Toyota CEO to take the stand in US hearing into recalls

By Matt Brogan | February 19th, 2010

Toyota CEO, Mr Akio Toyoda, has, after initially declining the offer, accepted United States House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Mr Ed Towns’ invitation to testify in Washington next week.

“I have received Congressman Towns’ invitation to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on February 24 and I accept,” Toyoda said in a statement.

“I look forward to speaking directly with Congress and the American people.”

The news comes as mounting public concern over Toyota’s recent wave of safety recalls forced the US government to increase pressure on the manufacturer for a response.

Mr Toyoda, grandson of Toyota’s founder, has been an absent voice in the US during the company’s recent recall drama, instead leaving Toyota Motor Sales president Mr Jim Lentz to the task.

Mr Lentz will be the lead witness during a February 23 House hearing, but new pressure from the federal government could see Mr Toyoda take the stand on the following day.

CarAdvice will keep you posted on any developments.

AWD

OH What a cover-up……Toyota!! Now lets hear the Toyota lovers say that Toyota is a trustworthy company……here is the absolute proof they are NOT. Dont worry……it will get worse for them as more facts are revealed.
Fernando

I chose Toyota not because they have nimble handling, attractive looking or great value, but because I believed they were trustworthy.
Seriously I’m thinking about Mazda or Hyundai to replace my Camry.

The Oracle’s Teacher

I’d take either over a Camry. The Japanese have placed our tuna stocks near collapse and continue whaling despite massive protest. Why on earth would you think Toyota are trustworthy?

lazza

Aaahhh.. What a conspiracy.

Do we have the volume of recalls here in Australia as they do in the US on a percentage per car sold? Every manufacturer has some recalls, but seriously this is at another level. Seems most of the noise is coming from the US, which is to be expected. The ‘greedy’ and ‘bloated’ execs from GM needed a public bail-out which triggered a boycott on their crappy quality products. With the govt. funding $50 billion of taxpayers hard-earned, they’re incented to get a little return on investment. How? Easy… convince the public through their media channels that the biggest, most successful auto-maker on the planet now has suddenly got all these quality issues? What a load of crap. To this day I would buy 5 Toyota Corolla’s than a single GM badged/made car.
Newbie

Doesn’t affect me whatsoever – I’ll still be importing Toyotas, remain loyal to the brand. I can appreciate the effort they are going through to show exactly how much (even as large a corporation they are) that they care enough to admit (for starters) and to resolve the issues.

The parts that have caused issues were from suppliers if I read correctly in one of the reports. Besides, all these people going Toyota isn’t reliable, this is the same sort of phase Mercedes went through back in the 90s (I think it was with the E Class Mercs of that time, can’t remember exactly which models) and a decline in their quality.

Everyone will jump on this bandwagon of ‘hate toyota, hate the japs’ etc – because everyone is always so eager to point out the negatives, yet rarely do they want to acknowledge the good ( these sort of people tend to do that even in their personal lives, work etc always quick to point the bad, but when its relevant to good then silent- because they’re annoyed they couldn’t point the negative out).

SO do keep on saying what you have to, because at the end of the day – as with any other manufacturer (lets not even get started on the recalls and faults and the way other companies have gone about it in the past…) problems do happen, but how it is corrected thats what matters to me more.

hell a convicted murder in this Australian society walks out and is back living the Aussie dream what not, this is just a freakin car we’re talking about.

Yes I’ve gone off tangent, bite me

HyundaiSmoke

I got a KIA for ya buddy. Youll be pleasantly surprised.

“KIA, The Power to Surprise.” That’s everywhere in the US, Magazines, TV, papers, evrywhere. They are really on an offensive.

AWD

Newbie…..why stick up for Toyota? If this was about Ford you would be jumping down their throats saying how un-trustworthy and horrible they were. So you use the excuse that the parts were supplier parts, well what do u think Ford or other companies have problems with…..supplier parts!! Toyota have been covering up and not re-calling for serious faults for a long time but now they have been caught out and I will not trust them ever again. It is worse than any other compnay re-call because people have died because of Toyotas failure to admit problems and even factories have been idled to stop cars bening built because of the serious problems they have…..OH What a cover-up……Toyota!! I hear the Corrolla in next………..
john

They Have to resolve there issues with there cars. The US goverment issued them with a cease and desist order and want all there documents relating to this matter and now an inquiry in to it as well. They are now paying for it.
CrustyTheClown

Its easy:

“We cocked up and made some errors”, “we will fix every single vehicle that has a issue without question “, we will offer all our current owners who want to trade into a new Toyota a bonus goodwill payment of $2500 per sale” etc etc

ALL news is good news, might as well turn it into a selling fest opp.

“We stand behind our products 100%, now and forever”

[Will still cost them less than what they wasted in F1!”

