Nice New Toyotas

The following question was posed on LinkedIn Answers: ‘The winning team is always the best team.’ Would you make changes in your already winning strategies to increase your returns? We need look no further that Toyota’s recent turmoil for insight into winning and the need for change. Toyota’s growth over the last decade is a blueprint for winning. They’ve increased their world market share and are now the dominate force in the automotive industry. They own the hybrid, the fuel economy and luxury markets, they have the highest resale value, and they’re the most reliable cars on the road. It would seem that their strategy is working. Or it was working, up until a few weeks ago. So what happened? How does a seemingly unstoppable giant suddenly become a top news story?

In 2007 a 70-year-old California woman was killed when her Toyota Camry accelerated and plunged over a cliff. In 2008 Toyota received information on 26 incidents involving defective accelerator pedals in Europe. In August of 2009, a family of four was killed shortly after placing a 911 call from the Lexus they were driving exclaiming, “…our accelerator is stuck…there’s no brakes… we’re approaching an intersection… hold on and pray.” Hundreds of other reported incidents are coming to light (click for more information). The root of Toyota’s catastrophic failures arise from an attitude reflected in the above mentioned LinkedIn question, namely “Would you make changes in your already winning strategies to increase your returns?”

Returns. Is that the essence of winning in business – the bottom line? One need look no further than the accounting scandals of Enron and WorldCom, or the arguments posed for bonuses paid to the executives of failing company AIG, for the answer. The problem is that “The winning team” is always comprised of people! The question shouldn’t be “Are changes justified if they can increase returns?” but rather “Will people benefit from change?” The reality is, Toyota didn’t institute change for the very reason that, not only would it not increase returns, but it would decrease them. Had they asked whether change would benefit people, not only would they have avoided the inevitable financial crisis headed their way, but lives would have been saved!

As a leader, I challenge you to work to impact the consciousness of your organizations. Help create a culture of care and concern rather than one of greed and self-gratification. Winning is about people, not prizes. And change is justified, even on winning teams, when it benefits others.

I am a certified professional coach, management and sales trainer, using the science of personality traits and communication, strengths and learning styles to help organizations develop elite teams, and help individuals realize unparalleled success.

The 2010 Toyota Venza is the finest car if you like the quintessential twenty-first century big station wagon – and aren’t afraid of latest safety recalls from Toyota.. You don’t want to be be seen in a minivan. Big SUV are antisocial and are fuel eaters. Family sedan? Pretty boring. Wagons are simply weird to be driven today. Now, consider the car that blends the handling easiness of a sedan, the full scale utility of a station wagon, and the higher seating position of an AWD SUV. Well, the name of this perfect blend is the 2010 Toyota Venza.

2009 and 2010 Venzas were added in accidental acceleration Toyota’s recalls for a replacement driver’s floor mat that will not interfere with the accelerator pedal. Despite of this, Venza was not listed for the sticky accelerator pedal. However, previous model year’s Venzas were announced for recall to add an electronic unit that enables brake pedal to override the gas pedal. This way, once you press the brake, any acceleration force will be ceased. New 2011 Venzas will come with preinstalled the brake-override system and Toyota threw it into production process during current year. Do not buy a 2010 Venza without confirming that it owns the brake-override.

Should you purchase a 2010 Toyota Venza or postpone until 2011 model year will be in the dealer’s showrooms? Since the 2010 Venza you are going to purchase has the brake-override device, there is absolutely no reason to postpone. Nothing else has been changed for the 2011 production year. However,there are the chances, that this perfect and spacious 5-passenger crossover wagon will get a moderate face lifting for 2012 MY. What does it mean for you? Nothing, just the look and feel of 2011 Venza would be outdated in the next two years.

Your Venza would feel fresher and ought to carry beautiful discounts because Toyota attempts to compensate for sales suffered during the recall. The most effective way to acquire the full value from either a 2010 or 2011 Venza would be to drive it for more than 5 years or so. That is beyond the point at which resale value would be tarnished by the unintended acceleration controversy. A full makeover will not occur before the 2014-2015 years.

Toyota has sworn to sooner or later make all vehicle in its model line available with a hybrid engine. That project has been postponed but not closed because of economic crisis that has all car maker rethinking their production plans. Anyway, the Venza will be, certainly, somewhat far down on the list of models to be equipped with a hybrid power-train.

John Dexter Doe

It happened again, just as Toyota is doing everything to do some damage-control in the US, it has now happen in Europe and Asia. For those of you who have no idea whats going on, the problem with the worlds biggest car manufacturer is the defective gas pedals that initiate out of control acceleration.

The report comes at a very bad time for Toyota where it had previously halt production from a few of its factories in North America. The recall has spread to Europe in view of the fact that the defective accelerator pedals were also used in Toyota’s European market.

Its bad enough that Toyota had suffered a blow in their sales because of the global financial crisis but this adverse turn of event will not only further jeopardize their profit but will also place a big scar on their reputation as a maker of top-notch quality cars with dependable attributes. The cost in fixes each month will also cost Toyota hundreds of millions of dollars and this controversy has given other car manufacturers an edge.

In the US, a number of disasters involving Toyota cars have previously happened which caused fatalities. One very troubling one came from a 911 call in the San Diego, California where 4 individuals in a Lexus crashed because of a stuck gas pedal.

It is reported that an estimated 1.8 million vehicles will be recalled in Europe, including the UK, bad news doesn’t stop there. The pending recall in China is also said to total over 75,000 mainly for Toyota RAV4s. All have the same issue of faulty gas pedals.

Can the faulty accelerator pedal be blamed completely to Toyota? Toyota may be receiving the brunt of this controversy but a notable detail is that Toyota gets their gas pedals from a third party supplier, CTS Elkhart. Even though CTS has already made attempts to replace the faulty gas pedals, the reputation of Toyota has already been dented, possibly irreparable.

Toyota has also cautioned drivers of floormats trapping accelerator pedals.

a number of~various~a few} complaints. One of which is in Southeast Asia where several Toyota Innova drivers are complaining about D4D fuel pumps where the MUV has a possible tendency to stop suddenly without the driver braking.

Toyota’s embarrassment doesn’t finish there, there are now reports of a new round in recall and this time its Toyota’s hybrid car the Prius, Toyota’s forefront for green technology. Gas pedals are not the issue with the Prius but its brake pedal instead. where many Toyota drivers in Japan and the US have encountered sporadic unresponsive braking.

The Toyota car models being recalled are 2009-10 Corolla, 2009-10 RAV4, 2009-10 Matrix, 2007-10 Camry, 2005-10 Avalon, 2007-10 Tundra, 2010 Highlander, and 2008-10 Sequoia. If you drive any of these models, you should inform your dealer and have them take care of the issue. Should you experience a glitch with your accelerator, you must step on the brake pedal with one strong stomp instead of little by little and pull-up the handbrake.

Stuart Pudge writes for Motor-Speak.com whose visitors can catch up on all the latest cool car gadgets and anything to do with cars and driving. Visit today