An investigation published by The Sunday Times has caused Toyota to deny claims that the Japanese car firm is putting consumers in danger by telling its dealers to only fix defects that are identified by customers.
During a meeting between Toyota executives and several Toyota dealers that was leaked to the press, the dealers expressed concerns that a ‘secret policy’ was putting drivers into unnecessary risk by not repairing any found faults during servicing. If an accident occurs then the dealer would be held responsible.
According to the investigation ‘the secret policy’ appears in dealers’ handbooks, but Toyota claims that the terms and conditions in the book are the same as those that appear in the owner’s handbook.
The car giant who recently had to recall over 8 million cars, released a statement in response to the article. They completely refute all claims and state that all defects, no matter how they are identified, are covered by the car’s warranty. They also add that no Toyota car is allowed back on the road until all problems have been identified and repaired by technicians. They state that “Customer safety is, and has always been the companies top priority.”
Toyota was founded in Japan in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda It employs over 300,000 people and is one of the world’s largest automobile manufacturer, manufacturing over 8 million cars in 2010. It owns Lexus and Scion. There is over 200 independently owned Toyota dealers and certified repairers in the United Kingdom.