Toyota pays $17,35 million fine for recall delay

Paul A. Eisenstein, the Detroit Bureau
In a further blow damage to our image unsurpassable quality, reliability, and security has Toyota confirmed that it a record $17,35 million fine for the delay nor a recall related to unintended acceleration problems must pay.

The news comes, also if the Japanese giant heads towards the end of the year in a dubious race with Honda rivals to see who the most vehicles due to safety issues for all 2012 have called back.

The latest fine marks for the fourth time in 2010 to fork out Toyota for that, to delay the permissible maximum penalty for callbacks. Three years ago was fines, which is by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration $48.8 million - but the covered three separate recalls in the Toyota could fail on a known security broken, by law to act United States.

After five pages draft of agreement revealed by the Detroit News now not have Toyota delay numbers only $17,35 million for the recall of 154,000 Lexus RX frequency switch in June but it will hold monthly meetings related to security issues. It will have to make significant internal reforms.

This is a direct slap in the face, Toyota Motor Co. President Akio Toyoda - who tearfully Congress promised that he 2010 would take response to security issues steps to improve his company during a hearing on Capitol Hill. Among other things the manufacturer followed then the appointment specifically to security-related issues to monitor Executive.

But the dismissal of the Lexus RX 350 and RX 450 h crossover concerns that the new procedures had failed, the results you want to achieve.

Toyota's problems began in October 2009 when you order the first in a series of recall related to unintended acceleration - a situation where the vehicles, which either input accelerates without driver or could not to a halt, while driving be switched, had to. The crisis began after a California Highway Patrol officer and several family members were killed as they drove in a Lexus, the floor mat jammed the gas pedal and ran her vehicle off the road and caught fire.

Beginning of 2010 Toyota added a second recall related to unintended acceleration, this is a sticky accelerator pedal.

But the manufacturer's problems exacerbated a series of recalls related to other issues, can cause excessive corrosion of the Sienna minivan, which fall off the parts of the vehicle while driving of faulty brakes on the popular Toyota Prius to order.

Toyota recalls more vehicles than any other manufacturer in 2010 - although Honda the list a year later crowned. Both manufacturers recalled millions more vehicles this year.

In fact, Toyota announced the largest single global recall in its history of this past October with 7.5 million vehicles with driver side window switch, the potentially short out and can catch fire. A total 2.5 million of these products in the United States sold a small recall, which was announced earlier this year to the same problem.

A statement from Toyota tried to put a positive spin on the latest setback, Ray Tanguay, Chief quality officer for Toyota North America, declaring "we will further strengthen our data collection and assessment process to ensure that we are ready to quickly take to meet the needs of customers."

Only after the Executive decided Toyota settlement ", to avoid time-consuming disputes."

But it is clear that the manufacturer with efforts to step up its safety oversight be used. Among other things, Toyota have to keep now monthly meetings on so-called "carpet entrapment" topics for at least six months. US regulators reserved and extend these sessions for a further six months.

Despite its safety problems until today, there is little evidence that Toyota sales have been injured. Rebecca Lindland of IHS automotive contends that "true owner" continue to be the Japanese giant products to buy, although she still warns problems could make it difficult to win customers 'Conquest'.

Working in Toyota's dropped, has the manufacturer of the last quality and reliability surveys, such as the J.D. was power quality first visit consumer reports reliability topping study of the year. Officials with power and consumer reports caution, however, consider the they not take callback problems when compiling their data.