Toyota makes U-turn on car check-ups

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>> Accusations hit Toyota

Do Huu Duc, vice head of Vietnam Register, confirmed that Toyota Motor Vietnam (TMV) had sent a document to the authority pledging to check and fix Toyota Innovas with high rear wheel brake cylinder pressure, incorrect bolt tightening of the back seat and incorrect camber tightening.

The announcement affirmed that the technical mistakes only occurred in 8,830 Innova models, but not Foturner models as per the  accusation of engineer Le Van Tach two weeks ago.

However, TMV had not yet revealed when and how it would check and fix the faulty Innova, said Duc. TMV was not available for comment when contacted by VIR last week.

The announcement to fix faulty vehicles last week came after the protest from local consumers, asking TMV has to be responsible for the technical mistakes in Vietnam.

Right after the information on technical mistakes on Toyota’s vehicles was unveiled, many consumers joined the forum autofun.net, the largest forum for drivers in Vietnam, to protest at TMV.

“It is important that Vietnamese consumers don’t receive the proper respect from Toyota,” driver having nickname hoangsonbs wrote.

A driver, under nickname of Phuong dm, wrote Toyota was cheekily doing business in Vietnam. He even called consumers to boycott Toyota’s vehicles as citing other scandals of the carmaker in Vietnam like installing rusty engine in Toyota Innova and smell of addled egg in Toyota Camry.

Three years ago, TMV was detected to install rusty engine for Toyota Innova in Vietnam. But the scandal was resolved as the firm announced it was an unexpected mistake.

In the lastest move, TMV last week also innitiatively reported bolt tightening mistake on nearly 300 Toyota Camry in Vietnam, according to the Vietnam Register.

Toyota Innova is among the best-selling cars in Vietnam. In 2010, its sale volume reduced against 2009, but still recorded 7,419 units, bringing the accumulated sale of this model so far to over 53,000 units.

Meanwhile, Fortuner with 6,551 units sold occupies the first position in the sports utility vehicle segment with a 53.2 per cent market share.