Toyota Apologizes for Cheating on Vehicle Testing

[The Lube Guy]

At least to me, it looks like Toyota is moving away from producing high-quality and reliable vehicles. I'm sure that the apology from CEO Koji Sato will make all the difference for those who spent their hard-earned money on a Toyota Tundra pickup truck with the new twin-turbocharged V6. That is an engine design that others have mastered a long time ago. Like many others here, I have looked at the new Toyota Tundra and considered paying a premium over competing models to get the legendary Toyota reliability, even if I find the new Tundra ugly and otherwise unappealing. Sometimes I think that Toyota rehired the Saab engineers that GM let go right before they bankrupted the company. Those are one of the few groups of engineers who could take something simple and completely re-engineer it, quadrupling the cost. Or worse, they refused to use something readily available like a GM infotainment system with built-in navigation and instead re-engineered their own from scratch. Ironically, all that re-engineering made those Saab vehicles the opposite of better. How does this apply to Toyota? Well, instead of taking a good look at readily available turbocharged V6 engines or even enlisting BMW's help, as they did with the new Supra, Toyota decided to cut costs and corners with their new V6 engine, and now faithful customers are paying for it.

For those of you who don't want to read the entire article, I have sumarized it:

Toyota recently faced scrutiny for flawed testing procedures at one of its group companies, Toyota Industries Corp., which manufactures diesel engines. This incident is part of a series of similar issues within Toyota's affiliated companies in recent years.

CEO Koji Sato publicly apologized to customers, suppliers, and dealers, acknowledging the failure in maintaining proper oversight and communication regarding the certification testing processes. The flawed testing involved falsifying results required for Japanese government approvals, affecting thousands of vehicles globally, including popular models like the Land Cruiser and Hilux.

Toyota has halted production of affected models until proper testing can be completed, although existing owners can continue using their vehicles. This scandal follows earlier issues at Daihatsu Motor Corp. and Hino Motors, both of which are part of the Toyota group, where similar cheating practices were discovered.

Sato emphasized the need for improved communication and a better understanding of the importance of compliance among all levels of management and staff to prevent such incidents in the future

Source: Yahoo! - Toyota apologizes for cheating on vehicle testing

 

[Drew7a]

Mazda and Honda also implicated not just Toyota

 

[Pablo]

At least to me, it looks like Toyota is moving away from producing high-quality and reliable vehicles. I'm sure that the apology from CEO Koji Sato will make all the difference for those who spent their hard-earned money on a Toyota Tundra pickup truck with the new twin-turbocharged V6. That is an engine design that others have mastered a long time ago. Like many others here, I have looked at the new Toyota Tundra and considered paying a premium over competing models to get the legendary Toyota reliability, even if I find the new Tundra ugly and otherwise unappealing. Sometimes I think that Toyota rehired the Saab engineers that GM let go right before they bankrupted the company. Those are one of the few groups of engineers who could take something simple and completely re-engineer it, quadrupling the cost. Or worse, they refused to use something readily available like a GM infotainment system with built-in navigation and instead re-engineered their own from scratch. Ironically, all that re-engineering made those Saab vehicles the opposite of better. How does this apply to Toyota? Well, instead of taking a good look at readily available turbocharged V6 engines or even enlisting BMW's help, as they did with the new Supra, Toyota decided to cut costs and corners with their new V6 engine, and now faithful customers are paying for it.

For those of you who don't want to read the entire article, I have sumarized it:

Toyota recently faced scrutiny for flawed testing procedures at one of its group companies, Toyota Industries Corp., which manufactures diesel engines. This incident is part of a series of similar issues within Toyota's affiliated companies in recent years.

CEO Koji Sato publicly apologized to customers, suppliers, and dealers, acknowledging the failure in maintaining proper oversight and communication regarding the certification testing processes. The flawed testing involved falsifying results required for Japanese government approvals, affecting thousands of vehicles globally, including popular models like the Land Cruiser and Hilux.

Toyota has halted production of affected models until proper testing can be completed, although existing owners can continue using their vehicles. This scandal follows earlier issues at Daihatsu Motor Corp. and Hino Motors, both of which are part of the Toyota group, where similar cheating practices were discovered.

Sato emphasized the need for improved communication and a better understanding of the importance of compliance among all levels of management and staff to prevent such incidents in the future

Source: Yahoo! - Toyota apologizes for cheating on vehicle testing

Story reads like they all do it

Is there a direct link to the Tundra in question?

 

[E150GT]

We are seeing a trend here. I guess it's hard to get diesels to comply with standards put forth by governments

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Well, instead of taking a good look at readily available turbocharged V6 engines or even enlisting BMW's help, as they did with the new Supra, Toyota decided to cut costs and corners with their new V6 engine, and now faithful customers are paying for it.

We don't know what is causing the bearing issue in that particular Toyota engine.

 

[drtyler]

What does this have to do with the new Tundra?

 

[Kira]

Perhaps their best engineers and testing funds are being refocused onto electric vehicles....an internal 'brain drain'.

 

[Brian123]

Brenda Lee is also Sorry; I think there was a board game back in the early 1970's that was named Sorry!

 

[The Lube Guy]

We don't know what is causing the bearing issue in that particular Toyota engine.

It could be a number of things, and I'm sure Toyota already knows. Things like bad engineering, quality of the materials, questionable manufacturing process (they use cast iron inserts in the aluminum lather frame at the bottom of the engine), etc. Before anyone says anything, here is what I say: who knows how well any of the manufacturing process is implemented? We don't know exactly where the corners were cut with the engine in the new Tundra, but given the amount of failures we are seeing, there is something shady going on.

