwing]

Prius brake issue should be interesting to see unfold. Possible cover up for three years, that could do huge harm.

This week in Laughlin there was an older guy who at first they said had a medical episode (yet not enough to go to a hospitol) and crashed into the Edgewater casino. They have now changed the report since he crashed into this then went across the street and bounced back and over this and through that and into this before stopping at the casino. They are now looking at possible stuck throttle. The car he was driving - Pontiac Vibe which is just a GM... Toyota Matrix

Just what GM needs

 

[bmer]

Seems like there has been a lot of recalls lately. I did a quick search on Autoblog for vehicle reliability problems (aside the Toyota brake/pedal/floormats) reported during the last 6 months and this is the result:

Audi:
Audi recalls over 10,000 2006-2010 A3 and TT models over potential fuel leak — Autoblog

BMW:
BMW recalling 2008MY 1- and 3-Series; plus 2009MY X5 and X6 models over safety concerns — Autoblog

Dodge:
Dodge recalling nearly 85k 2007 Nitro models over failing wiper concern — Autoblog

Ford:
REPORT: Ford widens cruise control recall by 4.5M vehicles - now biggest in company history — Autoblog
NHTSA opening probe into Ford Freestar/Mercury Monterey transmission defect — Autoblog
Report: Toyota's gas pedal supplier woe spreads to Ford of China commercial vehicles — Autoblog
Report: Ford issues TSB fix for brake pedal on Fusion/Milan Hybrid models [w/video] — Autoblog

GM:
BREAKING: Early Camaro SS manual transmission failures reported, factory hold issued — Autoblog
GM, Isuzu recalling 185,000+ small pickups over faulty brakelights — Autoblog
Kicking the Dead: Pontiac recalls 10k 2009-2010 Vibes over cold-weather braking — Autoblog
GM recalling 53,000 Chevy Cobalt, Saturn Ion, and Pontiac G5 models over fuel leak concern — Autoblog
GM recalling 59,000 2010 Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain CUVs over faulty defrosters — Autoblog
Chevy recalls 2005-2007 Corvettes over possible roof panel separation — Autoblog
NHTSA reportedly investigating Chevrolet Cobalt power steering failures — Autoblog

Honda:
2001 Honda Accord, Civic recalled due to airbags that are even more explosive than normal — Autoblog
Honda adds 440,000 more cars to airbag fragment recall — Autoblog
REPORT: NHTSA probe opened into Honda airbag recall timing — Autoblog
Honda recalls 2006-2007 Ridgeline because your passenger might have a dangerous kick? — Autoblog
Honda recalls 646k Fits around the world — Autoblog

Hyundai:
Hyundai recalls 65,000+ 2006-2009 Azera sedans over seatbelt issue — Autoblog

Jeep:
Jeep recalling over 161k 2007-2008 Wrangler AT models due to tranny temp. sensor absence — Autoblog

Mazda:
Mazda recalls nearly 40,000 B-Series pickups over cruise control issues — Autoblog

Mitsubishi:
Nearly 7,000 2008-2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Ralliart, and Sportback Ralliart models recalled over fuel pipe crack concerns — Autoblog
Mitsubishi recalls nearly 30k 2008-2009 Lancer/Lancer EVO models over airbag sensors — Autoblog

Nissan:
Nissan recalling 26,000+ 2009-2010 Altima and Maxima sedans over faulty struts — Autoblog

Volvo:
Nearly 12,000 Volvo S80, XC60, and XC70 models recalled over stall concerns — Autoblog
Volvo recalls over 140K 2001-2005 and 2010 MY vehicles over fuel system issues — Autoblog

 

[Mr Robert]

We will have more and more recalls as the manufacturers are cutting the time frames for development and testing to beat competitors to the market. The old saying that the early adaptors are the real product testers has never been more true.

Futhermore, please note that all of the above mentioned recalls does not even come close to the Toyota failure in terms of volume.

 

[bmer]

We will have more and more recalls as the manufacturers are cutting the time frames for development and testing to beat competitors to the market. The old saying that the early adaptors are the real product testers has never been more true.

What's noticeable though is that most of the recalls apply to mainstream car manufacturers and not luxury car makers who usually are what you would call the early-adopters of new technology. Therefore I think the large number of recalls lately is due to the tightening competition between car makers and the falling profits that lead to more extensive cost-cutting. Car companies are putting the pressure on suppliers who then lower the part costs by using cheaper materials.

Futhermore, please note that all of the above mentioned recalls does not even come close to the Toyota failure in terms of volume.

True but on the other hand some might actually be even larger. Ford's cruise control recall for example hasn't got so wide notice from the media even though it has caused fatalities:

For the past ten years, Ford has been doing a dance with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and consumers over the issue of leaking cruise control switches in certain company vehicles. As of 2008, it had recalled some 9.6 million vehicles to repair a faulty Texas Instruments cruise-control deactivation switch, and now after a NHTSA investigation, the Blue Oval has added 4.5 million more Ford and Mercury vehicles to the recall.

The latest action covers these vehicles:

1992-2003 Ford Econoline
2000-2003 Ford Excursion
1995-2002 Ford Explorer
1993-1997, 1999-2003 Ford F-Series Super Duty
1994 Ford F-53 chassis
1995-1997, 2001-2003 Ford Ranger
1995-2003 Ford Windstar
1995-2002 Mercury Mountaineer

According to NHTSA, the switch can leak and overheat, which can lead to smoking and, in some cases, fire. In fact, The Detroit News notes that the switches have been faulted in more than 550 fires – some of which led to fatalities – many of which have led to lawsuits.

