Agencie France-Presse (AFP) reports that Toyota is recalling 472k Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) vehicles for a faulty fuel systems. Although no related accidents or incidents have been reported to date, the defect could cause gas line leakages. All told, the company's recalling eight different JDM models, including the flagship Toyota Crown, which occupies the same slot in Toyota's JDM line-up as the Camry occupies in the good ol' USA. Arriving hot on the heels of Toyota's decline in Consumer Reports' reliability ratings, the news is sure to arm the pro-domestic crowd with more ammunition against the automotive world's new king of the hill. Interestingly, the recall includes models manufactured from 1999 – 2004, when Toyota was thought to be the far-and-away leader in reliability and initial quality.
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Notice how no accidents or incidents have been reported to date? This shows it’s not a big problem at all. Also, consider the fact that this recall only covers models from 1999 – 2004 tells me that Toyota is simply being pro-active and issuing recalls for anything they consider “might” be a problem.
In other words, Toyota is becoming increasingly paranoid about quality, like they used to be in earlier years. In the end, that’s a good thing.
They think they have a problem and fix it while cops keep burning in Fords years after the problem has been recognized and they rather pay the lawyers then fix it.
Which car would you buy?
I find it interesting that when a few negative stories circulate about Toyota mis-steps it's time for a Toyota DW. Or, when a few positive stories circulate about how GM stole the farm from the UAW, it's 'back in the game boys'. Consider this: Everyday somewhere in the world minor mishaps occur at both international and regional airports. Most of these are runway incursions or an airplane skidding into the mud off a rain soaked runway. About the only thing damaged is the pilot's pride and the need to pressure wash the mud off the landing gear. You never hear about them unless someone is killed and even then if it happens in a remote place and Westerner's are not involved you may not hear about it even if everyone is killed! BUT…, when a large jet skids off the runway and down a ravine at Toronto airport or a Brazilian airliner departs the runway and smashes into a building with the loss of everyone on board, not only will the TV screens be full of the accident in question but for days afterwards the least little incident will get reported on the front page worldwide just because it happened within hours of the big one. The media acts this way in other areas besides air accidents. GM, Toyota and ALL the others make mistakes all the time. There are probably more recalls of vehicles that we never hear about than ones we do hear about. But as in this case, Toyota gets a bad rap from CR which is basically meaningless anyway, every little mishap is paraded on the media as 'further proof of Toyota's fall from grace'! Likewise GM has made a few good steps recently (thankfully) and all of a sudden the general is reborn a lean, mean car making machine! Be in no doubt, Toyota may be having a rough patch (which is being blown out of proportion by the media) but it is far from a spent force. Anyone who thinks so should think again. Likewise, GM is far from a safe place with respect to market share, profitability and general reputation. While I hope they get there, much work lies ahead and it may take years assuming it's not already too late. It all just proves that most of what we read in the mainstream media should be taken with a grain of salt. That's why news refugees like me seek asylum in TTAC!
oboylepr:
You never hear about them unless someone is killed and even then if it happens in a remote place and Westerner’s are not involved you may not hear about it even if everyone is killed!
Wait wait wait…
What do you mean if Westerner’s are not involved we may never hear about it?
You mean, there are other people in the world?
Qua?
JDM models? Say it ain’t so. We were sure the real reason that Toyota quality was suffering, is the use of the inferior labor of Americans in US plants.
Be honest everyone, if this were an American manufacturer, the insults and ridicule would be piling on….right??
How is this a good thing?
Toyota’s lack of quality control has put customers at risk.
They HAVE to do something about it.
Kurt Cobain said it best . . .
“All apologies”
Or, all apologists.
I will make no excuses for Toyota, but I have to shake my head when I see the supporters of the “D” students (Big 2.8) get excited when the straight-A student finally brings home an A-.
Toyota is having a few public stumbles as of late, but that does not change the fact that the quality levels are still generally quite high and that the Big 2.8 still lag behind them.
None of this news makes the Cobalt or Impala any more exciting today than they were a week ago. If anyone is going to benefit from this, it will be Honda, not anyone operating out of Detroit.
I’m not a staunch Toyota loyalist (you probably wouldn’t know it from my recent posts, I suppose). I’ve never owned a Toyota, never considered buying a Toyota (except, briefly, an ancient Landcruiser), and frankly don’t particularly like any of Toyota’s current offerings (though I respect them). When it comes to cars, Honda is my one true love, though I’m currently having a fling with Audi.
Having said all that… seriously, not all recalls are created equal. I owned a 1998 Honda Prelude from 2003-2006, and during that time I received at least 3 “recall notices” for issues so minor I didn’t even bother bringing it in. Granted, a problem with the fuel line is nothing to laugh at. But a mass recall for something that “could cause” a problem, and has not caused a problem to date, sounds to me like outstanding and proactive customer service, not the death knell of Toyota. Toyota has its reputation because it’s not afraid to issue recalls early and often. Contrast this with Ford’s handling of the famous Explorer/Firestone issue.