Documents: Toyota lagged in issuing US warnings

Source: AP

By KEN THOMAS and LARRY MARGASAK

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Toyota issued internal repair procedures to its own distributors in 31 European countries about sticking accelerator pedals months before it warned U.S. regulators about the problem - and on the same day it told the U.S. government it would conduct a recall over loose floor mats, according to Toyota documents obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood earlier this week cited the Sept. 29 European warnings in his decision to assess a record $16.4 million fine on the Japanese automaker for failing to alert the U.S. government to its safety problems quickly enough. LaHood on Tuesday said Toyota made a "huge mistake" by not disclosing safety problems with gas pedals on some of its most popular models sooner.

Detailed chronologies provided by Toyota to the government and obtained by the AP show rising concerns at the end of 2009 about sticking gas pedals and complaints from Toyota owners in the U.S. about the problem. According to the documents, Toyota's European division issued technical information to the European distributors "identifying a production improvement and repair procedure to address complaints by customers in those countries of sticking accelerator pedals, sudden rpm increase and/or sudden vehicle acceleration."

On the same day, Toyota told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of its decision to recall several Toyota and Lexus vehicle models "to address the risk of accelerator pedal entrapment by all-weather floor mats," according to a timeline of the company's handling of the floor mat recall. The two timelines, entitled "preliminary chronology of principal events," were provided to the government on March 24.


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There is no for profit company that wouldn't sell there mother to increase profit or get away from responsibilities.

Employees at US Toyota dealers carry a 2″ x 3 3/8″ plastic card that includes a mission statement. It indicates that one of Toyota’s core values is “respect for people.”

According to the National Highway Transportation & Safety (NHSTA) agency, Toyota withheld critical information about defects from the public. This behavior on the part of Toyota indicates that profits are more important than safety.

There is clearly a disconnect between the company’s mission statement and its actual behavior. To regain the trust of the consumer, top management at Toyota must start “walking the walk” as opposed to “talking the talk.”

Tim Mojonnier

http://www.philosophiesofbusiness.com/blog/