Another survey on the current state of the public opinion of Toyota’s reputation for quality in America indicates exactly what you might expect, things aren’t looking so good for Toyota.
Two years ago 80% of Americans saw Toyota as company that built quality cars, now, it’s dropped to 21.8% according to the most recent survey of Britt Beemer.
Not only have things looked bad since the Toyota recalls, denials and general negative media attention, but the public doesn’t seem to think its current opinion is about to change with only 31.8% of Americans stating that Toyota even has a hope of regaining its former respect.
It’s starting to sound like Toyota is getting the same reputation that the Ford Pinto had in the 70s. The question here is, do you think Toyota’s reputation is deserving of this level of distrust?
Bart Stupak, House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman, sent an 11-page letter to James E. Lentz III, president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A, that slammed Toyota for their response to the sticking Toyota accelerator problem.
The letter sates that Toyota was too quick to dismiss the possibility of their vehicles computer’s being the problem, that they made their conclusion based on flawed study, and then went on to mislead the public by stating that the fixes they were making would alleviate the pedal sticking problem.
Toyota has recalled more than eight million vehicles since late last year, with more than six million in the US alone.
As the public magnifying glass zooms in on all the issues surrounding the Toyota recalls all Car manufacturers are probably getting nervous. As the amount of Toyota recalls rises, it’s becoming clear that the problem lies with the US Department of Transportation as much as anywhere else. Clearly there is a disconnect between consumer complaints and action from the government.
Hot on the heels of the Toyota Prius hybrid recalls due to brake problems, the Ford Fusion hybrid and the Milan hybrid are getting updates to their software to address a braking problem of their own.
Ford has started a repair program which will alert all known owners of Ford Fusions or Milan hybrids built before October 17, 2009. They will be directed to their nearest dealer regarding, their “Customer Satisfaction Program 10B13.”
In the meantime, the Toyota recall story continues to make headlines as it has now been revealed that Toyota has known for years that the Prius had break issues.
Stay tuned to Eco Auto Ninja for the latest on the Toyota recalls and breaking news on issues with the Ford Fusion.
US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood confused millions of American Toyota ownsers when he stated that the recalled Toyota vehicles should not be driven and then came out the next day and instructed Toyota owners to drive them their dealerships where they can be checked out.
What a PR nightmare for Toyota who now has the American public looking at their cars like they are some kind of time bombs ready to accelerate them into oblivion at any second.
Two U.S. law firms have teamed up to issue a class action lawsuit against Toyota for their vehicle with defective gas pedals, on behalf of several consumers.
The bizarre thing about the lawsuit is that it doesn’t seek to have Toyota recall and fix any of its cars that suffer from the defective pedals. No, Toyota is already doing that with eight million cars. What does it seek then?
The lawsuit “asks the Court to enjoin Toyota from implementing any fixes in the accelerator pedals of the subject vehicles without approval from the NHTSA.”
What that means is that they are asking the court to prevent Toyota from fixing any vehicles without the express permission from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The problem with this is that the NHTSA does not provide official approval for recall remedies. Therefore, if the court does find in favor of the plaintiffs Toyota cars being recalled, will never get fixed.
You’ve just got to love red tape, don’t you?
Want to see if your car is on it? Follow this link to see the complete Toyota recall car list.
Toyota will be recalling eight models in Europe in order to solve a potential accelerator pedal problem, and Honda has announced that it will recall Jazz models.
Is your car one of the models that’s been recalled?
Up to 1.8 million Toyota cars could be affected. The models involved are
• AYGO (Feb 2005 – Aug 2009)
• iQ (Nov 2008 – Nov 2009)
• Yaris (Nov 2005 – Sep 2009)
• Auris (Oct 2006 – 5 Jan 2010)
• Corolla (Oct 2006 – Dec 2009)
• Verso (Feb 2009 – 5 Jan 2010)
• Avensis (Nov 2008 – Dec 2009)
• RAV4 (Nov 2005 – Nov 2009)
Tadashi Arashima, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe said: ‘We understand that the current situation is creating concerns, and we deeply regret it. We would also like to reassure customers: the potential accelerator pedal issue only occurs in very rare circumstances.”
Honda has recalled about 646,000 plants for manufacturing its models including City and Fit/Jazz.
The Detroit News is reporting that Toyota will be revealing a new hybrid vehicle, smaller than the Prius, at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show on January 11, the first day of the show.
Although Toyota is remaining tight-lipped about details, rumors persist that the new Toyota Hybrid will be a subcompact that will see production in 2011 and will be available for purchase in the US in 2012.
While Toyota is the largest producer of hybrid vehicles in the world, even they had a rough year in 2009. This was the first year they have ever had more recalls than any other automaker with a grand total of four million vehicles recalled. While the primary culprit of the recalls was a floormat that would jam the accelerator, the popular Prius is also currently facing a US probe over faulty brakes.
Considering Toyota’s success despite the recall setbacks, it shouldn’t be a surprise that they are moving forward with subcompact hybrid. The Detroit Press’ inside source said that Toyota is confident in the new model and will start by producing 150,000 annually to begin with.
Toyota has just issued a massive recall of 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles due to potentially lethal floor mats.
An advisory has been issued that strongly suggests that drivers of the recalled vehicles remove the mats until they can be replaced.
The mats apparently led to the Toyota recall because of their propensity to force the gas pedal down.
The year and make of the vehicles being recalled include: the 2004-2009 Prius (pictured above), 2007-2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2005-2010 Tacoma and 2007-2010 Tundra. The Lexus models include the 2007-2010 ES 350, and the 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS 350.
While a similar recall in 2007 did bring in some faulty mats, it seems that reports of unwanted acceleration of cars due to mats is continuing.
A preliminary investigation into a fatal crash in San Diego involving a family in a rented 2009 Lexus ES350 indicates that faulty mats may have been the cause.
This all follows on the heals of another Toyota Recall that in which approximately 100,000 vehicles were recalled for having breaks which were impeded by icy conditions.
Toyota is recalling about 95,700 2009 and 2010 model year Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix and 2008 and 2009 Scion xD vehicles sold in the US because ice could accumulate on their braking systems, making slowing down dangerous for drivers.
The recall involves all equipped with 1.8 liter engines, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. It only applies to those who drive in states which reach low temperatures: Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Toyota said that when one of the recalled vehicles was operating in very low temperatures, a situation could occur in which condensed moisture from the “positive crankcase ventilation port” could leak into the vehicle’s brake system vacuum port and freeze which could “lead to lengthened vehicle stopping distances.”