Reckless1

F1 was a clear demonstration that Toyota is not the best.

CrustyTheClown

Yeap, not the best at cheating, like McLaren they too got caught stealing Ferrari F1 technology/plans/engineering etc.

Both should have been life-banned on the spot.

HyundaiSmoke

Many people abroad underestimate our legislators (for good reason) but when they get set on something they are ABSOLUTELY Ruthless, and dare I say Borderline Autistic about something. They have the power to remind the world why we are a Superpower, despite our shortcomings.

Right now Toyota is screwed, and Akio Toyoda will be using an interpreter too. Our Congress is not too fond of that in testimonies. I like wats going on with Toyota, bt in a way I think its ashame this is going to happen to them, but they were asking for it too.

Ill explain:

1. Why does a 2010 Camry have an interior that looks and feels like a 1995 Camry? KIA would NEVER EVER make an Optima with an interior that looks and feels like a 15 year old model.

2. A Toyota World (Owners, Makers, and Sellers) Complacency thining they had the best products, etc…. led to a climate of aggregious sloppiness that led to:

A. Poor Quality Controls, that failed to see such big problems coming.

B. Tight Credit rules to get a Toyota Product leading to A dependence on Aging American customers with more established credit histories. As a result American, Korean, and German, brands that provide affordable luxury, good value for money, and more attractive products continue to suck up younger American customers that could have went to Toyota/Lexus.

C. Akio Toyoda’s arogance, and Americans are straight out point blank Racist. Many of my fellow Americans hate Arrogant Asians or any other person of color who boasts pride. They think the president is an Arrogant Black man that needs to be stopped. If they treat the president like this, what in the world do you think they are going to do to a bis time big money Japanese Auto exec they perceive to be arrogant, while many of their constituents wait on bread lines?

Yeah Toyota was asking for it in the US market. They are now starting on Honda too, so expect more Honda problems coming. Nissan has the worst quality scores by far out of the Japanese big 3, and if you think Toyota is going to get hammered see what’s going to happen to Nissan. They will be so shamed, and unlike Toyota they have been trying to fix quality.

When they get done:

Toyota=Old GM
Honda=Old Ford
Nissan=Old Chyrsler

GM=New Toyota
Ford=New Honda
Chrysler=Out of business
HyundaiSmoke

There’s an Affordable Luxury Movement going on with Gen Y in the states, and we dont want Economy “Toyota” cars. We want to pay Toyota prices, but not for a Toyota Economy car. VW and Hyundai understand this, GM and Nissan are slowy but surely starting to get it. Toyota and Honda dont get it.

They are still in Fast and Furious lets build Juvenile Looking tuner cars mode, and here thats SUPER played out. People now want these Luxury styled Tuner cars/sophiticated tuner cars, like the Golfs or the Genesis.
HyundaiSmoke

This is Generation of Americans that felt like they have been screwed by the powers that be, and face living standard less than their grandparents shoved down our throats. That gives us an entitlement mentality, and we feel everyting should be Luxury, and it should be affordable. Many of our Generation’s experiences have been delayed.

We came up Conservative and Worldly due to 1990s prosperity, and the Cultural/Social Vaccum that turned us into this spirtial wasteland we have now. However, we are starting to wise up. Real change is coming, but not now, and not peacefully. Watch, youll see. The States will have a period soon enough that will be like the 1860s and 1960s combined, and for some of the old reasons like Race Issues, States rights, etc added with a few new battles too. Its a dangerous time in this Republic.

By the way, We want a Bentley with Beer Money, and Hyundai and VW have gotten that message here.

scatman

Look why dont you offer your own opinion on this stuff instead of just googling, and pasting others words, trying to look smart, doing a very bad job. You look like an idiot.

HyundaiSmoke

What are you talking about dude?

I like being controversial. Im going to say what I have to say, and they dont like it; tough. Im not here for everybody to like me. Im not going to hold back and be politically correct becuase Im here to please people.

If I lived life to please people everything would be different, and consequently suck.

The Other Brad

This is a car site, not your political soapbox.

HyundaiSmoke

Cars are politics these days Brad, and you know it Mate. You see what’s going on in the US.

scatman

So your in the US, thats why your so boring, less whar whar wharing from you fatties please.

Golfschwein

Why do you call yourself scatman? Is it because you like a little ‘dirty’ action with your girlfriend?
scatman

No only your girlfriend, she has to do the dirty extras cause she is revolting

the oracles mentor

Man you are one screwed up country , i believe your living the last days of the “roman empire ” its all down hill for the USA .

Here in OZ life is pretty good , we are a nation on the rise , so keep your negative comments to yourself .

