"THIS will go down in automotive history as one of the weirdest automotive recalls of all time.

[csv8]

"THIS will go down in automotive history as one of the weirdest automotive recalls of all time.

Japanese car giant Toyota is voluntarily recalling 6.5 million cars globally — including up to 300,000 in Australia — because the power window switches might not have enough grease in their operating mechanisms.

In other words, the power windows may not operate as smoothly as Toyota would like.

The recall affects certain Toyota Aurion, Camry, Corolla, Kluger, RAV4 and Yaris vehicles built between August 2005 and August 2006 and January 2009 and December 2010.

A statement from Toyota says: “If insufficient grease was applied, under certain conditions the switch may develop a short circuit that can cause the switch assembly to overheat and melt. In the worst case, a melting switch can produce smoke and potentially lead to a fire.”

Toyota says it is still assessing the impact on cars sold in the Australian market, however it is expected “less than 300,000” vehicles will be affected and “there have been no reported accidents or injuries in Australia”.

And not a single car has caught fire.

The latest Toyota recall follows a previous fix in October 2012 also relating to a power window switch.

But cars caught up in the previous campaign will not be impacted by this recall, the company says.'
http://www.couriermail.com.au/busine...-1227577384980

[Stefan]

Poor Hulk....Aurions are likely to spontaneously combust.

[b0son]

Meanwhile, they refused to tow my dad's RAV4 when the gearbox packed it in, to the dealer 2 streets away.

[Beastie]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Poor Hulk....Aurions are likely to spontaneously combust.

Hulk's is a 2015 model, so not a problem

Seriously, good on Toyota to recall something BEFORE it catches on fire (although unlikely).

It almost sounds like a publicity stunt?

[99AUXR]

And probably not get their 5 second 0-100 now that the extra grease will be added :(

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by The Beast

Hulk's is a 2015 model, so not a problem

Yet...

2010 Aurion wasn't a problem in 2010 either, but is now.

Not sure I could trust driving my family around knowing that the car I bought could in a few years catch fire. Just couldn't live with myself knowing I put my family in such danger.

[Beastie]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Yet...

2010 Aurion wasn't a problem in 2010 either, but is now.

Not sure I could trust driving my family around knowing that the car I bought could in a few years catch fire. Just couldn't live with myself knowing I put my family in such danger.

What was the safety star rating for the 2010 Aurion?

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by b0son

Meanwhile, they refused to tow my dad's RAV4 when the gearbox packed it in, to the dealer 2 streets away.

How come? Didn't it have roadside assist?

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by b0son

Meanwhile, they refused to tow my dad's RAV4 when the gearbox packed it in, to the dealer 2 streets away.

And never recalled the oil hose defect on the 3.5 V6 powered Klugers, Rav4s and Aurions.

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Yet...

2010 Aurion wasn't a problem in 2010 either, but is now.

Not sure I could trust driving my family around knowing that the car I bought could in a few years catch fire. Just couldn't live with myself knowing I put my family in such danger.

Any car can catch fire. Ford (and many other manufacturers) also had quite a few recalls over increased fire risk. Manufacturers are doing the right thing and rectifying the issues.

[Franco Cozzo]

If Ford recalled crap designed window switches and regulators that they've put in Falcons over the years, Ford would go broke globally.

[Adamz Ghia]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Poor Hulk....Aurions are likely to spontaneously combust.

What will the neighbours think?? All his friends are going to laugh at him! The shame!

[GO FURTHER]

You do realize that some so-called "recalls" by car manufacturers are simply a ploy to get extra business for their dealerships, although they will never admit to this.

This is how it works....

Business is slow or you want more sales... So how do you get existing clients to come into your dealership?

Come up with some minor item that may need attention, and in reality requires very little labour or time to check by the dealership mechanics.

You see the difference between say a car recall and say a whitegoods recall, is that the car needs to be taken to an authorised repair centre, whereas a fridge or washing machine recall requires a technician to come out to your home, and this is very expensive, involving travelling time and call out fees, etc.

How wonderful!... Recall a car... And the owner has to bring it to your dealership.... This leads to two extra benefits;

(1). Many owners (especially those who have a car out of warranty and may not be using the dealership for servicing anymore) ... Will think to themselves... "Well ... Since I have to take the car in for the recall, I might as well "kill two birds with one stone" and get the car serviced there at the same time.... Bingo... Extra income for the Car dealership!

(2). While taking the car to the dealership.... Customers may take a look at the latest new models in the showroom, giving the sales staff an opportunity to try and make a sale. Again extra income for the car manufacturer!

