Many cases of recall in the car today, and that is being discussed so much is a Toyota. Toyota recall nearly 1.7 million cars worldwide for fuel leak problems, the latest in a number of balloon-quality problems that could add another dent to his reputation tarnished in the important U.S. market.
Toyota’s latest reminds mostly in Japan, but they also include the IS and GS Lexus luxury models in North America, where the world’s No. 1 car facing the greatest obstacles to win back customer trust.
Toyota’s U.S. sales behind last year despite the recovery of the industry, put General Motors Co. in the coverage of reclaiming the title as the largest carmaker in the world with the number of vehicles sold. Toyota Motor Corp. became the best-selling car in 2008, dethroning GM after nearly 80 years of domination.
No accidents allegedly associated with the recent recall, according to Toyota. The automaker said it had received 77 complaints in foreign countries, 75 of them in North America, and more than 140 in Japan.
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Koji Endo, auto analyst with the Advanced Research Japan Co. in Tokyo, said the latest recall will cost Toyota about 20 billion yen ($ 240 million), and that will not hurt its earnings performance a lot.
“But there is a perception from here we go again, and that hurts the image of Toyota, especially in North America,” he said.
Toyota may be trying to be aggressive with the memories, take them out quickly before they turn into bigger problems, and the latest is not a sign that quality is taking another plunge even worse in the car, said Endo.
However, manufacturers – the “Toyota Way” production methods have been praised and copied around the world – can not hope to claim to have put the problems behind it is good.
The largest number of affected vehicles in Japan in nearly 1.3 million – the second-largest auto recall in history – and involves two different problems.
The biggest recall in Japan in 2005, also by Toyota, when nearly 1.3 million Corolla car has been withdrawn for a broken light switch and a few other problems, according to Japan’s transport ministry.
The latest hitch is the case of quality over a series of massive recall that began in late 2009, mostly in North America and that now includes more than 12 million vehicles.
Toyota has struggled to regain his once solid reputation among buyers to produce a reliable vehicle. The biggest damage to the image of Toyota has been in the United States where the response is seen as dallying.
The recall since the end of 2009 including disability and mat the gas pedal gets stuck, some of them suspected of causing unwanted acceleration or escape vehicle.
In one issue announced Wednesday, improper installation of sensors to measure the fuel pressure can cause the sensor is not sticky as a result of engine vibration from time to time, and possibly cause fuel leakage, the company said. These problems also affect 280,000 Lexus cars sold abroad, 255,000 of them in North America and 10,000 in Europe.
Included in the recall that is 2006 to 2007 Lexus GS300/350, 2006 to the beginning of 2009 Lexus IS250, and 2006 through early 2008 Lexus IS350 sold in the United States
Lexus dealers will inspect the vehicles for leakage of fuel and will tighten the fuel pressure sensor with the proper torque, if nothing is leaking. If leakage is confirmed, the gasket between the sensor and pipe shipments will be replaced, he said.
That same problem is also found in the Crown and Mark X model sold in Japan.
The second problem, which affects 141,000 Avensis sedan and station wagon sold in Europe, and New Zealand, caused by irregular work on the fuel pipe, which can cause cracking and leaking fuel, Toyota said.
Problems were also found in 16 models sold in Japan, including Noah subcompact, RAV4 sport-utility vehicles and automobiles Wish.
Toyota is also considering the 6000 trucks made by the group companies Daihatsu Motor Co., which sold under the Toyota brand in Japan, for a problem with attaching metal parts spare tires to the bottom of the truck. tires that could come loose and fall on the road, Toyota said.
In December, Toyota agreed to pay $ 32,400,000 in fines to the U.S. government to finish handling the investigation of two recalled. Final settlement on the Toyota paid a fine of $ 16,400,000 previously.
Toyota has stayed popular in Japan, partly because of government incentives for green vehicles sent sales of gasoline-electric hybrid Prius is booming.
Chief Executive Akio Toyoda, grandson of the founder of the car, has vowed to return confidence and faster in responding to customer needs.
Toyota has held the spot of the world’s largest automaker in annual vehicle sales for three consecutive years, including last year even though General Motors is close behind. But some believe that Toyota’s relentless drive for quality growth injured.