 

[See Ya]

This same problem almost killed Audi in 80's when 60 minutes reporting that the Audi 5000 would accelerate on it's own.

Audi drivers were stepping on the gas pedal when they thought they were stepping on the brakes. I can't help stupid drivers. Besides the most powerful engine on a vehicle are its brakes...how can the engine overcome those?

Too bad the same repercussions won't happen at Toyota.

I would hope not, or we'd be left driving unreliable cars.

There is a reason why Japanese manufacturers have always been on top with respect to customer satisfaction and reliability...and why everyone else ranks way down the list.

I drive a Honda because I can get from A to B without spending any money over ten to fifteen years of ownership.

I drive a Porsche because that is how a car should drive.

 

[See Ya]

I've never seen a recall be so sensationalized as the Toyota recall. But that is usually the case when you are on top. I wonder if the media is being paid off by some with certain interests.

All other companies have had recalls and far far more of them...I hardly heard anything of them. Hmmmmm

 

[Centurion]

I've never seen a recall be so sensationalized as the Toyota recall. But that is usually the case when you are on top. I wonder if the media is being paid off by some with certain interests.

All other companies have had recalls and far far more of them...I hardly heard anything of them. Hmmmmm

Toyota are currently the Tiger Woods equivalent of the auto industry.

 

[See Ya]

Toyota are currently the Tiger Woods equivalent of the auto industry.

I guess.

The difference is why would anyone with any IQ be interested in Tiger Woods' private life. God, there are a lot of very bored people out there who read those rags. The media supplies what the people want to read...tells you a lot about the people.

 

[Bartek S.]

We don’t need any conspiracy theory, problem was hidden for several years and cause many accidents, even deadly. IMO Toyota should be penalised for it. I’m even thinking of banning Toyotas from civilised countries. They did too much damage to society for making money playing with human confidence.

 

[Bartek S.]

INSIDE WASHINGTON: Missed signs in Toyota recalls

WASHINGTON – When Peter Boddeart's Lexus lurched forward and rear-ended another vehicle in Fauquier County, Va., earning him a police citation, he wrote to federal regulators imploring them to look into his case "before someone ends up seriously injured or killed."
That was in 2003.
The years since have seen hundreds of drivers' complaints about unwanted acceleration of their Toyotas, six inconclusive federal investigations, multiple reports of deaths and repeated denials from the automaker that it had a major problem on its hands.
That's just the sort of bureaucratic inertia Barack Obama pointedly criticized as a presidential candidate. Yet his administration was without a federal highway safety chief for most of its first year and, like the Bush administration before it, missed signals in the Toyota case.

Article: news.yahoo

 

[See Ya]

We don’t need any conspiracy theory, problem was hidden for several years and cause many accidents, even deadly.

Several years?

I'll have to go and check our 2007 Yaris to see what the problem might be.

What exactly is the problem? All I've heard is "sticking pedals". What parts exactly are "sticking"?

IMO Toyota should be penalised for it. I’m even thinking of banning Toyotas from civilised countries. They did too much damage to society for making money playing with human confidence.

Well then, apply that to the BIG (now much smaller) THREE. Who was it that said it was cheaper to pay out lawsuits than to fix the problem?

 

[See Ya]

INSIDE WASHINGTON: Missed signs in Toyota recalls...

That's just the sort of bureaucratic inertia Barack Obama pointedly criticized as a presidential candidate. Yet his administration was without a federal highway safety chief for most of its first year and, like the Bush administration before it, missed signals in the Toyota case.

Probably because of the economic situation, he didn't want to make things worse for any car company.

If you want an honest politician, have then sign a promise of what they will do and by when; or else they'll step down. That'll be the day. They're no different than upper level managers or a CEO.

 

[Centurion]

If you want an honest politician

I call oxymoron on that one.

 

[Gullwing]

IMO Toyota should be penalised for it. I’m even thinking of banning Toyotas from civilised countries.

You might be on to something I like it

 

[EnI]

Toyota To Recall 270k Prius Cars Over Brake Problem

4:40pm UK, Monday February 08, 2010

Rob Cole, Sky News Online

Reports from Japan suggest the embattled car giant Toyota will reveal on Tuesday plans to recall defective Prius cars in Japan and the US.

Toyota says a software glitch is behind a problem with the model's brakes

Japan's Kyodo news agency said Toyota would inform the countries' respective governments of the move on Tuesday.

Japanese media reported at the weekend that the car maker was preparing plans for a recall of 270,000 vehicles affected by a braking problem.

The cars were produced from May last year through to January, it was reported.

A Toyota spokeswoman said no decision on a recall had been taken.

Drivers in Japan and the US have reported braking problems with the new generation Prius.

The company says a software glitch is behind the issue and says it has fixed vehicles that went on sale since last month.

Japanese media has also reported that Toyota will warn owners of the Lexus HS250h and Sai hybrid sedan that their cars may require repairs.

Toyota is already recalling 4.5 million vehicles over defective accelerator pedals.

The company has admitted knowing of 26 incidents involving defective pedals in Europe.

The third generation model of the hybrid vehicle - which uses an electric motor as well as a petrol engine - is the world's biggest selling gas-electric hybrid car.

Toyota Poised To Announce Recall Of Prius Cars On Tuesday According To Japanese Media | Business | Sky News