Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Toyota's fatal flaw
The news that another Toyota has suffered from sudden and unintended acceleration has kept Toyota in the public eye for all the wrong reasons.
For decades, Toyota has built very reliable cars and steadily built its market share in the U.S. and the world. It has been a leader in the development and marketing of hybrid cars. Many of us regarded it as a singular success story in the auto industry.
But now, Toyota is being hit hard in the media. There has been a terrifying defect in many of their cars, and they have been slow to respond, and perceived as stingy in their efforts to remedy the problem.
Every corporate culture has its flaws, and I wonder if Toyota's might be an inability to publicly admit error, and the gravity of that error.
Knowing what we now know, would you buy a Toyota?
For decades, Toyota has built very reliable cars and steadily built its market share in the U.S. and the world. It has been a leader in the development and marketing of hybrid cars. Many of us regarded it as a singular success story in the auto industry.
But now, Toyota is being hit hard in the media. There has been a terrifying defect in many of their cars, and they have been slow to respond, and perceived as stingy in their efforts to remedy the problem.
Every corporate culture has its flaws, and I wonder if Toyota's might be an inability to publicly admit error, and the gravity of that error.
Knowing what we now know, would you buy a Toyota?
Comments:
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Right now, I would not buy a Toyota, which makes me sad because I've owned one before and thought it was great.
I just rented a Zipcar and realized, too late, that it was a Toyota Matrix. I was on edge the whole time I was driving it. I think Zipcar had the gas-pedal thing (the little repair) fixed, but the possibility of sudden acceleration . . . that's scary as hell. I wouldn't want to live like that, worrying about my car constantly. They are going to have to do some major, MAJOR fixing and PR to make folks confident again.
I just rented a Zipcar and realized, too late, that it was a Toyota Matrix. I was on edge the whole time I was driving it. I think Zipcar had the gas-pedal thing (the little repair) fixed, but the possibility of sudden acceleration . . . that's scary as hell. I wouldn't want to live like that, worrying about my car constantly. They are going to have to do some major, MAJOR fixing and PR to make folks confident again.
# posted by 
: 9:22 AM
: 9:22 AM
No, I wouldn't; ideological views aside, I'm simply not going to buy from a manufacturer that's in the news for defects right now. That's just silly. And if it comes out that Toyota knew about these problems and didn't do anything at first, I might not ever buy a Toyota.
In related news, my favorite palindrome is probably "He won a Toyota now, eh?"
In related news, my favorite palindrome is probably "He won a Toyota now, eh?"
Forgot to say, I'll stick to my VW brand for a while given this recall frenzy. Ford must be lovin' this and praying they don't have any major issues anytime soon.
But I won't rule out a Toyota in the future. I have a lot of friends who drive the Prius and Highlander Hybrid. They love them; they have gotten 'what ever' problem fixed with a visit to the dealer and a 25 minute wait. They don't seem to be concerned.
But I won't rule out a Toyota in the future. I have a lot of friends who drive the Prius and Highlander Hybrid. They love them; they have gotten 'what ever' problem fixed with a visit to the dealer and a 25 minute wait. They don't seem to be concerned.
Reading products liability cases has made me aware that every product everywhere is unsafe and will kill me. Unless I believe the defense filings, in which case products are unsafe but they aren't at fault, so it's all good.
There are some good things to say about the Japanese corporate model. But then again, there's quite a bit wrong with it as well. I'm not sure that this (or Japanese culture in general) contributed to Toyota's problems or a response. After all, it's not like American and European auto manufacturers have never had these kinds of defects (Ford/Firestone, anyone?). Cars are big, giant, mechanical things and there are lots of points of failure.
There are some good things to say about the Japanese corporate model. But then again, there's quite a bit wrong with it as well. I'm not sure that this (or Japanese culture in general) contributed to Toyota's problems or a response. After all, it's not like American and European auto manufacturers have never had these kinds of defects (Ford/Firestone, anyone?). Cars are big, giant, mechanical things and there are lots of points of failure.
I bet the Plaintiffs' attorneys smell the blood in the water. Read an article that estimated legal exposure to be $3 billion.
I own a Scion (a Toyota brand) and my next purchase will probably be a Toyota. I seem to remember reading about Ford Aerostars having a similar problem in the early '90s.
Toyota's only mistake was taking Dodge out of the Big 3.
Toyota's only mistake was taking Dodge out of the Big 3.
It's really puzzling to me why Toyota doesn't admit there is a problem. There was a case all over the news yesterday of another Toyota which accelerated without stopping. It's not an isolated incident. Usually when something causes death or critical injury, the company fixes it, or at least comes out immediately, shocked and puzzled and concerned and vowing to find out the truth no matter what.
At least, that's the typical American response (which is a response I think we do very well, and I think we do fix things very well, once they've been deemed deadly).
And from the tiny bit I've learned about Japan, face-saving is key. Toyota's corporate response in this situation just hasn't made sense, it seems to me. They seem to be embarrassing themselves, deeper and deeper.
At least, that's the typical American response (which is a response I think we do very well, and I think we do fix things very well, once they've been deemed deadly).
And from the tiny bit I've learned about Japan, face-saving is key. Toyota's corporate response in this situation just hasn't made sense, it seems to me. They seem to be embarrassing themselves, deeper and deeper.
# posted by : 11:43 PM
: 11:43 PM
Toyota needs to change its slogan before I buy one:
Toyota, Moving Forward.
Perhaps too much disclosure?
Toyota, Moving Forward.
Perhaps too much disclosure?
AWF -- I don't rightly know. I thought they were owned by Ford, which is an American corporation.
But I start googling "firestone tires" at work my boss will assume that I am abdicating my post to be a plaintiff's attorney, and no one wants that.
But I start googling "firestone tires" at work my boss will assume that I am abdicating my post to be a plaintiff's attorney, and no one wants that.
I am mostly concerned that they knew about this a LOOOOONG time ago and did NOTHING> In November only 16 people had died They could have dome soemthing but they kept saying floormats etc UGH then at Christmas, FOUR MORE people died.
Its hideous the way they have acted. Hideous. I KNOW they make great cars, I Know that - but the way they have handled this? Actually bragging about how much money they have saved by only recalling the floor mats or soemthing? Never. I would never ever ever buy another Toyota.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/22/business/22toyota.html?scp=23&sq=toyota&st=cse
Its hideous the way they have acted. Hideous. I KNOW they make great cars, I Know that - but the way they have handled this? Actually bragging about how much money they have saved by only recalling the floor mats or soemthing? Never. I would never ever ever buy another Toyota.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/22/business/22toyota.html?scp=23&sq=toyota&st=cse
Lane:
I got it. Google Search.
Wiki:
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is a tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company was a pioneer in the mass production of tires. Firestone used this relationship to become the original equipment supplier of Ford Motor Company automobiles, and was also active in the replacement market.
In 1988 the company was sold to the Japanese Bridgestone Corporation.
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I got it. Google Search.
Wiki:
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is a tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company was a pioneer in the mass production of tires. Firestone used this relationship to become the original equipment supplier of Ford Motor Company automobiles, and was also active in the replacement market.
In 1988 the company was sold to the Japanese Bridgestone Corporation.
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