Why Toyota got so much problems one?

[sodoMee]

Toyota considers Corolla recall

Embattled Japanese carmaker Toyota is considering a recall for the Corolla, the world's best-selling car.

It said no decision had been made as it was still looking into complaints over the power-steering on the Corolla - which is not sold in the UK.

Toyota also denied any cover-up as the US investigates whether it was quick enough in recalling millions of cars over problems affecting other models.

The US car safety watchdog has ordered a probe into Toyota's recalls.

Toyota said it would "co-operate to provide all the information they have requested" on the US inquiry.

The carmaker said potential complaints with the Corolla in the US currently numbered less than 100.

The Corolla has not been sold in the UK since early 2007, when the Auris model took over.

New brake system

ANALYSIS
By Roland Buerk, BBC News, Tokyo

Just when Toyota's problems were dropping out of the headlines, in Japan at least, the company's recall crisis could be about to widen.

After recalls over accelerators sticking or getting snagged in floor mats, and brakes, the issue now may be with the power steering in the Corolla, the world's best-selling car.

That executives chose to mention the Corolla when they say they are not certain there is a problem with the car says a lot about the pressure Toyota is under in the United States.

There's a Congressional hearing in Washington on the accelerator issue next week and US officials are demanding documents to establish if Toyota organized recalls in a 'timely manner' after reports of cars speeding out of control.

In a wide-ranging press conference in Tokyo, Toyota president Akio Toyoda said that the carmaker would add a brake-override system to all new Toyota vehicles as it seeks to recover from a global car recall.

The new system will cut engine power when the accelerator and brakes are applied at the same time.

And Mr Toyoda denied that the firm had tried to cover up its problems. "We have not withheld information and we shall not do so in the future," he told reporters.

He also said that he would not be attending a US Congressional hearing into the recalls set for 24 February.

Instead, Toyota's US executives will go, as Mr Toyoda focuses on the firm's quality issues.

He also said it would create a new global quality committee. The newly-announced Special Committee for Global Quality will hold its first meeting on 30 March.

US investigation

On Wednesday, the carmaker took out full-page adverts in major Japanese newspapers to apologise for the recent recalls.

 

[Ramseth]

It's a natural curve in tech and biz and econs. Decades ago, American and European cars were the best, Japanese were second choices for budgeteers. Then, Japanese became the best, and now they've reached and gone over their turn of the cycle.

 

[Agoraphobic]

I was working in the auto industry in N. Am until a couple of years ago in an upstream manufacturer to some big names.

Back the, Toyota was aiming to be the biggest. They've achieved that and it is no surprise there will be some compromise to their QC check. I still believe that in overall quality, they and Honda are still up there - above the rest.

GM was (and still is) plaqued by myriad problems - mostly from the gizmos supplied by OEMs. Parts suppliers in this large quantity (and JIT!!!!) line supply will be prone to his, ISO or not.

BTW, some call it JIT, others call it Management By Crisis. I'd rather cook.

Cheers!

 

[Ramseth]

水满则淹，月圆则亏。三十年风水轮流转。

Can you imagine in the 50s and 60s any American complaining that American cars are substandard? By the 80s and 90s, Japanese cars are all the rage and standard bearer. Like I've said, it's just a natural part on the curve of the cycle.

 

[Agoraphobic]

If gas prices remained at 50s and 60s, the Nips wouldn't have moved an inch.

Cheers!

 

[longbow]

Meaning that American car mfg are dinosaurs since they are still catering to mkt realities of 50s and 60s.

My personal experience is the Japanese cars started having problems when they moved production to North America and started using US suppliers. A couple years back when I rented a Toyota for a trip to Las Vegas, I noticed that the radiator was made by AC Delco (a GM parts supplier)! Would not be surprised if Japs just shipped powertrain and the rest of car is sourced from NA/

It is not just QC but the way cars are designed. Toyota tried to use common parts across their model range for lowering cost so if one part has a design issue, millions of cars will be affected. What happened to Toyota could easily have happened to any other mfg.

I suspect that Toyota's problems will not mean boomtime for GM/Ford but customers will move to Honda or Nissan or Hyundai.

I read that Toyota has $23B in cash. So don't count them out yet.

If gas prices remained at 50s and 60s, the Nips wouldn't have moved an inch.

Cheers!

 

[besotted]

wah lau

why consumers so idiotic

geely or chery is clearly the most reliable and fuel efficient Point A to Point B and value for money

toyota brake, accelerator, steering all cock up

 

[Agoraphobic]

M
I read that Toyota has $23B in cash. So don't count them out yet.

Of course. Toyota is in much better shape this overblown media blitz is showing. Recalls are no big deal - it only shows responsible business ethics.

Coming back to the gas crisis in the 70s (and also EPA policies) - those events gave the Japs a boost because saving money makes sense, Yankee or not. To get around the anti foreign-made sentiments, and import tariffs, it only made sense to manufacture in North Am. And to appease the locals, 80% (or thereabouts) content had to be North Am - that's where the suppliers grew and grew. Magna Corporation is one such company; recently they made a bid for Opel. Founder Frank Stronach is an immigrant.

FYI.

Cheers!

 

[zuoom]

true, there's some problems/issues faced by Toyota. but it's all fixable.

there's also an element of the media playing these matter up currently. as in the flavour of the month, in the spotlight.

as regards to the cars made by Toyota not up to standard, that's relative. people have varying standard. some are ok, and some are more demanding. my personal experience is that Toyota's from early 2000s are fine. but the later 2000s are somewhat less.

take for example the paint work. the early 2000 car still has that shine n gloss even after almost 10 years. later gen late 2000 is lacking.

another thing that i notice is the wheel bearings from earlier Toyota's would easily last over the 150-200K km mark. while the later ones would need some sort of fixing. but that's really fine as the factory warranty is 5 years, 100K km.

we have growth to expect more than what's guarantee from Toyota. so, in the event when they fail to meet expectation, it becomes a double whammy for them.

general trend however, from what i can gather from friends and family driving the Toyota. they are not changing their car anytime soon.

 

[hillary888]

Many years of sweeping problems under their carpet. Many views those problems as manageable faults.