まゆの部屋

Number of cars recalled by Toyota soars due to efforts to cut costs
The number of defective cars Toyota Motor Corp. has recalled has sharply increased due largely to its efforts to reduce production expenses, company sources said.

On Tuesday, the automobile giant reported to its regulator, the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry, that it needs to recall 565,756 cars from nine series, bringing to 805,000 the total number of cars it has recalled from the beginning of this year. The pace is faster than last year when it recalled a record 1.89 million cars.

The trouble involving the cars it recently decided to recall involves the steering system for the Corolla, Wish and hybrid car Prius. Specifically, the shaft connecting the steering wheel with the gear box is weak.

In the face of intensifying competition in the domestic and international markets, Toyota and its parts suppliers have cooperated in developing components common to different types of automobiles as part of their efforts to reduce production expenses.

However, if a part common to several types of cars is found defective, the manufacturer will be forced to recall all these models.

Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe expressed grave concern over the sharp rise in the number of cars it had to recall when the company announced on May 10 its fiscal accounts for 2005.

"Quality is our lifeline," he said.

In a June reshuffle of its board, Toyota will appoint a senior managing director responsible for quality control. The company has set up a team comprising of employees in charge of quality control and design to rectify problems involving production lines that have been uncovered by defects in car parts. (Mainichi)


May 31, 2006