Toyota shows pattern of responding slowly to safety concerns
NEW YORK - Toyota’s recalls and disclosures in recent months are part of a lengthy pattern in which the automaker has often reacted slowly to safety concerns, in some instances making design changes without telling customers about problems with vehicles already on the road, an examination of its record shows.
In a congressional committee meeting on Jan. 27, Toyota officials said they first learned of this problem through reports of sticking pedals in vehicles in England and Ireland in the spring of 2009.
Three years ago, Toyota recalled 2007 and 2008 Camrys and Lexus ES 350s because the accelerator could stick under floor mats, a precursor to a much bigger recall last fall.
And in early 1996, Toyota engineers discovered that a crucial steering mechanism could fracture on the Hilux Surf, which was sold as the 4Runner in the United States. Toyota started installing a stronger version on new models. Yet it took Toyota eight more years to start recalling Hilux Surfs and 4Runners built before the 1996 design change. Toyota received a rebuke from the Japanese government and was ordered to overhaul its recall system.
Many automakers address problems discreetly when feasible, hoping to avoid an uncomfortable spotlight.
But Toyota, a company that built its reputation with meticulous attention to quality, is now facing a credibility crisis as little-known problems are surfacing with many of its models.
Most recently, Toyota acknowledged it had identified a flaw in the antilock braking systems of its Prius hybrids and altered the system for models built since January. Facing new investigations, Toyota said it was considering a recall. Late Friday it began telling dealers that it would announce a fix early this week.
Toyota officials, when asked about their handling of previous safety issues, responded largely with comments about how they would handle the matter now and in the future.
“The company is prepared to cooperate fully and sincerely, and we are doing our utmost to deal with the matter in a way that brings safety and peace of mind to our customers,’’ the company’s chief executive, Akio Toyoda, said Friday at a news conference.
“We acknowledge that we could have communicated better as a company,’’ said James Wiseman, a spokesman for Toyota’s US division. “However, we have taken significant steps to address these issues.’’
Toyota’s handling of safety problems contrasts with steps it took 30 years ago, when it was building its American operations.
Faced with engine and transmission problems on early Camrys, the company’s engineers addressed them, and by the mid-1980s, the Camry’s quality was considered on par with that of the
After defects showed up on the first Lexuses in 1989, Toyota put together a team to solve them quickly.
Years later, many consumers started seeing evidence of a more reactive and defensive approach.
In 2002, for example, Toyota faced thousands of complaints from customers who said their cars’ engines could become clogged with oil sludge.
Toyota initially faulted drivers, saying the problem was a result of infrequent oil changes. It agreed to extend warranties to eight years on 3.3 million 1997 to 2002 models. Customers then complained that Toyota made it too difficult to file claims, and the company was soon defending itself from a class-action suit.
Now the company is facing more public accusations of being slow to respond.
Japan’s Transport Ministry last week ordered the company to investigate problems on the 2010 Prius hybrid that could cause its brakes to be unresponsive when driving slowly on bumpy or icy roads.
Toyota then said it had corrected the problem on cars built since mid-January. But it now faces a decision on whether to recall more than 300,000 cars sold since last spring.
