More Recalls- More Thoughts For Toyota

I'm not a hate monger- nor do I respect pundits who egg-on or speculate a bad situation. Nothing worse than something or someone who's never been down or in a similar situation- hoping for the misfortune of another; however, it's in the news- Toyota's recalling some 1.7 million vehicles for fuel leaks.

"The recalls are mostly in Japan, but include Lexus IS and GS luxury sedans sold in North America. That's where the world's No. 1 car company faces the biggest challenges in winning back customer trust.

U.S. dealers will inspect cars to see if loose fuel pressure sensors caused leaks. There were no accidents suspected of being caused by those problems, according to Toyota. The car maker has received 77 complaints overseas, 75 of them in North America, and more than 140 in Japan."

Going into its second year of the recall spotlight- the news does not bode well for the automotive giant.

Aside from its aging platform fleet, it's tarnished North American image; getting beyond these recalls I'm afraid, is going to be easier said than done at Toyota.

As these cars age, their components and assemblies will- and if there's any hint of a problem, whatsoever, I'm afraid the media and consumer advocates will spotlight, well, another "recall."

I'm not saying there isn't a genuine problem or flaw with the design/quality of the parts in question- but anything less-than-perfect- if it's on a Toyota- it's going back as a recall.

It's just a shame- you spend thirty years building a reputation of unflappable durability and customer satisfaction (for the most part); now you're the butt of every joke told on a used car lot- and the topic for every blogging auto enthusiast who writes web content.

I'm Not Surprised... Almost a Third of All Cars Sold.

I'm getting really sick of reading about auto recalls- there have been dozens of major recalls spanning the automotive globe- from cheap, to expensive, to exclusive- chances are- it's been recalled in 2010.

A few million, a couple hundred thousand... a couple hundred- any amount- it makes news these days.

But not to sound the pundit, or the "hater" I'm just not surprised Tesla Motors, the exclusive Silicon Valley maker of all-electric roadsters recalls 439 Roadsters, about 34% of all the cars it has ever sold.

I know, I know, it's a new technology, their a small company, yeah, yeah; but as you know- I'm not firm supporter of all-electric cars.

My days of playing with electric R/C toy and hobby cars have forever turned me off to the technology- I mean, something you have to charge like a cordless phone? Please. Like hybrid cars, its an "intermediate technology" at best. It's not progress.

But what's most amusing- is- according to the Associated Press:

"The automaker plans to introduce its next-generation electric sedan, the Model S, by 2012, and is working with Toyota Motor Corp. to develop an electric version of Toyota's RAV4 small crossover vehicle."

They're working with Toyota... of all companies to work on a new electric vehicle. Another company well-aware of the negative effects a recall can have...

But with Toyota- another a recall is just another proverbial pimple on the "asshole of recall progress;" whereas for Tesla- another recall can mean the whole ass of all-electric "progress".

Not to Be Outdone... BMW Recalls

Even the wildly successful, defiantly (and proudly) independent automaker BMW has hopped on the recall rage/trend of 2010- but wait, explain something to me...

"In some cars brake fluid has leaked into the hydraulics, preventing pressure from building up. The customer notices this since he needs to apply more pressure to the brake, but the brakes still work,"

Quoted directly from the company... courtesy of Yahoo! and Reuters. It's probably a typo- but that's what it read...

Explain something to me- or maybe I'm losing it for a second.... "brake fluid has leaked into the hydraulics..."

Aren't the braking systems hydraulic by design to begin with? And they're hydraulic with what? Water? Iced Tea? Piss?
Brake fluid (I thought) is the fluid in the hydraulic system, that constitutes a modern-day braking system in a car.... It's like saying... "the salt water has leaked into the ocean..."

And if the fluid is leaking out of the system, well... It's not good- but it happens.

And this problem hardly qualifies, IMHO, as a recall- sounds like something of a quirk- something that happens with age or use. It's called- "the shit may wear out..." not a recall.

It happens all the time- the cars get old- they wear out- something breaks, causing it to not perform like it once used to or should...

It's not like the problem persists in brand-new cars- or low-mileage cars.

Sure, it's the braking system- and you don't want them to break... Well, you do... just you want them to work.

That's my Yogi Berra bit of the minute.

Regardless- recalls have been the new catchphrase/bit of PR and news agencies, auto manufacturers and maybe even car dealer associations around the world lately.

Read about it, get scared... come in, get your car fixed... look around. It gets the cars in the news, and people in the door.

Perfect.

Is It Still the Next Honda?

Just as many would argue that Hyundai is the next Honda- long considered the maverick leader in Japanese car engineering- known for its hands-down quality- Hyundai has spurred a recall of its popular Sonata sedan, er, four-door coupe.

About 140,000 of the sleek Sonatas are suspect of having steering problems. Nothing, compared to the all-time Recall King of 2010- Toyota.

Hyundai is proof that recalls, again, happen to best of them. Just make sure an industry benchmark gets recalled first.

How does that saying go? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?

I've also heard- Hyundai is the Korean Toyota...

