Toyota Quality not perfect - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

softconsult · #1 01-19-2007, 08:34 AM

Just some info to counter their seemingly perfect image.

WASHINGTON -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it was recalling 533,000 Tundra pickup trucks and Sequoia sport utility vehicles because of potential steering problems.

Toyota said the recall involved 2004-2006 Tundra trucks and 2004-2007 Sequoia full-size SUVs. The auto maker has received reports of 11 accidents and six injuries connected to the recall, said Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong.

The auto maker said there was a possibility of excessive wear to a front suspension lower ball joint that could make it difficult to steer the vehicle and stay in the center of the lane. Drivers may also notice more noise coming from the front suspension, Mr. Kwong said.

Toyota recalled about 775,000 pickups and SUVs in May 2005 -- one of its largest recalls ever -- because of similar problems with the front suspension. The recall included 2002-2004 model years of the Tundra and Sequoia.

Steve

POS · #2 01-19-2007, 08:44 AM

As the past 10 years go by, Toyota's quality has gone done quite a bit and GMs has gone up quite a bit. Toyota is living on a long reputation as the most reliable car out there, but it's not nearly as true today as it used to be. This recall (and many others by Toyota in the past few years) confirm this for me.

BENZ-LGB · #3 01-19-2007, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS

As the past 10 years go by, Toyota's quality has gone done quite a bit and GMs has gone up quite a bit. Toyota is living on a long reputation as the most reliable car out there, but it's not nearly as true today as it used to be. This recall (and many others by Toyota in the past few years) confirm this for me.

My Mom is on a wheelchair after suffering a stroke and my Dad had to buy a minivan wiht a lift.

He chose a new toyota van based on toyota's reputation for quality. although my dad is one of those "buy America" at any cost, he passed up on products from the Big Three because he had heard so much about toyota quality.

Boy, did he make a mistake.

That van, however is a huge POS. Interior trim pieces keep breaking or falling off. Also the van has all kinds of problems with the A/C.

I once owned a toyota corolla. I will never again buy a toyota. I would much rather drive a 30 year old Benz diesel!

Bill Wood · #4 01-19-2007, 10:32 AM

I guess I'll be taking my 2005 Tundra in for L & R lower ball joints in Feb. I've had it for 1 1/2 years and so far it has been perfect. Absolutely no service except for oil changes and the dealer did those for free.

Overall, I have been pleased with the truck. It's a big double cab with a V8 but it gets 16-20 MPG. I drove from Atlanta to VA Beach and back and averaged 19 MPG last Thanksgiving.

Hatterasguy · #5 01-19-2007, 10:36 AM

Toyota and Lexus have there issues like anything else.

My old Camry is still running fine for my aunt. 170k miles and only basic stuff so far.

We have only had the Rav4 since October but no issues so far.

#6 01-19-2007, 11:15 AM

Toyota has more issues than one might think. I had header problems on two Tundra's and two Sequoia's; the repair was $915.00-1250 and Toyota was in complete denial of the problem. I called Toyota armed with Internet information and they still denied when I said F-you I say good by to a Toyota customer they basically said bye bye. My dealer was alerted to the problem and called me with the mercy speech since between me and my family had purchased at least a dozen Toyotas and Lexus from them in a four or five year period. They are great cars but I did have problems with them just like any other car.

The end result was a check for $750 which is a kick in the nutz IMO.

I have had less problems with my GM cars than Toyota or anything else; actually my Avalanches and Suburbans have been the most reliable cars I have owned and they see more dirt, bumps and mud in a week than most people see in their lifetime.

MTI · #7 01-19-2007, 12:18 PM

The Tundra had a ball joint recall back in 2005 as well.

AustinsCE · #8 01-19-2007, 01:07 PM

I must have gotten all the bad ones then, because every toyota my family and I have owned, you know back when they were "good" were still junk. Where did this reputation come from? The midengine AWD van was pretty gnarly though, might take that setup out and into my Italian car.

rg2098 · #9 01-19-2007, 01:13 PM

Do a search for toyota engine sludge. Enough said.

#10 01-19-2007, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rg2098

Do a search for toyota engine sludge. Enough said.

But Toyota did replace the engines with no problem. My dads RX300 had the sludge problem and the replaced the engine despite the fact that he did not change the oil for 25000 miles.

And for those who say what kind of idiot would let that happen it was because he has a person that takes care of his car/personal issues and they dropped the ball.

TWeatherford · #11 01-19-2007, 01:27 PM

My Dad has always owned Toyotas.

1998 Sienna Van 188,000, been to the shop once for an ignition coil. Of course we throw spark plugs and fluids and filters at it every once in a while, but this incident was the first problem the van has had while we owned it, which is since 30,000 miles.