AAA

He’s trying to be a hero. Wrong move. He’s going to get ripped apart by the pack of wolves. Should have got the QA department to handle the case and the official company’s spokeman to do the talking.
The Oracle’s Teacher

They shouldn’t have stalled to start with. The media will have a field day with that. As soon as you stall you are covering it up in their eyes and that is how it is being reported. That does massive damage to a company’s image. Ask mitsubishi.
ohreally

If i was the toyota president I would tell them “hey we are doing a recall, stress less, at least we didn’t have cars burn people alive after 5kmh collisions *cough* Ford Pinto.. they didnt do a recall because it was more cost effective to pay out compensation claims!”
HyundaiSmoke

In a way, I still hopes he gets arrested right on the spot.

That wont happen unless he gets some Hillbilly Justice.
Emperor Hirohito

ah herro Car Advice son, I am Emperor Hirohito tawking to you from da grave. Eva since America bomb my country in 1945 I rook for way to get back at dem, Finarry I find a way, I make Toyota bomb for USA, now is your turn to suffer.

hahahaha we win da war now.

Robin Graves

Your’e so Ronery…… Lucky Hans Brix isnt after you! He’d write you a very stern letter saying how angry he is at you!
The Other Brad

It wasn’t the Americans, it was the chickens and cows.

scatman

Me show shorry, Me dribing hybrid camry like Kamakazi, I shout no brakes no brakes!! I trick you western devils, I show you for banging gong when I walk through door!!!!!!

vid_ghost

F000000**k you dolphin F000000**k whale !! lol

Realcars

Bet the Yanks wouldn’t be doing this to their own in the same situation.
Newbie

Fair enough AWD – (mind you I have no idea what HyundaiSmoke is smoking :S)

mind you I have nothing against any manufacturer – while I personally am a fan of (imported) Toyotas – yes I’ll admit the local line up in Australia is rather bland (hence I would not buy one for myself here). To me personally, as a car enthusiast I can appreciate each brand, they all have theirs positives and negatives – it’s the attitude of the people owning these cars that really annoys me. I’ll give you an example right (totally off tangent I know, so might get deleted):

I was returning from a mates one night and happened to see this Honda Jazz pulled over with hazards on, being late (and I had enough of a look at the driver and passenger to realize they weren’t dodgey) – turned out to be a mechanic from Honda who had no idea what was wrong with the car (no thats not the point yet) – so I figure no harm in getting them to their place (turned out wasn’t too far). You know what the first thing the driver said ? ‘oh turbo eh, whats this some Soarer ? (no dork its a Jzx100 Chaser) ah matey I prefer my V8 Holdens yeh pure grunt – so I go to him , just remember it was a Jap car driver who pulled over – silence…

As ohreally mentioned, the Ford Pinto.. it happened, Ford didn’t exactly terminate though, still around (to some of you they are the best you’d say even).

I just don’t see why, when it came to the T-badge, that everyone is making such an apocalyptic deal about it – here’s something I’d like to quote”

———————————————————————————–
“The 27 deaths attributed to Pinto fires is the same number of deaths attributed to a transmission problem in the Pinto, which resulted in 180 total deaths in all Ford vehicles, and in 1974 the NHTSA ruled that the Pinto had no “recallable” problem.”

” In 1981, an automobile accident that killed Lilly Gray and badly burned 13-year old Richard Grimshaw resulted in the court case Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Co.,[16] in which the California Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District upheld compensatory damages of $2.5 million and punitive damages of $3.5 million against Ford, partially because Ford had been aware of the design defects before production but had decided against changing the design. ”

————————————————————————————

unlike a few people around here though, I’m not really bothered by your individual view, it is after all ‘your’ view and you are entitled to it. I’m fine with my Toyotas (Jzx100, Jzs147, Athelete, Crown, Mark2 Jzx110 etc) sure I don’t like the local line up but having lived in Japan, owned some of the proper models and visited their manufacturing plants – My view remains.

(flame suit on) – please continue.

scatman

Newbie, if you are going to be that boring then maybe you should just look at what people write, no more writing an essay on the La Boring Effect for you

Newbie

ok mate, you continue on –

Enjoy
Blaze

Prior to the recalls, Toyota was considered to be a manufacturer of high quality and utmost efficiency. I remember doing their case study in university about their systems which improved manufacturing efficiency and build quality.

I hope that after the dust settles that the car industry learns an important lesson about manufacturing efficiency and build quality. Hopefully, we’ll see better quality cars at lower prices.
toxic_horse

Just take you toyota back, get it fixed and shut up.
cars get recalled all the time, not usually on this scale but to the owner whats the difference.
CrustyTheClown

~Your spin on it is only ONE way to read it.

~Both haonda and Toyota [aka BigT] CAN and WILL charge extra as they jolly well ~should because the punters will happily pay for it and are under no duress to pay ~the said extra over and above say Koran[sic] or other