Toyota's new quality czar says buyers not being told enough

[Omaha Steve]

Source: USA Today

One of Toyota's big problems when it comes to capping consumers' fears of unintended acceleration comes from many not knowing enough about the cars they are buying, says Toyota's new chief quality officer for North America.

Steve St. Angelo, named in March to be Toyota's Mr. Fix-It, told Automotive News that if many consumers better understood how the cars are supposed to work, they might not confuse unintended acceleration with a feature is, in fact, intended.

"We're realizing that we haven't done a good job of educating our customers about our cars," St. Angelo said in a phone conversation with the News. "We must do a better job of educating them about the features, especially if they have anything to do with unintended acceleration."

Example:

Toyota's radar cruise control system automatically slows the vehicle if another car is too close in front. But the car automatically returns to its previous speed once the coast is clear. Some buyers might confuse the feature with unintended acceleration, St. Angelo said.

Read more: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/05/toyotas-new-quality-czar-says-buyers-not-being-told-enough/1

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By YOSHIKAZU TSUNO, AFP/Getty Images

Steve St. Angelo, North American chief quality officer for Japanese automaker Toyota Motor, speaks at a press conference after the opening meeting of Toyota's global quality control committee at company headquarters in Toyota city, Aichi prefecture, on March 30, 2010. T

[midnight armadillo]

1. 1st rule of Toyotas

Never steer at anything you do not want to destroy or kill.

[Oldtimeralso]

2. 2nd rule of Toyotas

DO NOT follow a Ford Pinto. (for you youngsters http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Pinto#Safety_problems_and_scandal )

[madrchsod]

3. third..do not "blame the customer"

[LiberalFighter]

4. If this feature is correct. I would think it is still seriously flawed.

What determines the coast is clear?

And I don't recall there being objects in the way until it was too late. If what the guy is saying true then why didn't it slow the vehicle?


I smell oily fish!!