International Law

Toyota Losing the China Messaging War on Recalls

By Stan

It was bad enough when Akio Toyoda, in response to a question about differing quality standards on cars sold in China as opposed to those sold in the U.S. or Japan, used a bizarre and inappropriate analogy to a popular tofu dish. The question really should have been addressed head on, since it seems that many Chinese firmly believe that second (or third) rate vehicles are being foisted upon them.

But the whole PR campaign seems to be getting worse:

Toyota did not offer any form of compensation for the RAV4 models recently involved in the recall in China over gas pedal problems, the Changjiang Daily reported Wednesday.

Consumers in Wuhan questioned the company’s different attitudes toward the issue of recall. In the US, the company provides door-to-door service to consumers involved in the recall. When drivers take their recalled vehicles to the factory themselves, the company offers transportation reimbursements and a loaner car of the same model.

Sun, a Toyota RAV4 user who had just had his car fixed, said although he did not pay for the repairs, it had cost him time and gas so Toyota should be responsible for his loss.

At some car forums on the Internet, many RAV4 owners are discussing the possibility of filing a class action suit in China against Toyota, the report said. (China Daily)

This whole thing is starting to remind me of other foreign-related product liability “scandals” we’ve seen here in the past, and that’s not a good thing for Toyota. The one that immediately comes to mind is the Toshiba laptop kerfuffle back in 2000.
(More)

© Stan for China Hearsay, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: japan china relations, product liability, product recall, tort law, toyota

Full post as published by China Hearsay on March 04, 2010 (boomark / email).