How has the recall affected your opinion of Toyota’s cars?

Eric Ringham February 5, 2010, 5:00 AM Feb 5, 2010

Toyota is the world’s No. 1 automaker. One of its key strengths has been a reputation for quality and dependability. Now, that reputation is threatened by a massive safety recall. How has the recall affected your opinion of Toyota’s cars?

About the blogger

Eric Ringham

eringham@mpr.org

Lynne Howard

We have owned 5 Camry’s; 2 of which went well beyond 180,000 miles. The other 3 are over 110,000 miles and have had little maintenance problems other than normal wear and tear. If I were a first time owner, I might be skeptical and would like the dealership to work with me. Our first car after getting married was a Chevy Citation that had 4 recalls within the first year and the dealership was more than a pain to deal with.

GM, Ford and Chrysler are going to have to prove to me that they have cars that will last well beyond 150,000 miles relatively maintenance free before I’ll even consider buying and even then will probably not switch.

Steven

It sounds like the problem is actually quite rare. Driving your Toyota, you’re way more likely to be killed by a drunk driver than by a stuck accellerator.

Don

in the last hundred years hundreds of millions of cars have been manufactured and functioned for 10 to 20 years without a sticking accelerator.In the days of alchohol for antifreeze and tube tires we had already engineered a satisfactory and safe gas pedal.How could automotive engineering of the 21st century give us a defective one?Too much emphasis on cupholders? Too many members of the R & D team working on the surround sound and DVD? I hope they did not get bonuses last year.Yes,my opinion of Toyota has suffered

Ken of Eden Prairie

Toyota Motor Company lost credibility when it was slow to respond to the numerous complaints of sudden unintended acceleration. As of this writing, the company still refers to the problem as “sticking pedals” while NHTSA files clearly show Toyota vehicles that unexpectantly bolt into the blue without any input from drivers.

It would be helpful if TMC publically acknowledged this sudden unintended acceleration issue, and then installed Smart Pedals (brake override of accelerator) on all of it’s recalled vehicles as well as ALL new production vehicles that have Electronic Throttle Control Systems (throttle by wire).

Garyf

In seeing what has gone on in the last year with GM and Chrysler and now the Toyota issues, looks like “Ford has a better idea”.

bsimon

I’m wondering if I can get a good deal on a pickup.

Ken of Eden Prairie

It should be noted that Toyota is not alone when it comes to sudden unintended acceleration complaints. In a study of NHTSA SUA complaints done for the 2008 model year, Toyota ranked first with 41% of the complaints, and Ford was second with 28% of the complaints. By market share, both companies scored the same at 16%.

(http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/12/sudden-unintended-acceleration-sua-analysis-2008-toyota-lexus-ford-gm.html)

I would applaud the “Ford has a better idea” slogan only after it adds a brake override to its throttle-by-wire system.
John

I am in manufacturing, and Toyota’s (and Honda’s) quality systems are the envy of the manufacturing world. We all try to learn from them.

That does not mean their products are perfect, but if anyone can solve the problem, learn from it. and prevent it from happening again, it is Toyota.
James

No. Toyota has solid – proven engineering.

Given the frequency of the failure why does the news media feel the need to keep barking up this tree? The global financial melt down with all of its ramifications would seem to me to be far more important.

DTOM
Don Nygaard

The recall of Toyota products has done nothing to reduce my confidence in the brand, nor has it lessened my satisfaction with two of their vehicles in use by my family. In fact, Toyota’s handling of the issue is exactly what I’d expect from the world’s leading automobile manufacturer. Please consider that much of modern industrial quality practice originated at Toyota, thus driving significant improvements in product safety across a wide range of industries.

Current media attention to the issues affecting Toyota quality seems overly focused on hype and hysteria, with too little perspective on the actual risks presented by a small number of throttle or brake failures. Media outlets should spend more time characterizing the real risks presented to drivers of affected vehicles, i.e., near zero.

Meanwhile, drunk and/or cellular distracted drivers continue to slaughter innocents. My chances of being hit by a distracted driver while on the way to pick up my kids is much greater than the likelihood of my Toyota rising up to kill me. Perhaps MPR would be of better service to its listeners by reinforcing the “steps of immediate action” one should employ in the event of unintended acceleration.
jeannine barnell

I have an ’09 Prius and have had no problems with the brakes. I have full confidence in Toyota and would buy another one in a New York minute. Toyota is handling the problems well. Next subject please?
Paul Kinzer

I think this story has reached the point that it’s been beaten to death. Recalls happen all the time, and often for much more dangerous risks. Yes, this one was massive, and it involved a company with a stellar reputation. But they are doing what’s needed to rectify the problem.

When I heard top-of-the-hour news coverage of another Toyota recall, this time for a much more routine problem on a much smaller number of vehicles (yes, it’s potentially dangerous, but so are nearly all the many recalls that happen on an ongoing basis), I thought that NPR had crossed the line. I don’t watch TV, so I assume that, if NPR did this, TV coverage must have been far more extensive. If Toyota does suffer greatly from this, it will be as much from media hype as anything else.
Nathan Wichmann

It had a negative effect. Toyota’s reputation was based on a near spotless record. That record now has a very big, messy spot on it.
Bruce Johnson

Toyota took a predominant place in the Auto industry with a strong quality program and a commitment to continuous improvement in their workplaces.

But following the lead of other auto manufacturers, they have outsourced production of many components to suppliers in order to avoid unions and maximize their profits.