Owned a Corolla for the first 120K of its life, till I wrecked it. Never did anything major other than the clutch about a week before I rolled it.

Talked to a guy who was looking for a Benz diesel to replace his Toyota Camry. The Camry had 570,000 on it, original engine, second trans at 300,000. Since he drives 3,000 miles a week he wanted something to run WVO in.

My understanding is that the big three are getting much better at building cars, and everyone's looking for room to cut costs because of the hard market.

pj67coll · #12 01-19-2007, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AustinsCE

I must have gotten all the bad ones then, because every toyota my family and I have owned, you know back when they were "good" were still junk. Where did this reputation come from? The midengine AWD van was pretty gnarly though, might take that setup out and into my Italian car.

I've often wondered that myself. I can only assume that in the USA the big three were making such utter crap in the later 70's that Toyota's were good in comparison. Back in South Africa during that period where there were no American cars and their competition was European thery were regarded as no different than any other Jappanese junk. Datsun's, Hondas, Nissans, Mitsubishi what have you.

In terms of reliablility they may have been better than US stuff back then but the rest of the reputation in my opinion has never been justified. They were not particularly comfortable, not particularly reliable, and noticably more flimsy and less safe than German vehicles.

I can well remember my cousins late 80's Cressida which was involved in an accident. Not serious. Just some front end bump from a medium - low speed head on. The roof of the passenger compartment directly above the left hand door had buckled up slightly by about a half inch. No crumple zone protecting anything there, or if there was it wasnt doing a very good job with the passenger cell starting to concertina like that.

When I got to the States and found everybody raving about Jappanese cars I almost wondered if the whole nation was on crack.

- Peter.

manny · #13 01-19-2007, 05:40 PM

Just read the Feb. '07 issue of Car & Driver.
They're comparing the top 6 mid-size contenders.
Toyota Camry ( Toyota's " Bread & Butter vehicle ) finished 5 th.
Aside from comments such as the quality of assembly seemingly declining, it did not receive very high praise.
Top that up with the recently tested Lexus LS 430 having longer stopping distances than an 18 wheeler ( just a little exagerated ), you've got to wonder where there headed.

stcbenz83 · #14 01-19-2007, 06:13 PM

I beg to differ(well just a little) My father was all about american cars. You would never see a non american car in our driveway. My dads first disapointment was the Dodge minivan crap box. Every other week somthing would go wrong with it. if it wasnt the fuel pump it was the trans. That van seriously went threw 3 transes since we had it. And my dad drive like an elderly man. Ac was all messed and then at the end develpod a hard starting. My father swore up and down he would never buy another Chrysler product. So since the soccor mom van went outa style, my mother wanted an SUV. so naturally my dad bought a chevy blazer. let me tell you what a pile of crap thats been, only has around 40K on it and its needed 2 set of front bearings that have gone out. The 4x4 switch over busted. THe passanger windows dont go down by thier own switches anymore. The gauges are all messed up, onetime i went to drive my mothers car and the oil gauge was hanging own, like it was busted. then 2 days later for some reason it went back to normal. the turn lever stalk wore out (with only 40K???) so it had that enoying blinker sound on almost all the time. THank god for the warrenty. So when i turned 16 naturally i wanted a rice burner. My dad wasnt about to have it. but after bugging him and bugging him we went to go look at a Nissan Altima. My dad was very pissed and sckeptical, but after proving its worth my dad was amazed by it. we have had it for 4 year bought it with 90K and it now has 160K and the only thing we put on it was a new set of tires and a steering damper. it dosnt use oil or leak it. for 2500$ what a bargin. When my brothers GMC jimmy hit the dust (a whole story in itself) my dad went out and bought a toyota corolla. Though simple, it a great car so far. we've only had it about a year, so we shall see. one of the many times the blazer was in the shop, we had a toyota camery as the rental car. My mother loves those and will probably be getting one next car.

I also read in a new artical about how ford has really gone down hill and they are just copping off other car's designs. And i guess thier not doing to hot right now, with last quarter sales not as they were expected to be.

So moral is, after the balzer is gone, no longer will any of us own an american made car. and parts realy arnt that much more.

Hatterasguy · #15 01-19-2007, 07:21 PM

Yeah my dad was the same way, GM car and Ford truck all American. Then I buy my at the time 9 year old Camry that put my moms car to shame. Totally owned the Cutless. Now my mom has a Toyota, and chances are good that when my dad replaces the Ford it will be with a Tundra.

Toyota sells what a million cars a year? This recal is nothing, everyone has recalls.

Say what you want but Toyota and Honda are currantly rolling in piles of cash. While GM, and more so Ford are bleeding red ink.