Toyota suspends sales of Rav4 following engine problems
10-30-07, 05:47 AM
#1
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Toyota suspends sales of Rav4 following engine problems
Toyota Australia Reels From Second Engine Blow
Toyota has suspended sales of another model because of an engine problem, with the new V6-powered RAV4 closely following the Aurion TRD to the medi-lab.
Sales of new RAV4 V6 have been halted while Toyota investigates a problem relating to the 3.5-litre engine.
Toyota has again been hit by an embarassing fault in a new model, with all Australian dealers being ordered to stop selling the new V6-powered RAV4 compact 4WD.
The RAV4 V6 launched only a fortnight ago to join the four-cylinder model launched in early 2006. A problem relating to the engine follows shortly after Toyota Australia's Aurion TRD resumed sales in October after an investigation into an engine failure.
Toyota Australia spokesperson Mike Breen says the RAV4's 3.5-litre V6, which is shared with the Aurion, Kluger, and Tarago, is not operating "as smoothly as would be expected", and there appears to be an issue with the engine's electronic managment control system.
http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/Ar...eID=45079&vf=2
Toyota has suspended sales of another model because of an engine problem, with the new V6-powered RAV4 closely following the Aurion TRD to the medi-lab.
Sales of new RAV4 V6 have been halted while Toyota investigates a problem relating to the 3.5-litre engine.
Toyota has again been hit by an embarassing fault in a new model, with all Australian dealers being ordered to stop selling the new V6-powered RAV4 compact 4WD.
The RAV4 V6 launched only a fortnight ago to join the four-cylinder model launched in early 2006. A problem relating to the engine follows shortly after Toyota Australia's Aurion TRD resumed sales in October after an investigation into an engine failure.
Toyota Australia spokesperson Mike Breen says the RAV4's 3.5-litre V6, which is shared with the Aurion, Kluger, and Tarago, is not operating "as smoothly as would be expected", and there appears to be an issue with the engine's electronic managment control system.
http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/Ar...eID=45079&vf=2
10-30-07, 06:34 AM
#4
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Also from the article...
At least they're fessing up to problems. Oh and I like that the exec's name has "no sh i t' in it. 
The latest problem has come only days after one of the Japanese group's directors admitted the company's response to vehicle quality problems "was not perfect".
Toyota, which has grown to be the world's largest carmaker mainly on the strength of product reliability, issued the freeze order on the RAV4 V6 following concerns about the car's drivability. Details of the exact fault were not available last night, but a Toyota spokesman said it was not a safety-related issue.
It is the latest in a string of quality-related problems to hit the Japanese giant this year, both in Australia and overseas, and reflects the problems that come with growing rapidly year after year.
Toyota directors were so concerned about deterioration in quality levels two years ago they formed the Customer First committee to address the problem, executive vice-president Mitsuo Kinosh-ita, told The Age last week in Tokyo.
"Quality is our first priority. Unfortunately, two years ago, vehicle [problems] increased so much at that time we decided to establish the CF committee," said Kinosh-ita. "We have been doing that for two years and, as a result, the quality is getting better and the recall level is comparatively decreasing."
Apart from the pressures of having to rapidly increase production, Mr Kinosh-ita said a major source of problems was the increasing use of electronics and, in particular, integrated circuit boards, in cars.
Toyota sales have been growing by between 500,000 and 800,000 vehicles a year, which means the company has had to build at least two factories a year to keep pace.
Toyota, which has grown to be the world's largest carmaker mainly on the strength of product reliability, issued the freeze order on the RAV4 V6 following concerns about the car's drivability. Details of the exact fault were not available last night, but a Toyota spokesman said it was not a safety-related issue.
It is the latest in a string of quality-related problems to hit the Japanese giant this year, both in Australia and overseas, and reflects the problems that come with growing rapidly year after year.
Toyota directors were so concerned about deterioration in quality levels two years ago they formed the Customer First committee to address the problem, executive vice-president Mitsuo Kinosh-ita, told The Age last week in Tokyo.
"Quality is our first priority. Unfortunately, two years ago, vehicle [problems] increased so much at that time we decided to establish the CF committee," said Kinosh-ita. "We have been doing that for two years and, as a result, the quality is getting better and the recall level is comparatively decreasing."
Apart from the pressures of having to rapidly increase production, Mr Kinosh-ita said a major source of problems was the increasing use of electronics and, in particular, integrated circuit boards, in cars.
Toyota sales have been growing by between 500,000 and 800,000 vehicles a year, which means the company has had to build at least two factories a year to keep pace.
10-30-07, 06:48 AM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
Seriously, this whole quality problem with Toyota surprises me in some areas and doesn't in others. I've noticed a marked deterioration in Toyota interior, hardware, and trim quality the last several years (the Corolla, still well-done, is an exception), and in some cases sheet metal as well. But their drivetrains seemed, to me at least, to be as well-done, reliable, and refined as ever....though, admittedly, you cannot always gauge a long-term drivetrain problem from just a test-drive of a brand-new vehicle.
Fortunately, I did see a lot of signs of improvement in the new Highlander, especially inside. (see my review).
