Toyota Apologies End, Old Advertising Renews

Toyota had been running an advertisement campaign that highlighted its sorrow for failing to provide the quality that it had developed a reputation for, and vowing to regain peoples' trust. However, those ads have ended, and we are back to the standard no-apology advertisements. Some have already expressed that they believe this shift comes too soon, especially since the company is still embroiled in a mess of political controversy and agency investigations. If you would like to read more, here is the AP article discussing the shift.

Toyota Recall Fixes Reportedly not Fixing the Problem

According to NHTSA, some Toyota drivers are still experiencing unintended acceleration even after having recall measures implemented. NHTSA has received seven complaints in the past two weeks describing unintended acceleration after recall repairs were made. If these reports are true, we will likely see a whole new wave of recalls to fix the prior recalls. Hopefully they will actually fix the problem at some point.

NHTSA Under Fire

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, headed by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, was intensely scrutinized today by a Congressional subcommittee for failures related to the Toyota recall. Senator Jay Rockefeller, for example, questioned whether NHTSA focussed on floor mats and sticky pedals instead of an electronic explanation due to not understanding the electronic systems. Senator Barbara Boxer asked why NHTSA had former Toyota employees who became NHTSA employees represent Toyota in the recall process. She characterized the scene as appearing to be a "cozy" relationship, and it said that it "smells bad." Senator Byron Dorgan noted apparent "credibility problems."

Secretary LaHood discussed the possibility of mandating an electronic override to prevent these sort of accidents. He further pledged to tighten rules regarding recalls and vehicle safety. It did not seem that the Senators were completely satisfied with NHTSA's response.

Toyoda Apologizes in Beijing

Toyota President Akio Toyoda spoke at a press conference today in Beijing to express the same story presented to Congress last week. He parroted his company's position that the emergence of safety issues with Toyota's vehicles were a result of the company's rapid expansion in North America. This position is one Toyota is fighting strenuously to maintain in the face of growing evidence that Toyota may have willfully ignored evidence of safety problems. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee found last week that Toyota withheld evidence of safety problems in lawsuits filed against the company. How the public decides to reconcile to these conflicting stories will likely shape the outcome of company.

New Toyota Recalls in Japan

Attempting to address any potential problems with their vehicles, Toyota has issued a number of new recalls in Japan. Japan's rules regarding recalls are less strenuous than those of the US, allowing companies to delay or prevent recalls which may have been required in the US. Toyota has taken the initiative to push forward on past complaints and issue recalls for affected vehicles. Other Japanese automakers have followed suit, such as Daihatsu, Nissan, and Suzuki. These automakers are evidently realizing that they must do something to alleviate customers' growing concerns.

Toyota Quality Issues May Have Put Minnesota Man in Prison

Koua Fong Lee, a Hmong refugee from Laos living in Minnesota, was convicted of criminal vehicular homicide and is serving an 8 year sentence due to what he claimed was a breaking problem in his 1996 Toyota Camry. On his way home from church driving with his family, his vehicle smashed into the back of another vehicle while traveling at speeds of 70-90 miles per hour, killing three people. The jury did not believe his defense of a mechanical malfunction and sent him to prison. His attorney is now calling for his case to be reexamined due to the recent Toyota recalls, and the victims' families support the reexamination. Hopefully the local prosecutor will honor their pledge to reexamine the case.

Mr. Toyoda Taking "Full Responsibility" But Current Recalls Will "Not Totally" Fix the Problem

In a statement made prior to the testimony he will give before Congress today, Akio Toyoda, Toyota's president and grandson of the founder, said that he is prepared to take "full responsibility." What this means is anyone's guess. He went on to say, "My name is on every car. You have my personal commitment that Toyota will work vigorously and unceasingly to restore the trust of our customers." These comments come the day after the head of Toyota's North American division, Jim Lentz, testified before Congress that current recalls regarding sticky pedals and carpet entrapment would "not totally" fix the problem, though he carefully states that they have not found a problem with the electronic accelerator control system. See the video above for the actual testimony of Lentz.