Quality Controll issue on New Priuses

To keep prices constant and trying to earn some money from the car, they have clearly tried to take the Prius more "mainstream" and saved wherever they could. My FM radio reproduction is pretty noisy and still no sign of a solution from Toyota.
They are saving where they can and I am pretty sure that the major things, including all safety devices are top quality.
This speaker problem is surely annoying, but after all Toyota is not anymore the Toyota of 10 years ago, produces *way* more cars and parts are coming on from several different manufacturers all ramping up on a new model.
I would be annoyed (like I am for the FM radio issue) but I would not worry. After all I have 3 years warranty - I am going to drive it enough to make sure any birth defects come out before the expiration date...

 

9300km and no problems

 

You got an odd one there x00n. I guess that is what warranty is for.

I hope the issue is resolved quickly, and you can continue to enjoy your wonderful new Prius.

 

Do you care to quantify that 10 year growth?

 

would you rather buy a car built in japan or a car built in america? i will never buy a car built in america. never have, never will.

 

You are really limiting your choices. Very few cars are built in Japan. That being said, this is my first Japanese car and it is flawless so far. I have nothing to complain about.

 

Don't believe in the "build in Japan" hype.
All Mazda CX9s were built in Japan (Hiroshima), and yet, it has its shares of assembly issues. My CX9 had one (not enough glue for the styrofoam inside the doors?!).
With proper training, American workers can be as compotent.
Corollas were all built in Fremont, CA. Their quality are top notch among all Toyotas.

 

Well to stay on topic with the OP's post, I'd have to ask what parts are being ordered from Japan? So front passenger speakers aren't working and it's evidently serious enough to be a part replacement, but what are we talking about? Speaker wire, Entire Speakers or the System itself?

I know if I was in your shoes I'd be upset. Nobody likes to get a new car and then have ANY problems, surface or otherwise. But step back, if you have to have a problem, then Stereo System is really one of the best "Problems" you can have. Whatever it is, it's very fixable, and you're not talking about a component of the actual operating mechanics or computer systems that drive the automobile. So from that standpoint I think you can be happy.

So my advice? Don't give up on the idea that you have purchased a fine automobile. It's still all relative, and Toyota and Honda still rank at the top of most quality surveys and reports. Toyotas reputation is excellent. I think if you offered me a new Toyota with a defect in the stereo or a new Dodge, with no known defects, I personally would be moving forward with the Toyota.

Having said all that, Rah! Rah! Toyota stuff I'm also going to say the past few months I've been a little suprised at the "surface" stuff that does seem to be a problem on The Prius. I don't understand how they release a model and offer a vertical cargo net, and nobody notices that you can't hang it without it pulling the side panels out. There also have been a high degree of people starting to complain about excessive squeaks and rattles from the dash.

Car manufacturing and assembly is not a perfect science. Plus a new model is always going to have some issues. So I'm forvgiving. But I agree with the OP that it seems The 2010 Prius has more than it's share of "surface" issues and some of them are things I don't really understand why they weren't caught.

You do have to wonder, if the entire model line was released with a defective and functionally unuseable verticle cargo net set up, why wasn't this caught and as the OP has said, what else might of slipped through.

I haven't purchased my Prius yet, and will continue to monitor the feedback here. I was taken aback by the number of new Prius owners that were complaining about the rattles and squeaks. It will be interesting to see if many of them adjust, ignore, or seek resolution and/or if the problem becomes more widespread with time.

 

No, me either.

 

In 1997 they produced 3.5M cars, in 2009 8.5M
(source Toyota - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
I know the number for '97 is Japan only, but that is where I expect most of the production to be carried out at the time.
Toyota is also the biggest manufacturer worldwide.
With these numbers, it is *very* difficult to keep quality across the board. It is not a justification for Toyota, but it does put thing into perspective. Not to mention that other more expensive brands like Mercedes, BMW, Audi and VW, for example, have way worse quality than Toyota.
If the Prius 2010 is going to be a fault-ridden car, is too early to say. And buying a car as soon as it is launched (e.g. within 1-2 years) does bring risks - that is why there is warranty.

 

This happens when you rush things, that is, anticipating (likely?) the launch of the model months in advance before or together Honda's launch of the Insight. You rush things, and things slip out. Still, I am also frustrated about what happens - I mean, simply give 1 car to 1 normal user and see all the things he figures out in the first month - that is usually when one spots things that don't work as expected, or are squeaky or are defective, etc.
I also don't understand how they can release a car with FM radio reception/reproduction that is *so* noisy/disturbed (there is a whole thread about it). Thank goodness, I don't have any rattles so far. And hope to never get any - after all I bought a Toyota to avoid this, otherwise I could have bought another VW (that was totally ridden with quality issues - I have spent 500€/year over 7 years on additional parts to be changed, and *not* due to usage, they were simply bad quality - you have no idea how many things have been changed within the 2 years' warranty - the 500€/year were on top).

