Toyota pays $1.2-billion federal fine

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That's a lot of money. I don't trust Toyota, and haven't even looked at their options for our soon-to-be-purchased new vehicle.
 
Not some media spin but according to the FBI:

“Toyota put sales over safety and profit over principle,” said George Venizelos, assistant director of the FBI. “The disregard Toyota had for the safety of the public was outrageous. Not only did Toyota fail to recall cars with problem parts, they continued to manufacture new cars with the same parts they knew were deadly.”

And:

“Rather than promptly disclosing and correcting safety issues about which they were aware, Toyota made misleading public statements to consumers and gave inaccurate facts to members of Congress,”

Why some otherwise red blooded Americans think Toyota walks on water is beyond me. You won't find many saints in the car building business, or oil business for that matter, but the Toyota/Honda Kool aid drinkers I run into make no sense at all to me.
 
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Nice.
Now, how much GM should pay then.


Looks like GM is on the hook for $30-$60 billion, if they have to pay the same amount per death. Looks like bailout time again.
 
Originally Posted By: Hermann
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Nice.
Now, how much GM should pay then.


Looks like GM is on the hook for $30-$60 billion, if they have to pay the same amount per death. Looks like bailout time again.


Yup GM has surely got some serious issues comming up!
 
Originally Posted By: Hermann
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Nice.
Now, how much GM should pay then.


Looks like GM is on the hook for $30-$60 billion, if they have to pay the same amount per death. Looks like bailout time again.


Apparently GM didn't lie about the problems like Toyota, but who knows.
 
And somebody takes yet another bash at GM. Start your own thread, don't pollute this one!

Good on the feds for making Toyota pay. Let the other makers doing similar/identical behavior be treated the same way.
 
I'll take some...my wifes 06 Avalon has had no less than 4 recalls since we have owned it. I'm not holding my breath though!
 
When you produce as many vehicles as GM and Toyota, some mistakes and design flaws are bound to happen. The bashing isn't necessary.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
When you produce as many vehicles as GM and Toyota, some mistakes and design flaws are bound to happen. The bashing isn't necessary.


The fine isn't about producing design mistakes and flaws.

If you notice it was a criminal investigation.
 
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Nice.
Now, how much GM should pay then.


Interesting point since it's in the title of this article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/19/us-toyota-settlement-idUSBREA2I0VB20140319

Last quarter Toyota made 4.99 Billion dollars in net income. So in 3 weeks they should be able to pay the fine if they stay on par with last quarter. Currently their reporting 35 billion in cash as well.
 
Ironically, I just opened my mail and there is a check from Toyota for $125. The check was for, and I quote, "Unintended Acceleration Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation. I traded my Toyota Tundra in on my Jeep 3 1/2 years ago. I didn't even know there was a class action against them. I'm going to happily deposit this check into my account tomorrow.

That Tundra was the best vehicle I've ever owned. The reason I got rid of it is rather sappy but I got rid of it non-the-less.

After 9 1/2 years of ownership, that vehicle never had any problems except extreme vibration you would get when braking. It was my wife's DD and I never experienced it until it became my DD after she got a Nissan Xterra. When I got it I started investigating the wobbly breaking (my wife thought it was defective tires causing the problem and took it back several times complaining but they did nothing to make her happy). Turns out that they undersized the calipers and rotors for the truck which caused the rotors to overheat and wear out prematurely. After finally figuring out what the solution was, thanks to a Toyota Tundra forum, Toyota wanted $1400 to fix it since it wasn't under warranty. I fixed it myself for $280. Had to replace the calipers, rotors and brake pads to a larger size. Braking was smooth after replacing everything. Now, I feel like I'm out only $155 to fix what was clearly a engineering design flaw.
 
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I think this this is an example of our gov't doing its job and PROTECTING its citizens and UPHOLDING the law.

A company tried to get away with something it knew was wrong, and is now going to pay the price.

I say good. I hope this serves to warn other companies from potentially doing the same thing!
 
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
Why some otherwise red blooded Americans think Toyota walks on water is beyond me. You won't find many saints in the car building business, or oil business for that matter, but the Toyota/Honda Kool aid drinkers I run into make no sense at all to me.

To be fair, both Honda and Toyota have had long and nearly-unblemished histories of reliability. It's going to take more than a few years of bad apples to dislodge that reputation, just as it has taken the American car industry many years to bounce back from their own well-deserved reputation for mediocrity.

Not saying that's reasonable; just saying it's how it is.
 
Originally Posted By: FBI

“Toyota put sales over safety and profit over principle,”


no kidding, there's a stretch.. how about any corporate identity with this nebulous "number 1 this, number 1 that" mantra of no specificity = red flag, instead of "oh i better get one too"

Want it to stop? Then the consumer needs to stop responding to idiotic pavlovian triggers
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d

To be fair, both Honda and Toyota have had long and nearly-unblemished histories of reliability. It's going to take more than a few years of bad apples to dislodge that reputation, just as it has taken the American car industry many years to bounce back from their own well-deserved reputation for mediocrity.

Not saying that's reasonable; just saying it's how it is.


it's all brainwashing and brand psychology. those reputations were "unblemished" as you put it due to serious PR/censorship muscle.
 
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