Probe-A-Thon! 219,000 Toyota Tundra Suspensions Subject of Safety Probe

[Media!]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...4I&refer=japan

Aug. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s Tundra pickup may be recalled for the second time in as many years after new complaints of suspension failures prompted U.S. auto safety officials to upgrade an ongoing investigation.
The inquiry covers 219,522 Tundras from 2003 and 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today. The agency is continuing a review linked to last year's recall of 775,000 Tundras and other vehicles. It also began a probe of 2004 and 2005 Sienna minivans because liftgates may fail.
The reviews mark the latest quality issues for Toyota City, Japan-based Toyota, the world's second-largest automaker. The company's brand image may be hurt by rising recalls, Fitch Ratings said on July 28, citing a worldwide recall of nearly 1 million Corollas and Prius hybrids.
``This tarnishes their reputation a little bit,'' said Eric Merkle, an analyst for consulting firm IRN Inc. in Grand Rapids, Michigan. ``Toyota is viewed as the pinnacle of quality. That isn't something they established in the last year or two. They did that over 30 or 40 years, and it doesn't go away overnight.''
A spokeswoman for Toyota, Ming-Jou Chen, said the automaker was cooperating with NHTSA ``in their investigation of both vehicles.''
Last year's Tundra recall was for the replacement of ball joints, a suspension component that may have been scratched during assembly. After four complaints of the same problem in other model years, NHTSA opened a safety review of 2003 and 2004 models earlier this year.
142 Incidents
The safety administration said today it has found 142 incidents of ball joint separations. The part fails nearly twice as often on four-wheel drive versions, compared with two-wheel drive models, the investigation summary said.
NHTSA's safety review is a three-stage process, beginning with a preliminary evaluation, like the one being done of the Sienna. Three of four of those reviews are closed without further action. The others are upgraded to a second step, called an engineering analysis. Seven in 10 of those upgraded probes lead to recalls.
The 2005 recall included Sequoia and 4Runner sport- utility vehicles, as well as Tacoma pickups. Eric Bolton, a NHTSA spokesman, said the ball-joint review is limited to the Tundra because the agency has gotten additional complaints only about the pickup.
Toyota on Aug. 4 said profit rose 39 percent, helped by higher U.S. sales that have put the company close to ending General Motors Corp.'s eight-decade run as the world's biggest automaker.
Growth Strategy
``They understand that it is a real issue for them that their quality has been slipping,'' Merkle said. ``They have to balance their growth strategy with quality. How do they keep this aggressive growth strategy and maintain quality at the same time?''
NHTSA began the Sienna investigation, covering 393,313 vehicles, after eight complaints and four reports of injuries. Toyota told dealers in March 2004 it was redesigning minivans' liftgate struts from that model year to prevent damage to a seal. Six of the latest complaints were for 2004 models, and two were for the 2005 version.
Japan's transport ministry ordered Toyota to improve operations after another recall, and 367,600 Highlander sport- utility vehicles were recalled last month in the U.S.
``For an investigation to start in the first place, there has to be a certain amount of incidents,'' said David Champion, director of testing at Consumer Reports magazine in Yonkers, New York. ``In some cases, there is no smoke without fire.''
The U.S. shares of Toyota fell $2.48, or 2.3 percent, to $105.66 at 4:01 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. They have gained 41 percent in the past year.

[wolverine]

Oh, What a feeling!

[cadillacpimpin]

man o man why are all of these things coming forward now? i am really starting to think there was a coverup

[Tiger]

Jeebus. When it rains it pours...

[Bvonscott]

Everyone watch as the perception of quality crumbles.

[E. Haskell]

I check this part of the forum everyday now! lol

[GM_Fanatic]

Wait a minute...wasn't a probe of the Sienna just announced YESTERDAY! HOLY QUACOMOLE TOYOTA!!! You guys better get a hold of the reigns on this, your out of control!

[ZOOMY]

This goes along with what I have been saying for the last two years on this board, Toyota's quality is perceived by the media and that is most of where their reputation is. I challenge you to do your own research and you'll find that not only are their vehicles no better than anyone else's, they skimp on every last little thing they can. Their Tundra is no more than a stretched compact or midsize. The hardware is not proportional to a fullsize truck, so it's no wonder they have been having the problems they have with them. Last time I checked they still have service departments in all Toyota dealerships and if you visit one you'll notice that all of the mechanics are probably working as in most shops.

[Greg Burr]

Originally Posted by GM_Fanatic

Wait a minute...wasn't a probe of the Sienna just announced YESTERDAY! HOLY QUACOMOLE TOYOTA!!! You guys better get a hold of the reigns on this, your out of control!

" A day without a Toyota probe or recall is like a day without sunshine".
(used to be "A day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine")

[PenguinPIE]

toyota again?! i cant believe it!

[bjk]

moving forward, into the repair shop

[AndrewGS]

I love what you do for me, Toyota.

Damn, they're gettin' probed more than rednecks with flyin' saucer stories.

[hunchman]

Originally Posted by ZOOMY

This goes along with what I have been saying for the last two years on this board, Toyota's quality is perceived by the media and that is most of where their reputation is. I challenge you to do your own research and you'll find that not only are their vehicles no better than anyone else's, they skimp on every last little thing they can. Their Tundra is no more than a stretched compact or midsize. The hardware is not proportional to a fullsize truck, so it's no wonder they have been having the problems they have with them. Last time I checked they still have service departments in all Toyota dealerships and if you visit one you'll notice that all of the mechanics are probably working as in most shops.

.............honda is the king of stretching out platforms.....toyota will have to look at the accord /pilot/odessy/ridgeline to see this

[nsap]

Ohhh...poor Toyota.

They've had it coming for a while now. This is what happens when you try so hard to be number one. I firmly believe that all of these recalls, safety probes, and complaints are starting to take a toll on Toyota's quality record.

Dare I say it... Things seem to be coming to together for a major turn of the tables in the automotive industry. GM- quality up, steller products coming/on lots now, and slowly (but surely) becoming more financially stable. Toyota- increase in recalls, increase in safety probes, decrease in quality record... Things could get really interesting in 2007. All Toyota has is their quality record. That is what moves 90% of their vehicles.

[CRBoyd91]

Toyota continuously tries to think they will be #1 without problems. Well, Toyota, go jump off a cliff because it won't happen.