 

True, choices are limited... but I believe in quality vs quantity. I haven't bought a Mexican built VW, or an American made Honda, Toyota, or BMW.

This being my first ever Toyota... I also have nothing to complain about.

My comment/question was more directed to the poor quality and/or design of American when compared to the German or Japanese car manufacturers.

 

No quality difference between Honda/Toyotas from USA vs. Japan

I do not recall where, JD power or something, but there is no quality difference (statistically)

I have owned 6 Japanese Cars (2 hondas, 3 toyotas and 1 subaru).

The 84 civic had all kinds of issues, and was built in japan
the 99 accord was flawless

My toyotas have been flawless, 2 American built (Camry, Sienna), one Japanese built ('10 prius)

My Subaru (05 forester) had all kinds of QC problems: electical gremlins. It was Japanese Built.

O

 

Yes unfortunately there are quality control problems. Read the "rattle" threads or the "summary of problems" thread or any of the other "problem: threads there must be a least a dozen of them.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...ing/69128-gen-3-dashboard-rattles-creaks.html

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...eshooting/72095-violent-shaking-start-up.html

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...ooting/71142-do-you-hear-rattling-noises.html

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...2-summary-problems-reported-prius-2010-a.html

These are not chronic complainers trying to trash Toyota, they are loyal customers who are sorely disappointed in the quality and wokmanship of the Gen3 Prius.

This is my third new Toyota, the previous two (one made in Los Angeles and one in Japan) were fantastic where quality of build was concerned. My Gen3 Prius reminds me of a "Monday morning or Friday afternoon" car out of Detroit in the 60s or 70s.

My car was delivered with numerous rattles, missing bolts, headlights that were adjusted so badly they were unusable, CC cut out switch adjusted incorrectly, etc. etc. Not to mention some of the new "design features" such as customer options that can't be set by the customer and an antique Nav system that costs at least 5 times to much.

Some of the old faithful Toyota fans on this site want to think none of this is happening and every problem is the drivers fault but it just isn't so.

Maybe one of the worst problems is many of the dealership "technicians" seem so poorly trained they can't or won't fix the cars unless they can replace a part, when it comes to actually finding out what is wrong unless the computer tells them they are helpless. They really don't seem to have the ability to think or maybe they have been told not to?

EDIT: Despite the problems I think this Gen3 Prius is a very good car thanks to Toyota engineering. I recommend it with reservations. If I had it to do over I might well wait until the 2011 year model hoping some of these quality issues would be corrected. I don't plan on getting rid of it any time soon because it seems a very sound well engineered car that just was't put together correctly. I will be able to fix most of the problems, I have fixed several already, and live with the rest. Unfortunately the dealer problem is unfixable and it's not just a Toyota problem.

 

Maybe a little bit to critical...When I bought my last new Honda Civic HYBRID (2007) in which I traded in for the 2010 Toyota Prius,
upon Delivery the A/C & HEAT would not change from Vent to Floor to Windshield...something Askew, and sure covered under warranty as well, more frustrating...was one of those things that had early failure...that can happen with anything...

I wouldn't let it concern you unless you have more issues.

It's like getting a new car and the Headlight blows in 2 weeks...It was just a defective headlight and it doesn't fail at QC. Can happen with anything we purchase...toaster, LCD TV, Shaver, Xmas Lights!

 

Remember the bad Mitsubishis and the Datsuns - they were made in Japan.
I would have bought a Ford hybrid but for the price, and I was happy with my 5 flawless years with Gen 1 prius.

 

Problems on new cars may be one of the most frustrating things around. Lay out all that cash, and need to have something fixed so soon.

I am 3 1/2 weeks into being a happy Prius guy. Knock on wood, zero issues, , , so far.



Now in late August my bride bought a Honda Civic hybrid. The IMA system (their hybrid technology> malfunctioned about 5 weeks in. One trip to dealer and they claim some manor of resetting some program.

Three weeks later, same issue. Returned to dealer and there was a claimed reprogram of two modules after they consulted the regional Honda tech people. When I asked if this was the first time that had that issue on a model they have been servicing for years, they kinda started the 50s do-wop response: Wella Uh Wella Uh Wella

2 weeks later, yep same deal. Called, oh do not bring it in we are ordering an entire new IMA system for the car. Hmmmmmmmm,,,,,,

Anywho, they replaced the traction battery, and, they claimed, both modules, which would have cost a bit over 3Gs.

It has been just fine the 7 weeks, we are thinking it is fixed. But yep, frustrating as it gets. Makes you wonder if it is systemic or an isolated problem. Visit the HCH forums and see how ugly it gets over there.

 

Is the quality any worse or is the internet amplifying it? We didn't have internet like we have today 10 years ago.