All is not always what it seems in this world... Learn to read between the lines and always look for that "arterial motive" of why a person or company is doing something!

[Crazy Dazz]

Ah yes, the "Underpants Gnomes" business model:
Step 1: Tell customers their cars are **** and could catch fire,
Step 2: ...........
Step 3: Profit!

[Dr Terry]

This has been happening for a while. There have been many recalls of late that I've been more than a little suspicious of.

Don't get me wrong, if their is a product issue, then by all means recall the thing, but how many are "bogus".

On the other side of the coin, how many owners out there have been seriously out of pocket, fixing something that should have been recalled, but wasn't.

Dr Terry

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by Adamz Ghia

What will the neighbours think?? All his friends are going to laugh at him! The shame!

They can all compare their window switches at a BBQ/ Wedding

[stm]

Originally Posted by BAXRSIX

"arterial motive"

All excellent points - spot on. But it is "ulterior motive."

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by BAXRSIX

You do realize that some so-called "recalls" by car manufacturers are simply a ploy to get extra business for their dealerships, although they will never admit to this.

This is how it works....

Business is slow or you want more sales... So how do you get existing clients to come into your dealership?

Come up with some minor item that may need attention, and in reality requires very little labour or time to check by the dealership mechanics.

You see the difference between say a car recall and say a whitegoods recall, is that the car needs to be taken to an authorised repair centre, whereas a fridge or washing machine recall requires a technician to come out to your home, and this is very expensive, involving travelling time and call out fees, etc.

How wonderful!... Recall a car... And the owner has to bring it to your dealership.... This leads to two extra benefits;

(1). Many owners (especially those who have a car out of warranty and may not be using the dealership for servicing anymore) ... Will think to themselves... "Well ... Since I have to take the car in for the recall, I might as well "kill two birds with one stone" and get the car serviced there at the same time.... Bingo... Extra income for the Car dealership!

(2). While taking the car to the dealership.... Customers may take a look at the latest new models in the showroom, giving the sales staff an opportunity to try and make a sale. Again extra income for the car manufacturer!

All is not always what it seems in this world... Learn to read between the lines and always look for that "arterial motive" of why a person or company is doing something!

Recall a car for increased sales ? They would not do that because of bad image recall is associated with . Or if they do VW is the future market leader :-)

[Express]

I’ve said this before and it comes from years of experience and association.

There is no such thing as a voluntary recall.

That is company spin as a means for damage control.

It means in Australia’s case that the ACC (insert other authorities for other countries here) is so hot on the company’s behind that a forced recall has now become inevitable, so to remove the awful connotation of the word ‘forced’ the company at the eleven hour announces a voluntary recall.

Recalls can have severe impacts on company reputations and that even more than the financial implications plays a huge part in why product failures are hidden or denied as much as possible.

The financial penalty can impact the bottom line for a few years, a poor reputation can impact forever.

Deals are done in the background all the time between companies and the ACCC on how to handle these recalls, this side of things is not disclosed to the public but those on here who are or have been employed at a level within a company that would be privy to this type of negotiation will know what I’m talking about.

Nothing good comes from having your company associated with a recall.

Using the word voluntary and appearing to be pre-emptive and displaying attributes of consumer sympathy is the lesser of a damaging situation.

Again there is no such thing as a voluntary recall, it just means they couldn’t get away with it any longer.


.

[mik]

It's good they are calling them up,
I've lost count how many times I've had my au switches apart for attention.

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by Express

I’ve said this before and it comes from years of experience and association.

There is no such thing as a voluntary recall.

That is company spin as a means for damage control.

It means in Australia’s case that the ACC (insert other authorities for other countries here) is so hot on the company’s behind that a forced recall has now become inevitable, so to remove the awful connotation of the word ‘forced’ the company at the eleven hour announces a voluntary recall.

Recalls can have severe impacts on company reputations and that even more than the financial implications plays a huge part in why product failures are hidden or denied as much as possible.

The financial penalty can impact the bottom line for a few years, a poor reputation can impact forever.

Deals are done in the background all the time between companies and the ACCC on how to handle these recalls, this side of things is not disclosed to the public but those on here who are or have been employed at a level within a company that would be privy to this type of negotiation will know what I’m talking about.

Nothing good comes from having your company associated with a recall.

Using the word voluntary and appearing to be pre-emptive and displaying attributes of consumer sympathy is the lesser of a damaging situation.

Again there is no such thing as a voluntary recall, it just means they couldn’t get away with it any longer.
.

