Toyotal Recall

Wer it at all possible, I would be more than happy to not mention a thing about the current imbroglio Toyota's gotten themselves involved in. Unfortunately, after the third worried-looking person stopped me in the street to ask me what I thought about the whole situation, I could keep silent no longer.

First off, let me just point out that there's no need to go flying off the handle (as much of the media has been doing for the past little while) with wailing and gnashing of teeth and casting into outer darkness, and a general attitude that a defective Toyota accelerator pedal is a portent of the End of Days. Well, it's not. Recalls are a fact of life in the motor industry, it's just that they're usually for minor annoying things like window switches and wiper blades. The problem here is how the manufacturer is alleged to have dealt with the recall of a more serious safety-related issue.

Here's the facts for those not already in the know: certain models made by Toyota are known to have a throttle assembly that can stick open under certain wear conditions; the problem seems to be fairly rare, but has allegedly been responsible for several fatalities in the U.S.; Toyota had already issued a recall based on accelerators jamming open due to floormats earlier last year; a stop-sale order was issued on all affected models last month and the fix for the problem (a metal shim) is currently being applied by dealerships working around the clock.

So far, all fair and above board. The throttle assemblies are outsourced from a supplier that also provides parts for other manufacturers (Ford, for example), so really, it's hardly poor little Toyota's fault, and they really are doing their best to fix the problem. Or are they?

Here's where things get a little murky. According to a recent piece of investigative journalism in the Los Angeles Times, Toyota has a apparent history of keeping a tight lid on any safety problems, to the point of appearing to be sweeping them under the rug. There have been eight recalls for unintended acceleration since 2000, which is more than any other manufacturer. The company also is alleged to be slow to to issue safety-related recalls, and is currently being sued by a former company lawyer for engaging in a “calculated conspiracy to prevent the disclosure of damaging evidence.”

Well, of course they bloody well are: they're a company! If you're in business, you don't run around trumpeting every problem that pops up in your products. You get the engineering department on the case, and you try to get things sorted out with minimal expense and minimal bad publicity.

The problem, in my estimation, is two-fold. Firstly, Toyota has carefully cultivated an image of reliability, dependability, safety, and with their Prius, of being a company that cares about the environment and likes fluffy kittens and gumdrops and long walks on the beach. Problem number one is that some people have started actually believing the propaganda, and so are naturally disappointed when Toyota turns out to be just like every other auto manufacturer out there: all about the bottom line.

The second part of the problem is that Toyota managed to become the largest auto manufacturer in the world in a very short time. I don't care how good your quality assurance department is: when product is flying out the factory doors to meet demand, things get missed. Toyota's reputation for build quality and reliabilty was forged while they were a niche player in the market and could afford to take the extra time that GM and Ford couldn't. Now they've taken on all the problems that come with being a big player, including taking a major beating due to the recession.

This is not to say that the unintended acceleration is not a serious problem, and that Toyota can't be blamed for not figuring out the problem earlier and taking care of it before anyone got seriously hurt. But it's a giant company these days, and you can't do handbrake turns in an oil tanker.

Toyota will be punished for their failings, whether they were intentional or not. Their problems are only just beginning. No longer will people just automatically assume that a Toyota badge means unassailable reliability and rock-solid resale. There will be those, of course, who realize that any car manufacturer is going to have a few issues here and there, and that by and large, the majority of Toyotas are trouble-free and built with a high degree of quality. After the dust settles, many people will return to Toyota as the safe option. But there will be a lot of lost sales, and the company's image will never be quite the same.

Personally, and with all consideration for those of you who are struggling with having bought a vehicle that falls under the recall, and of course, compassion for anyone who's been unfortunate enough to be physically hurt, this is good news for Toyota fans. The company can no longer afford to rest on its laurels, and will have to return to its roots: hammering out better products than everybody else is what put Toyota on the map in the first place.

In the meantime, we can expect to see a barrage of lawsuits (and if you want something sorted out quickly and cheaply, let's get lots of lawyers involved), constant media coverage partially spurred on by both competing manufacturers and politicians looking to score points, and about one story a week of someone getting in an accident due to their own inattention and blaming it on their Toyota. Just last week, a Louisiana man repeatedly rammed the dealership where he'd just bought his new Toyota when they wouldn't take the vehicle back. He cheekily claimed that the pedal was sticking.

So get ready for months of this stuff. I've just received an email from a gentleman with a 2005 Prius that's been suffering from unintended acceleration, and that's not a vehicle involved in the recall. He may be interested to know that Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, claims that his 2010 Prius does exactly the same thing, and that it's software-related. I just think this whole mess is all Toyota's bad karma for killing off the riotously delinquent Supra.