10-30-07, 07:04 AM
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I really think that a lot of these recent quality issues stem from Mr Watanabe's massive cost cutting moves. A Tundra tailgate shouldn't fail and dent under minor loads. That only comes from using cheap materials.
I hope Katsuaki realises his mistake and the direction that he's taking this company in and starts focusing on quality versus cost cutting again. Quality is one of the fundamentals of Toyota and problems arise when you deviate from the fundamentals. In the minds of the general public, Toyota is still synonymous with quality. But auto enthusiasts and industry followers know better.
I hope Toyota refocuses on the fundamentals as that is the key to reverse this current trend in rapid quality decline.
I hope Katsuaki realises his mistake and the direction that he's taking this company in and starts focusing on quality versus cost cutting again. Quality is one of the fundamentals of Toyota and problems arise when you deviate from the fundamentals. In the minds of the general public, Toyota is still synonymous with quality. But auto enthusiasts and industry followers know better.
I hope Toyota refocuses on the fundamentals as that is the key to reverse this current trend in rapid quality decline.
Last edited by rosskoss; 10-30-07 at 08:05 AM.
10-30-07, 08:02 AM
#7
We had a brand new Rav-4 petrol replaced FOC with a diesel version 3 months after purchase due to an engine management fault Toyota were unable to cure. The diesel isn't the smoothest but it gets 38mpg all day long.
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10-30-07, 08:14 AM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
, because, FINALLY, after some 13-14 years, Toyota is building a TRUE full-size truck. This is the truck that should have been introduced in 1994 instead of the mid-sized T100/150 and wasn't. It also should have been introduced when the first (mid-sized) Tundra was introduced several years ago and still wasn't. Now that Toyota finally has the size right, like the Nissan Titan, the quality lags. Sorry...we got a little off-topic. Back to the RAV-4.
10-30-07, 11:05 AM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
I would say alot of Toyota/Lexus quality reliability problems are mainly stemming from corporate focusing on breaking sales records and being number one and increased profits/cost cutting instead of research and design and overall quality. It seems they maybe even letting some things slip by even though they know there is a problem. I have seem a downturn in qaulity in the interiors of many Lexus cars like the new IS, GS, ES, as well as Toyotas like the new Camry, Avalon, Rav4, Tundra, 4 Runner, etc. The new highlander interior does look and seem nicer and a step in the right direction.
It sucks for people who buy these vehicles when they get recalled or fixed under warranty but it really sucks for when they are out of warranty and Toyota/Lexus does not extend the warranty for problems they know exists and make the owners pay for it out of their pockets. Hopefully these nationally known issues forces Toyota/Lexus to stop focusing so much on profits/sales records and more on quality and reliability. Toyota is simply triying to build and sell too many cars in too many segments that quality and reliability is suffering. The same thing partially happend to GM and FORD although those too had alot more problems then just spitting out too many cars in a certain amount of time.
It sucks for people who buy these vehicles when they get recalled or fixed under warranty but it really sucks for when they are out of warranty and Toyota/Lexus does not extend the warranty for problems they know exists and make the owners pay for it out of their pockets. Hopefully these nationally known issues forces Toyota/Lexus to stop focusing so much on profits/sales records and more on quality and reliability. Toyota is simply triying to build and sell too many cars in too many segments that quality and reliability is suffering. The same thing partially happend to GM and FORD although those too had alot more problems then just spitting out too many cars in a certain amount of time.
10-30-07, 12:51 PM
#11
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Because that V6 is the same as the Avalon, Camry, Highlander, ES350 and RX350 so is it just the Rav4, or would it be all
And my Uncle has the Rav4 V6 so would like to know is it for the US as well (still wish mines was the V6 though)
And my Uncle has the Rav4 V6 so would like to know is it for the US as well (still wish mines was the V6 though)
10-30-07, 04:51 PM
#13
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It won't be overnight. Expect a few more press releases like this for a couple more years.
10-30-07, 07:34 PM
#14
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It's economy of scale, which while lowering costs also has the unfortunate side effect of increasing quality defects in the process. At least with Toyota, I feel more confident they'll right themselves, which I can't say for American automakers unfortunately right now. 
10-30-07, 09:24 PM
#15
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As a side note, I was behind a new Camry today. Anyone else noticed how the center mounted stop light above the trunk is now 4 LED 'dots' instead of a solid light? It looks like something you could get off eBay for $2.
And once consumers notice a car maker going 'cheap' it can ruin a reputation quickly and it's VERY hard to recover.
I think Toyota AND its Lexus division are suffering here not only on increasing defects but on visually cheaper materials. I hope they change soon.
Another brand, Acura, made this mistake. My '87 and '94 Acura Legends had BEAUTIFUL wood inside and nice switch gear. The RL that came next (not the new one) looked like a piece of crap inside in comparison particularly the rock hard plastic dash. So I switched to the 2GS (very very nice interior for its time, including that soft rubbery plastic for the dash that felt expensive). Now the 3GS has gone to the hard cheaper looking plastic and awful out of place aluminum trim. The 1RX went from nice wood inside to that God AWFUL aluminum trim. The LS460 is very nice except the front/rear bumpers have almost no detail and look like the same swath of plastic a Camry has, and the center stack seems more 'plasticky' than previous LS. Anyway... </rant>