2010 Will Certainly Be The Recall Year of the Rich & Famous Too!

I'm convinced the media is stroking the egos of the working middle class? Why? Because the media has reported, blogged and done everything possible to exploit the fact that expensive cars, not just say Toyotas, get recalled too.

Case-in-point- the Ferrari Italia- which has developed a cache of being the Ferrari that likes to melt heat shields.... But just now, Bentley Motor Cars is recalling several hundred cars (under 1,000) because... The lauded "Winged-B" hood (or bonnet if you insist) ornament does not retract good enough in the event of an accident.

Now, this is not a big deal at all, its probably just a spring-load issue- but I certainly wouldn't want to be a pedestrian when the stainless-steel ornament comes at me... Oh no... But come to think of it- if you get hit by a Bentley- don't you think the least of your worries is the hood ornament?

Think about it for a second... if you must. It doesn't take a physics or an actuary accounting degree to realize the trouble you're in if this hood emblem is going to risk serious injury to a person.

Maybe they just don't want to be sued?

But anyway- as a Car Guy Who Gets It- I can attest- expensive cars get recalled all-the-time; they get recalled a lot- but now the cache of a recall is not exclusive to lesser cars alone, no... The recall is for the well-to-do... Too.

Because Recalls...

Shouldn't be exclusive to Toyota drivers alone, Ferrari is recalling its 458 Italia supercar amid concerns of fire...

Last week I read of the suspicious, worldwide problems the owners were having of the limited-production, some $230,000 Ferrari super sports car. One burst into flames in Switzerland, another in China... France too...

Well, I'll say this- it takes more than two Ferrari owners worldwide to stir a concern- five fires have been reported, up to ten accidents have been rumored since the cars Summer 2010 introduction.

What's the world coming to?

Purportedly, a heat shield could come lose near the wheel housing, causing it to deform, heat and catch fire by the exhaust components. Or something like that.

Sounds like a reasonable, if not minor fix if you ask me...

Shit, the heat shielding on my '95 VW Jetta came lose all the time- and all I ever got to show for it was a resonating rattle at around 3,100 RPM, no fires... No crashes. And no glue!

I'm generally cool with complicated, exotic cars breaking- their supposed to- if you want reliable, buy a Toyota (right) but I do have a problem when I read-

Ferrari said the company is asking owners of the cars produced before July 2010 to bring them in to have the glue replaced with mechanical fasteners.

Glue? Are you kidding me?

For the record- when the heat shields on the old VW fell-off, it was because the fasteners were for shit...

But for $230,000- you get glued-on heat shields. They thought they out-smarted the old metal/mechanical, for shit clips trick...

Also for the record- when I thought I had a similar heat shield problem on my '85 Mercedes-Benz- much to my amazement (and chagrin) the axles had failed...

The car ran anyway.

Come to think of it- I'd hate to see a Ferrari run with failed axles.

Another Recall for Toyota... Is This Still News?

When you've recalled millions of cars over the course of a year- what's another 1.33 million?

This time- the Corolla's engine control management module, thing, device- is causing cars to suddenly stall.

Just when you think Toyota is getting out of its hot water, between the lawsuits, the recalls, the negative press...

Just when you start believing the crap they talk about on their commercials... How they're spending a million dollars an hour on your safety...

Even as the automotive press, despite their shady reputation as of late- still sings the praises of their products... Toyota is still announcing new recalls.

At least they're consistent, no?

Next thing you know- that Predawn Grey Mica color they've been slinging the shit-out-of in their ads for the all-new 2011 Sienna is going to test to cause forms of cancer...

(Well, that's not true... But it still won't hide the fact that you're driving an 8-passenger minivan...)

Evidently- Predawn Grey Mica is the new black... But don't they wish it was a Predawn to a day when Toyota is not known for their product recalls?

Eventually- that day will come again... We think.

Doors That Catch Fire... Brakes That Fail and Accelerators That Stick. Oh My.

Wow... Chrysler recalls nearly 600,000 vehicles. Gee, ya think?

Seems like Chrysler has taken a page out of the success saga that has been Toyota- but it took a page from one of the later volumes. Wha, whaaaaaa.

(Okay, bad joke.)

But I'll tell you what isn't a joke (well, it actually was a joke...) I sold Chryslers about six years ago now- and about the only thing that differentiated us at all (in a positive way) were two cars- the 300 and the Town & Country minivan.

Forget the 300- it was a fad.

Without those two vehicles then, in 2004/2005- Chrysler didn't have a product. Now, one of them- the Town & Country could develop a short in the automatic sliding doors- that could catch fire.

Just what you want to hear when you're thinking about a safe family van.

Jeeps Wranglers which brakes may fail- and Dodge Calibers whose accelerators are going the way of Toyota's.

But now Chrysler is run by Fiat- and I like the fact that they're instilling that Fiat quality they were renowned for back when America drove Fiats.

Okay, that was also a joke too. But the joke isn't funny anymore. Time for some Morrissey.



Chrysler- try not to kill yourselves.