Toyota gets 40 lashes with a wet noodle from Japanese government over recalls
Okay, maybe not a wet noodle, but let's just say the Japanese government's action doesn't carry much weight. The government says that while no laws were broken and technically automaker Toyota Motor Company did nothing wrong, the manufacturer is deserving of a public scolding over its failure to take steps to recall some of its SUV models for a bad steering component that led to a deadly crash in 2004. Rather than take any legal action, the government is using its words to urge Toyota to take steps to review its recall process.
While the public scolding, or "administrative guidance" as it's called, doesn't carry any legal weight, it does represent an image challenge for one of the world's most successful automakers in its home country. Let's just hope that Toyota is thanking its lucky stars that it's only subject to public judgement and not a much more costly fate.
[Source: Detroit News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mitz Auto Exports 12:46PM (7/20/2006)
Well, thanks to the Japanese government and the quality conscious Japanese people, that such drastic actions only help to improve the quality of Japanese automobiles. That's the reason Japanese cars are exported to many countries all over the world, though they are costlier compared to the local car models.
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skaz 1:22PM (7/20/2006)
I don't bash Toyota, nor do I bash GM or Ford, but Mitz: you're out of your mind. Applauding Toyota for being punished?
If the US government tells GM to get their heads out of their asses then all hell breaks loose -- people begin to complain about the quality of the vehicles.
The Japanese government tells Toyota to get their heads out of their asses and they get praise -- people clamor once more over Toyota's superior quality.
What a joke.
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Louis Longo 1:24PM (7/20/2006)
Of course,
Did you think the goverment is taking any risks with Toyota, after the all the billions Toyota has pay in Taxes.
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Bill 1:31PM (7/20/2006)
Toyota's rise to the top will be short lived. A big company is a big company. It's all about the Power and money. Toyota will do anything to be number 1. They have proved it already on how they are side stepping several recalls. Who is watching the current production? Increasing the volume without adding the proper work force only means lower quality. They will not fall to the bottom but they sure will not be the God like company that they have been praised by the media in the past. Those same reporters will trash them because they are whores for the mighty dollar. Toyota's crappy quiality is big news........and big news sells.
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AutoFan 1:55PM (7/20/2006)
I know, those Toyotas are total crap! I mean, they're such crap that I can't even buy a 20-year-old Toyota pickup in decent shape without paying at least $2000. I mean, what crap!
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DAN 3:11PM (7/20/2006)
JUST SIT IN A CAMRY, OR HONDA, AND SEE WHAT CRAPPY SEATS THEY HAVE. IMPALA SEATS ARE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE,AS WELL AS ANY CHREVOLET, FORD OR CHRYSLER PRODUCT. TAKE A RIDE OF 60 TO 125 MILES IN EITHER TOYOTA OR HONDA AND SEE WHAT A LUMPY, HARD SEAT THEY HAVE, AND ALSO SEE HOW YOUR BACK AND BOTTOM ACHES. I HAVE TRIED THEM BOTH, AND THEY ARE OF VERY POOR CONSTRUCTION, COMFORT, AND QUALITY............
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jenny123 3:21PM (7/20/2006)
idiot........
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jenny123's nasty twat 3:32PM (7/20/2006)
whore......
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djSyndrome 3:37PM (7/20/2006)
"Toyota will do anything to be number 1."
They already are. It doesn't matter if the sales volume hasn't quite matched GM's yet; they're not bleeding billions of dollars a year (hint: GM is, and Ford's results today weren't too great either).
"Increasing the volume without adding the proper work force only means lower quality. "
Too bad Toyota's hired lots of new employees in the last decade, and will be hiring more for their new Texas plant.
You don't see any news about Toyota layoffs, forced retirement, and paycuts in the news, do you?
"They will not fall to the bottom but they sure will not be the God like company that they have been praised by the media in the past."
And let me guess - GM, Ford or DCX will be right there to sweep up the mantle of 'top quality' as soon as Toyota drops it, right?
Let's face it - quality is as much tangible perception as it is overall reliability. I don't care how reliable a Chevrolet is - having interior plastics so hard that I could crack my skull on them in a fender-bender does not strike me as 'quality'. I'll cop to owning a Toyota, and I'll also cop to not having spent a dime in unexpected repairs in 80,000 hard miles. Hondas and Nissans have given me similar service. In comparison, every Detroit product I've owned has either fallen apart, tried to kill me, or both.
But your xenophobic and misinformed comments always put a smile on my face, Bill. Keep up the great work =D
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Puff Chippy 4:41PM (7/20/2006)
Anyone paying attention over the past few years already knows that even though their quality has fallen significantly, Toyota is riding a reputation created many years ago. Perception always lags reality, the only question is how big is the lag. The same goes for domestic manufacturers - GM makes vehicles with exception quality and reliability yet the perception that was built up years ago still lingers. Some day these lines of perception will cross and once again become more aligned with reality but how long that will be is anyone's guess.
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Mitsufan 8:40PM (7/20/2006)
Glad to see that in at least one post, "recall" did not immediately summon the Mitsubishi-bashers ;)
The slap on the wrist that Toyota is receiving comes largely from their having lots of friends in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. If you watch Japanese media, you will see that most often Toyota recalls are given minimal media attention (last year there were major recalls that went out without a blip) and favoritism from the government helps keep this quiet.
Toyota makes over 50% of the cars on Japanese roads (not counting minicars) and have become to Japan what Sony was to Japan in the 1980s: an "ambassador" brand. Anyone in seeing Japan succeed is not going to be interested in demonizing this company.
When Mitsubishi had its recall fiasco, its major shareholder was DaimlerChrysler, and had little support in the government. Big brothers Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Corporation did, of course, but Mitsubishi Motors had few ties to them besides the name at that time. As a result, MMC got b*tch slapped (and rightfully so), resulting in the turnaround and interior housecleaning the company is doing now. Toyota, on the other hand, will be coddled as long as possible, resulting in a possible inferior product down the line. Hopefully Toyota will learn their lesson fast!
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RisingSunofNihon 7:56AM (7/21/2006)
I don't think anyone is surprised that the government barely did anything about the latest Toyota recall. Mitsu fan is correct in saying that Toyota is an ambassador brand for all of Japan. The government isn't going to go out of its way to tarnish that image.
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Glenn 2:21AM (7/22/2006)
Well Toyota and the Japanese Government are almost the same thing. Japan has something close to a Totalitarian system so the government is really involved in the businesses. For instance Honda was told not to sell cars; they were the engine and motorcycle maker -- so to this day Honda sells very few cars in Japan because they did not listen to their boss (the government).
I was surprised it even made the news -- obviously a disgrumble employee blew the whistle so the government had to make it "look" like they cared.
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