Any quality engineer will tell you that it is harder to maintain quality by inspection — testing of supplier components — than it is to develop quality in the production process itself.
jesse bearheart

I have been a loyal Toyota customer for over 20 years. (Just recently had to junk a Toyota truck that had over 330,000 miles on it! It got a new head gasket for free on a manufacturer’s recall at 180,000 miles.) Other auto companies have had serious recall matters in the past. Toyota has issued recalls before and i know that no company can claim perfection in everything it produces. Toyota recent issues reflect ” a product of its own success ” perhaps and i believe the company will learn from these mistakes and emerge better off because of it. I fully intend to remain a loyal Toyota customer.
CE

The media seems to be making a bigger deal of this issue than necessary. There is a problem, and there are legitimate issues about when Toyota knew about it and how quickly they responded, but whole talk shows with guest experts beating this to death! Is this necessary? Has the Toyota brand suffered? Certainly. Would I still buy a Toyota? Certainly. They have many years of a high quality reputation. We all know Honda and Toyota have made high quality vehicles for years. Their vehicles have outlasted their American competition. Now, if these kind of issues continue, my feelings could change. But today, I’d still buy a Toyota.
Susan

Having owned five Toyotas and accumulating many hundreds of thousands of miles on them, in total, with little repair, I think the recent recalls will not affect my opinion of their reliability.

It seems to me that news providers may be trying to feed our need for news every minute, 24/7. Is it any wonder that they have to hype every story, to get the maximum out of it?
Michael

My Lexus ES 300, made by Toyota, has 211,000 miles on it and has needed only minor repairs. The company has earned my loyalty, but if the recalls are an indication of falling quality, when I purchase my next vehicle, I will be curious about Ford and Volkswagen compacts and sedans.
David Arcaine

Only the most recently released cars are suffering in quality. I would not hesitate to purchase a used Toyota as they their quality is high and long lasting.
Kathleen

I have a 2006 (released summer of 2005) Highlander Hybrid with the exact same braking issue as the 2010 Prius.

I asked the dealer about it the first time I brought it in for an oil change. They say they tested it and found nothing wrong.

I’ve continued to drive it with no obvious problems…

I think what we’ve seen so far is just a tip of the iceberg.

It is well know that all systems fail eventually, whether computer or human.

I will buy a Toyota again. I think their attitude is the best we can hope for. The problems will be fixed, and everyone will move on.
Shawn Tweten

This recall has not affected my opinion of Toyota. I do not currently own a Toyota, and I probably will not buy another vehicle in the near future.

Besides, even with this recall, Toyota has made strives in quality over the past 20 years. When I was a kid, my friend’s dad had a Toyota that looked old and rusted. When I hear the name Toyota, I still think of an old rust bucket. I know that Toyota products are of higher quality these days… so even with this setback, the company is still better off than it was 20 years ago (as far as product).
Sarah

No, Toyota is still at the top of the heap. Recalls happen all the time.
Cameron

I think that most everyone is missing the point here, It’s not that Toyota had a recall, it’s that they took so long before issuing the recall. LaHood had to fly to Japan to meet with Toyota officials there to convince them they had a serious problem. I think a sticking accelerator, or now the break problems are serious. I think Toyota makes an excellent product, but they conducted themselves in an unethical way it delaying so long before issuing a recall. I now think a little less of them, but they still make a fine automobile.
Peter Koenig

Toyota has always been a professionally run organization, from my point of view. I do have a Camry, but not on the recall list. They have had a few minor repairs, since I’ve owned the vehicle. I was impressed with how they took care of the issues. I will not change my opinion of them. I respect Toyota, Honda and Ford, as major suppliers of automobiles.
Mary

I have owned three Toyota cars and have the utmost confidence in their quality. Since the problem seems to be with the newer cars, perhaps they have recently followed GM’s example of cheaper construction and lesser quality. I think that they handled the problem as best they could. Frankly I am tired about hearing about the problem. Isn’t there anything else going on in the world to report on?
Dawn Johnson

I wonder about the media sometimes. Recalls happen all the time. My ’00 Chevy has had 4 different recalls since I bought it. Two of them were serious safety issues. But nothing was ever reported on any of them. And they haven’t said anything about most of the cars were built here. What ever happened to “Built with American pride.” ?

Don’t forget that Toyota may be owned by the Japanese. It’s more American than Chevy or Chrysler. That is the saddest part of this whole circus.
Mike

Like everyone has said already, cars get recalls all the time. But I find it more than a kawink-a-denk that this is all happening at a time when american car companies are in trouble. Not long ago GM was being picked on. Turn-a-bout is fair play I guess.

The sad thing about what I’m trying to say is, the american worker and american people have no power anymore to do anything ourselves. We just get to watch and see what happens after the media and big money folks get what they want, and move on to something else.
Avi

Toyota vehicles are some of the best vehicles I have known. I mean they tend to have some of the best built quality around the globe. This is quite obvious on how successful Toyota vehicles are in U.S. Almost every other car you see on the road is a Toyota and I don’t see anyone running out of control. Frankly, the more I look closely into this matter, I get a feeling that is a hoax that is being hyped by media. Isn’t it ironic that during a recession, when most local company’s (such as GM) are closing their plants, Toyota, a foreign company is opens a new plant. That’s like a smack on the face. And then suddenly there is something in the news stating there is major recall in toyota. Above all that, the week just after the recall started, the ford declares a major profit.

Doesn’t all modern cars have a link by wire system. Then how come a car’s pedal get stuck and go out of control. Frankly there is so much stuff in the news that does not make sense that I have a strong feeling that this may very well be same king of propaganda that was ran with Audi’s in 1960 to decrease the popularity of the brand.