Toyota chief apologizes for global recalls
Posted by admin in Automobiles on February 5, 2010

Toyota’s president apologized Friday for the massive global recalls over sticking gas pedals as the automaker scrambles to repair a damaged reputation and sliding sales.But Akio Toyoda, appointed to the top job at Toyota Motor Corp. last June, said the company is still deciding what steps to take to fix brake problems in the popular Prius gas-electric hybrid.
“We are facing a crisis,” he said, publicly confronting the automaker’s safety problems for the first time since a global recall affecting 4.5 million vehicles was announced Jan. 21.
He bowed in customary Japanese-style greeting at the start of the televised news conference at Toyota’s Nagoya headquarters but did not bow deeply when offering an apology as some executives, including his predecessor Katsuaki Watanabe, have done when under fire.
Toyoda, 53, said the company is setting up a special committee he would head himself.
It would review internal checks, go over consumer complaints and listen to outside experts to come up with a solution to the widening quality problems.
“I offer my apologies for the worries,” he said. “Many customers are wondering whether their cars are OK.”
Masaaki Sato, an auto industry expert who has written books on Toyota and its Japanese rival Honda, said Friday’s appearance was the company’s last chance to keep the situation from worsening.
“He should have come out a week ago,” Sato said of Toyoda during an appearance on a popular late night news program following the press conference. “After all the foot dragging, he was pushed into a corner.”
“The issue is a huge problem in the U.S., far more serious than you might think,” Sato said. “Those who are driving Toyota cars must be worried, and as Toyota CEO he has a responsibility to address their concerns and provide an explanation to the U.S. government.”
Toyota did not have a fix for the problem at the time, and it is relatively unusual to announce a recall without a plan for a remedy. Toyota did not come out with a fix for more than a week, further frustrating customers. It also suspended sales and production on eight models in the U.S.





Recent Comments