Consumers Question Toyota’s Absence of Compensation in China
03/04/2010 Source: People’s Daily
Toyota did not offer any form of compensation for the RAV4 models recently involved in the recall in China over accelerator pedal problems, said Xu Yiming, head of Toyota Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd. PR department. Consumers in Wuhan questioned the company’s different attitudes in China and the U.S.
In the US, the company provides door-to-door service to consumers involved in the recall. When drivers take their recalled vehicles to the factory themselves, the company offers transportation reimbursements and a loaner car of the same model.
Sun, a Toyota RAV4 user who had just had his car fixed, said although he did not pay for the repairs, it had cost him time and gas so Toyota should be responsible for his loss.
On some online forums, many RAV4 owners are discussing the possibility of filing a class action suit in China against Toyota.
Users of other models of Toyota also expressed their concern.
Ms. Ma bought a Toyota Corolla last October. Corolla models are recalled in the U.S., but not in China. Local Toyota dealers didn’t respond to her question why Chinese consumers were not treated equally.
“Driving my Corolla, I have the feeling of riding a time bomb,” Ma said.
An employee with a Toyota dealer noted that around 800 RAV4s have been sold in Wuhan since May 2009. “Wuhan has around 2,000 RAV4s on the road.”
According to a survey conducted by a portal website, 71.5 percent of netizens surveyed said that they would never buy Toyota cars, and 64.2 percent believed that the Toyota recall crisis has had grave impact on Japanese automakers.
