Topic: Toyota is #1 again (4 out of 5 years for #1 in Recalls)

[Solstice2006]

I can't find the full report, but here is a link from the NHTSA for the 2013 recalls (worst year since 2004).  Pretty impressed with GM, many recall campaigns, but few vehicles...  Report doesn't cover anything from Mazda & Subaru , which usually have few recall campaigns..   


http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140203/AUTO01/302030083/1148/auto01/Automakers-recall-22-million-vehicles-13-most-since-04

[ArticSteve]

And yet Camry and Corolla were the 2 top selling cars in the US for January 2014.   Is it a recall over a mis- printed label or an engine fire 

Bill and Mary public no longer paying attention because every week there is another recall ....  2002 -2004 xxx vehicle may develop a rusty front license plate bolt which may cause the plate to fall off vehicle and end the life of hundreds of thousands of children on the way to school. 

[mixmanmash]

And yet Camry and Corolla were the 2 top selling cars in the US for January 2014.   Is it a recall over a mis- printed label or an engine fire 

Bill and Mary public no longer paying attention because every week there is another recall ....  2002 -2004 xxx vehicle may develop a rusty front license plate bolt which may cause the plate to fall off vehicle and end the life of hundreds of thousands of children on the way to school.

Lol.  Well said.  It seems like many of these recalls are greatly exaggerated. 

[Solstice2006]

And yet Camry and Corolla were the 2 top selling cars in the US for January 2014.   Is it a recall over a mis- printed label or an engine fire 

Bill and Mary public no longer paying attention because every week there is another recall ....  2002 -2004 xxx vehicle may develop a rusty front license plate bolt which may cause the plate to fall off vehicle and end the life of hundreds of thousands of children on the way to school.

Lol.  Well said.  It seems like many of these recalls are greatly exaggerated.

some maybe a little exaggerated.  But when Toyota #1 sales, and GM #2 in sales, has a 5:1 ratio of recalls, something off there. 

[JacobBlack]

I wonder if their proactive recall campaigns end up aiding customer satisfaction.
I'd much rather my manufacturer had my car in and sorted out for free regularly, than be fighting to claim things under warranty all the time. Perhaps their recalls make their customers feel looked after?

[mixmanmash]

I wonder if their proactive recall campaigns end up aiding customer satisfaction.
I'd much rather my manufacturer had my car in and sorted out for free regularly, than be fighting to claim things under warranty all the time. Perhaps their recalls make their customers feel looked after?

Could be very true, versus the tradition of the D3 to avoid and fight it for years.

[JacobBlack]

Also, don't forget recalls are an economic call ultimately - it may be that large sales volumes mean the recall is the better option than a company with a smaller volume.
IE: If 200,000 Corollas have a 0.1% fail rate on a part, that's still 200 cars. If 20,000 Mazda3s have a similar issue, that's only 20 cars - so Mazda doesn't recall, Corolla does.

[Solstice2006]

Also, don't forget recalls are an economic call ultimately - it may be that large sales volumes mean the recall is the better option than a company with a smaller volume.
IE: If 200,000 Corollas have a 0.1% fail rate on a part, that's still 200 cars. If 20,000 Mazda3s have a similar issue, that's only 20 cars - so Mazda doesn't recall, Corolla does.

Volume isn't the only factor.  If a car manufacturer is getting complaints on the same problem, and the manufactures doesn't do a recall, then the NHTSA investigates the manufacturer, and will fine the company, recently to Ford.  Shouldn't matter whether it's 200,000 or 20 cars, it's the percentage. 

Some car manufactures were getting burned for not issuing a recall, then having to pay the fine (recently Toyota 3 times & Ford).  Now, they volunteer much sooner, saying better public image.  And delay products, to avoid recalls, and try to assure the public that quality is their primary focus, like the launch of the Jeep Cherokee.. 

http://money.cnn.com/2012/12/18/news/companies/toyota-safety-fine/

Bigger companies needs to worry less about #1 sales, and focus more on the quality of the complex technology in today's vehicles.  Look at the 2013 Ford Escape, 7 recalls!!  It may not affect sales for some, but no way I would buy a vehicle that had a product launch like that!

[Frontier1]

I think there was a time when some companies were inclined to try and solve things with secret little campaigns, shhhhhhhhh, it's all about the image projected and avoid the ugly word "recalls" that only applies to GM not us.  During my stints in the business I got a few slaps behind the head for using the R word in the service department, got to use the C word combined with positive shite to make the customer feel like he's getting something incredible.  Car companies and the fackin bullshite, all big show.