There goes the 'but my car was made in the USA' excuse

[1gobluedem]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/united-auto-workers-teamsters-call-toyota-a-danger-to-america-82937747.html

From the article:

"It's outrageous that the number one-selling car in Cash for Clunkers was the Corolla, the car that is manufactured in the NUMMI plant. After receiving more money in this bailout program than any other company, Toyota is turning its back on American workers and American taxpayers by closing the plant in the state where they sell the most cars in the U.S., shipping these jobs to Japan, and then importing the cars back to the United States for sale," said King.

Interesting, too, that Toyota shuts down its only UAW plant in the US but is building a new, non-union plant in Mississippi.

[Codeine]

1. When they announced last year that they were oulling out of NUMMI

I crossed the Corolla/Matrix and Tacoma off my list of purchasable automobiles. I do look askance at "progressives" who buy cars not made by unionized American labor when there are easily-available alternatives.

[JVS]

2. This was prompted back when GM killed the pontiac Vibe and pulled out of the NUMMI joint venture.

[1gobluedem]

3. Toyota has more than enough to keep it going

And doesn't need to build a new non-union plant in MS.

[michreject]

4. This is for the excuse makers

Yesterday someone posted that it was shoddy American workmanship that caused the problem.

Toyota extends car recall to Europe

BRUSSELS – Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it will extend its U.S. car recall to Europe due to problems with gas pedals, but is unsure how many vehicles will be affected — a fresh blow to the world's largest automaker as it struggles to salvage its safety reputation.

The company on Tuesday suspended U.S. sales of eight models — including the Camry, America's top-selling car — to fix faulty gas pedals that could stick and cause acceleration without warning.

Last week, it issued a U.S. recall for the same eight models, affecting 2.3 million vehicles, and on Thursday announced the recall of an additional 1.09 million vehicles in the U.S.

.........

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100128/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_toyota_europe_recall

[FarCenter]

6. CTS Corp of Elkhart, Indiana is also the supplier of defective pedals in Europe

Toyota to recall 2 mil. cars in Europe
The Yomiuri Shimbun

Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday it would recall about 2 million cars from the European market to fix accelerator pedal flaws, the same trouble that forced the world's top carmaker to recall 2.3 million vehicles in the United States.

The number of vehicles to be recalled by Toyota for repair will amount to a record 4.3 million units, or about 60 percent of its annual total sales, inevitably affecting Toyota's brand image and sales adversely, analysts said.

Accelerator pedals supplied by a U.S. parts maker, which were blamed for recalls in the United States, were also used for the manufacture of some Toyota models in Europe after being supplied by the European subsidiary of the U.S. parts maker, a Toyo-ta official said.

Several models, including the Aygo small car, will be recalled in Europe. Following a series of complaints since last spring that accelerator pedals did not return smoothly to the idling position after being depressed, Toyota has been investigating where the problem lies.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T100125005902.htm

[FarCenter]

7. CTS Corp is also responsibles for the pedals in the Ford China production halt

Ford stops production of some vehicles in China with part tied to Toyota recall
By Dan Strumpf (CP) – 4 hours ago

NEW YORK — Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) has halted production of some full-sized commercial vehicles in China because they contain gas pedals built by the same company behind the accelerators in Toyota Motor Corp.'s recent recall.

Ford spokesman Said Deep said Thursday the diesel version of its Transit Classic built by a Chinese joint venture contains accelerators built by CTS Corp. (NYSE:CTS), based in Elkhart, Ind. The vehicles began production in December and only about 1,600 have been produced, he said.

In a statement, Ford partner Jiangling Motors Co. said there have been no reported problems with the Transit Classic, but it is conducting a review of pedal assembly part to determine the next step. The diesel Transit Classic is the Ford's only vehicle that contains gas pedal parts made by CTS, Deep said.

Accelerators made by CTS, which has a manufacturing facility in Mississauga, Ont., are at the centre of a massive recall and production halt by Toyota over fears that the gas pedals may get stuck and cause unintended acceleration. CTS makes gas pedal systems for various automakers, though Toyota and Ford are the only ones to announce production stoppages.

<SNIP>http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5idZgY05TBEwKzprpgXv4PMHxIyWg

[madrchsod]

9. american workers? seems they were canadian workers.

toyota did`t do their qc on the brake parts that arrived at the plants. both companies dropped the ball on the quality control. which is very strange because toyota is very strict with their suppliers.

[FarCenter]

11. You can't really blame the workers

Parts have to be designed to be completely reliable over the life of the car.

The manufacturing processes have to be designed to produce parts to design specification 100% of the time.

Any manufacturing process that relies upon the diligence and expertise of workers will sooner or later lead to failure.

[michreject]

14. Poster said American workers

I wish I posted in the thread so I could find it. :(

[RoadRage]

5. Not a good PR week for Toyota....

They've sort of pissed thier reputation down the toilet over the last week with the accelorator issues, the floor mat issues, the million cars worth of recalls, and now this.

I'm thinking that there are some execs over at Honda who are doing a happy dance!

[FarCenter]

8. Honda, Nissan, and others also buy pedals from CTS Corp

But CTS makes both contacting and non-contacting sensor designs. Likely some of the others use the non-contacting design.

http://www.ctscorp.com/automotive/pedal/technology.htm

[madrchsod]

10. the control module for the pedal is made in japan

[FarCenter]

12. That would be the electronics, which come from Denso, I've heard

And Toyota should have had brake pedal override of throttle position in their engine control algorithms like other manufacturers.

[RoadRage]

13. Yeah, but Toyota is the only company having problems, correct?

I haven't heard or seen anything about any of the other Foreign car companies having any problems.. and I'd think that they'd all be doing some serious testing now if they all buy from the same supplier.

[Broke In Jersey]

15. smart move

Our stupid trade policies give no incentives to companies to build things here as opposed to making them overseas and shipping it back here. There's no restrictions, no limits on amounts allowed to be imported, super cheap labor, and no import tarrifs. Washington is basically giving them incentives to produce overseas.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

16. Yup. +1

[Luciferous]

17. +1

[Romulox]

18. People who buy Toyota's couldn't care less where the thing is made.

:hi:

[HopeHoops]

19. Toyota ASSEMBLES cars in the USA - it doesn't "make" them here.