As the impact of Toyota Motor Corp.'s massive vehicle recalls to make free repairs unfolds on the world's automobile markets, at issue are not only the irregularities found with the Toyota models concerned but also the company's very systems for handling complaints and managing crises. Consumers are also having doubts about Toyota's corporate culture itself. Toyota has increased its global vehicle sales over the years based on customer satisfaction with product quality and quick-response service. The recalls indicate that these controls were imperfect.
Why did this occur? Some reports cite problems with electronic controls, but this must be further investigated. Unlike with accidents reported in the United States, no complaints have been made about models that use accelerator pedals made in Japan. This indicates there may be problems with the quality control system at Toyota plants outside Japan.
As automakers expand production around the world, parts procurement from local suppliers becomes more important. This requires establishment of systems to maintain quality for locally made products. As automakers try to use the same components on two or more models to achieve economy of scale, a single defect can affect many models.