On Thursday, Toyota Motor Corp. announced the recall of 1.53 million vehicles, mostly in the U.S. and Japan, for brake fluid and fuel pump problems. Over the past year, Toyota has recalled over 10 million vehicles for various problems, including defective gas pedals and floor mats that trapped accelerators. The company’s image took a hit because of the recalls — not because of the recalls themselves, but because they were too late.
Toyota was fined $16.4 million by the government for not reporting some the quality problems earlier. Now, the company is working to improve its image and stave off future litigation by being more proactive with quality control and ordering recalls, as well as through creating new departments in its company.
According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, Toyota Motor Corp. has appointed a chief quality officer to lead regional quality control teams. The quality control teams will have greater autonomy and will have input into whether a recall will be ordered.
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Toyota to recall 1.5 million vehicles for brake fluid, fuel pump problems (Los Angeles Times)