Quote:
Originally Posted by Hepatic
I can't find the number of total cars, but 26 out of whatever that is is going to be a tiny percentage, so the likelihood of something happening is remote, although the consequences could be catastrophic. I also see little reporting on the fact that the assembly isn't built by Toyota but one of their subcontracted suppliers, as most parts on cars these days. They still owe the duty of care, but their supplier should be grilled on it too.
The point is, the chance of it happening is so remote that the threat is being blown out of all proportion. I had a Cincquento once that had a recall on a faulty fuel tank. The likelihood it would corrode early and cause a fire was remote but they dealt with it just like Toyota are. OK so there are more cars involved in this one but the implications and the way its handled should really have been the same. Didn't see that splashed all over the front pages tho  |
I work for a major engine manufacturer in the automotive and industrial markets as a mechanical engineer and handle warranty some in my job. This is how it normally operates in our world. If I went to the head of quality for my company and said we have "26 failures", he'd say that's 26 too many, fix it. The difference between those and this is that this one has documented deaths.
As far as the supplier, due to the longstanding nature of the problem, I can't believe they are at fault. Toyota would have instructed CTS on the design that their assemblies would meet from drawings, and as long as CTS matched the assembly drawing specifications for dimensions and tolerances and material that would be called out, they are in the clear. That's the common standard for manufacturing on this scale nowadays unless you're going to high-end items such as fuel pumps, fans, turbochargers, alternators, etc. that would be supplier-controlled.
The problem for CTS is that the throttle pedal assembly drawing and its component part drawings are probably Toyota-proprietary, so they can't show it to the public saying "see? we matched the print, it's not our fault".
If it was an issue from what CTS manufactured, Toyota SQI (Supplier Quality Insurance) should have caught it, and considering they're recalling some vehicles from way back in 2007 made in several different plants, I don't see how it could be CTS' fault, otherwise a ton of Toyota SQI people from a lot of different plants are about to get fired. Toyota SQI would check to make sure a random sample from parts coming match the print specifications. If not, they notify CTS and CTS would take on the full cost of the parts received and CTS would have to make new parts that match the print, and probably a financial penalty for stopping the assembly line from operating on top of it. If they meet the drawing, than that is Toyota's acceptance of the parts saying that CTS did their job correctly and they take ownership of the parts. The long-term back in the past of the recall is why I don't think it's CTS' manufacturing fault and is instead a Toyota design fault. Although now with the brake issues, it appears it could be an ECU problem, which would link that with the accelerator issues.