OUR VIEW: Toyota’s troubles continue to mount

Editorials

April 7, 2010

Anonymous The Tonawanda News The Tonawanda News Wed Apr 07, 2010, 01:27 AM EDT

— — As if the last six months haven’t been bad enough for Toyota — or more importantly, its customers — now we’re finding out that the automaker may have hid a “dangerous defect” and failed to alert government regulators to safety problems.

We’re all aware of the sticking gas pedal problems Toyota has had with the Camry and Corolla models, to name a few, but to now hear that Toyota knew of the problem in late September but did not issue a recall until late January is sickening.

Fifty-two people have died because of Toyota defects. Hundreds have been injured. And this company knew of the problem?

Amazing.

Sad.

The government may have hit the Japanese automaker with the stiffest fine possible, but what’s better is the example Toyota has just been made into. Hopefully, this would scare other automakers into reporting defects as soon as they are known. The government must be notified within five days of a defect being realized, according to the law.

Toyota apparently didn’t do that.

So now, on top of all the other fines, lawsuits, injuries and, sadly, loss of life, Toyota may be shelling out $16.4 million to the feds for its mess up. While some will say this is a drop in the bucket and they’ll cut the check easily, others think it may crumble the long-successful automaker.

Regardless of Toyota’s future, we’re hoping this type of cover-up doesn’t happen again with their company or any other.

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