I beg to differ, while the current VW/Audi Diesel thing is not good for their reputation, there have been many other recalls which have been.

It's often the old adage that "any publicity is good publicity" & in the eyes of many retail customers, a company's reputation can be actually be enhanced by a "stage managed" recall.

Many buyers believe that a manufacturer is doing the right moral thing in recalling a car to fix whatever, especially anything 'minor' or 'safety issues'. There have been many surveys of customer satisfaction, where the customers have rated a company higher because of a recall or a fixed warranty claim, than have the thing right in the first place.

Dr Terry

[99AUXR]

I think that just boils down to the fact that 90% of population is um. . . . anyway

Lets just say people who are pleased they make recalls assume recalls are voluntary.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by 99AUXR

I think that just boils down to the fact that 90% of population is um. . . . anyway

Lets just say they assume recalls are voluntary.

Yeah voluntary, like when Toyota recalled their cars to fix the front suspension problem that killed 9 people. VW finally recalling cars in Aus after a women died on the Monash freeway. Gm after the key barrel incidents. What good work by these manufacturers to drum up business for their dealers!

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Yeah voluntary, like when Toyota recalled their cars to fix the front suspension problem that killed 9 people. VW finally recalling cars in Aus after a women died on the Monash freeway. Gm after the key barrel incidents. What good work by these manufacturers to drum up business for their dealers!

I think that you have taken this out of context. We are not suggesting that manufacturers are deliberately designing defects into the cars, just so that they can have an otherwise unnecessary recall down the track.

All we are suggesting is that many recalls, over the years were perhaps for items that were not life threatening. As mentioned in the above Toyota recall, nobody is going to die & there has not been one car catch fire worldwide, so this one looks very precautionary, let's say.

Dr Terry

[bathurst77]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Poor Hulk....Aurions are likely to spontaneously combust.

Yes but the Aurion is so fast the wind cooling will keep it from overheating.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

I think that you have taken this out of context. We are not suggesting that manufacturers are deliberately designing defects into the cars, just so that they can have an otherwise unnecessary recall down the track.

All we are suggesting is that many recalls, over the years were perhaps for items that were not life threatening. As mentioned in the above Toyota recall, nobody is going to die & there has not been one car catch fire worldwide, so this one looks very precautionary, let's say.

Dr Terry

No I'm not taking it out of context. The recalls that show up in the media are safety related recalls. They do this stuff to cover there butt. It might be a small chance of something bad happening but if it did it then it become much more serious.

For less serious items they have campaigns when you bring it in for service.

[Express]

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

I beg to differ, while the current VW/Audi Diesel thing is not good for their reputation, there have been many other recalls which have been.

It's often the old adage that "any publicity is good publicity" & in the eyes of many retail customers, a company's reputation can be actually be enhanced by a "stage managed" recall.

Many buyers believe that a manufacturer is doing the right moral thing in recalling a car to fix whatever, especially anything 'minor' or 'safety issues'. There have been many surveys of customer satisfaction, where the customers have rated a company higher because of a recall or a fixed warranty claim, than have the thing right in the first place.

Dr Terry

I’ve had some very heavy involvement with this issue for a number of multi-nationals and first off all major manufacturers employ qualified lawyers who specialise in consumer law, these staff members train and constantly update senior management in how to approach and deal with product failures, they also liaison with the ACCC and when serious concerns arise outside professionals who are on retainers also become involved on behalf of the company.

Sometimes there are months of negotiations with the ACCC before a voluntary recall is announced.

The ACCC has a target list of companies that are constantly checked and because of it there are companies that are very proficient in hiding and paying off badly effected consumers to get around recalls.

Be a mushroom if you wish but without getting myself into an area where I would break signed confidentiality agreements and end up with all sorts of legal problems I will stress again, there is no such thing as a voluntary recall in Australia.

Every one of them has been negotiated where the company has worked with the ACCC to secure an outcome that has the least impact on their business reputation.

[jimt3te50]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Yet...

2010 Aurion wasn't a problem in 2010 either, but is now.

Not sure I could trust driving my family around knowing that the car I bought could in a few years catch fire. Just couldn't live with myself knowing I put my family in such danger.

...or the shame of buying an Aurion in the first place

[Phildo]

Originally Posted by mik

I've lost count how many times I've had my au switches apart for attention.

Buy new ones on www.aliexpress.com

Grab some spare key blanks while you're at it - the AU key is the same as a Ford Mondeo. Both use a 4D60 immobiliser chip.

[BradEL]

Interestingly enough there have been no comments at all from Hulk about the Toyota recall