What does this have to do with the new Tundra?

If the engine would have been tested correctly, including long-term testing of units that went through the same manufacturing process as those installed in customer's vehicles, then the problem would have been found before it reached the public.

 

[Pablo]

We are seeing a trend here. I guess it's hard to get diesels to comply with standards put forth by governments

It's interesting.

Sure they supposedly cheated.

But sometimes it's not always exactly clear cut like stealing candy or cheating on the wife. (same thing, no?)

What I am going to try to say in simple quick terms: Gov has many standards. Sometimes testing parameters can be contrary. Push your design to one and it pokes out in weaker less stringent portion - that just happens to be physically - by laws of physics not possible . Company A knows this is what Company B and C have done for years. So Company A does the same. Doesn't make it right - they all should have stopped.....................I have seen this in satellite EP design contracts and even IR detector design requirements like this.

 

[benjy]

i hope the wack $$$$ them like they did VW!! theres a LOT of dishonesty everywhere but only SOME get caught!!

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

At least to me, it looks like Toyota is moving away from producing high-quality and reliable vehicles. I'm sure that the apology from CEO Koji Sato will make all the difference for those who spent their hard-earned money on a Toyota Tundra pickup truck with the new twin-turbocharged V6. That is an engine design that others have mastered a long time ago. Like many others here, I have looked at the new Toyota Tundra and considered paying a premium over competing models to get the legendary Toyota reliability, even if I find the new Tundra ugly and otherwise unappealing. Sometimes I think that Toyota rehired the Saab engineers that GM let go right before they bankrupted the company. Those are one of the few groups of engineers who could take something simple and completely re-engineer it, quadrupling the cost. Or worse, they refused to use something readily available like a GM infotainment system with built-in navigation and instead re-engineered their own from scratch. Ironically, all that re-engineering made those Saab vehicles the opposite of better. How does this apply to Toyota? Well, instead of taking a good look at readily available turbocharged V6 engines or even enlisting BMW's help, as they did with the new Supra, Toyota decided to cut costs and corners with their new V6 engine, and now faithful customers are paying for it.

For those of you who don't want to read the entire article, I have sumarized it:

Toyota recently faced scrutiny for flawed testing procedures at one of its group companies, Toyota Industries Corp., which manufactures diesel engines. This incident is part of a series of similar issues within Toyota's affiliated companies in recent years.

CEO Koji Sato publicly apologized to customers, suppliers, and dealers, acknowledging the failure in maintaining proper oversight and communication regarding the certification testing processes. The flawed testing involved falsifying results required for Japanese government approvals, affecting thousands of vehicles globally, including popular models like the Land Cruiser and Hilux.

Toyota has halted production of affected models until proper testing can be completed, although existing owners can continue using their vehicles. This scandal follows earlier issues at Daihatsu Motor Corp. and Hino Motors, both of which are part of the Toyota group, where similar cheating practices were discovered.

Sato emphasized the need for improved communication and a better understanding of the importance of compliance among all levels of management and staff to prevent such incidents in the future

Source: Yahoo! - Toyota apologizes for cheating on vehicle testing

Well now that they have apologized its going to be alright they'll pay their fine and then raise their car prices!

 

[SC Maintenance]

What does this have to do with the new Tundra?

Nothing it would seem.

Does Toyota even sell a Diesel in the USA? If so let me know, I would like to buy one?

 

[The Lube Guy]

Nothing it would seem.

The only thing they have in common is to show how Toyota does things. Then when they get caught, they pretend apologize and pretend to take the high road.

I've read about a customer who had their short-block replaced in their brand new Tundra, and Toyota rushed the dealership to do it in less than 30 days so that they wouldn't have to deal with lemon law in that state. As a result, they damaged his vehicle.

Without singing an entire swan song, sometimes I wonder what we can do, as consumers, to put the brakes on this bad behavior.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

It could be a number of things, and I'm sure Toyota already knows. Things like bad engineering, quality of the materials, questionable manufacturing process (they use cast iron inserts in the aluminum lather frame at the bottom of the engine), etc. Before anyone says anything, here is what I say: who knows how well any of the manufacturing process is implemented? We don't know exactly where the corners were cut with the engine in the new Tundra, but given the amount of failures we are seeing, there is something shady going on.

Oh please.

 

[demarpaint]

We are seeing a trend here. I guess it's hard to get diesels to comply with standards put forth by governments

That's it in a nutshell. Lighten up on the ridiculous standards and you'll get a better more efficient product. JMO.

 

[b_b]

That's it in a nutshell. Lighten up on the ridiculous standards and you'll get a better more efficient product. JMO.

they are not concerned with better or efficiency. They are concerned with emissions and emissions alone. which is the reason they push battery so hard. no emissions, out the tailpipe at least.

 

[demarpaint]

they are not concerned with better or efficiency. They are concerned with emissions and emissions alone. which is the reason they push battery so hard. no emissions, out the tailpipe at least.

Exactly. My point is if they'd lighten up it would yield a better more efficient product, and cheating wouldn't be the issue. imo.

 

[wag123]

None of the involved Toyota models (Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio and Yaris Cross) are sold in North America, and none of this involved emissions or MPG cheating, it involved the use of inadequate or outdated data in COLLISION tests (incorrect testing of airbag inflation and rear-seat damage in crashes). Engine power tests were also found to have been falsified.
Nothing to see here.

 

[The Lube Guy]

Oh please.

Oh please what?