Featured Prius (and all Toyota vehicles) & the Kobe Steel Revelations

i would say it's a non issue until it's an issue. it will take some time to find the facts, and then it will be up to regulators to decide what needs to be done.
the public's only option is to apply pressure wherever and whenever possible.

in the meantime, i wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

 

Reuters: Kobe Steel Ltd (5406.T) falsified data on product quality and specifications longer than the 10 years that the company had previously stated, a source with knowledge of the matter said.
Kobe Steel faked quality data for more than 10 years: source | Reuters

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Japan’s Kobe Steel May Have Faked Data for Over a Decade - Bloomberg

Toyota Motor Corp. supplier Denso Corp. said it’s expanding its investigation of materials supplied by Kobe after learning that data falsification applied to products other than aluminum and copper, according to spokesman Shuji Kojima.

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Ok, it's bad and is seems to have been ongoing for longer than first thought/revealed. I see little point in agonising over every news snippet, because there's nothing anybody can do until we KNOW what has been affected and how badly. I think @bisco is right and we should not lose sleep over this...
.. yet!

 

- just because we're having a discussion, doesn't mean anyone's losing sleep over it ... nor over the dialogue.
In fact, think of it this way - here's a bunch of us talking about how horrible that this dishonesty is - & its potential ramifications - and then - not losing sleep over the topic;
'skewz us, while we finish 10 minutes of power nap - then we can continue the dialogue.

.

 

So, my comments are not considered inclusive? Thanks .

 

We love you, @RCO.

I'm a news junkie, so I'll see more about this. It doesn't stress me out though, way beyond anything I can control.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

You're too kind, but honestly I'm not offended by any comments on here. I believe we all respect each other enough to avoid wilful insults. Don't tell anyone, but I secretly love you all as well!

 

Maybe they're dreaming of electric sheep.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Statement Regarding Impact of Kobe Steel Quality Issue on
Toyota and Lexus Vehicles | TOYOTA Global Newsroom

Further, we have examined the data for the most recent three years possessed and provided by Kobe Steel and verified strength and durability of the affected aluminum plates, using the data Kobe provided that was furthest outside of Toyota's specifications. Based on that analysis, we confirmed that the materials satisfy applicable statutory standards, and our own internal standard, for key safety and durability requirements for vehicles.

However, since the announcement by Kobe Steel covers a wide range of products, we do not regard this matter as closed, and we are continuing our efforts to identify its full impact. We are currently working to identify the impact of affected non-aluminum materials on our vehicles.

 

Japan carmakers vouch for safety of Kobe Steel's aluminum parts | Reuters

Some of the data tampering was an abuse of an industry practice known as "tokusai", a kind of special waiver, that is agreed between buyer and supplier, the executive said.

Buyers will accept products or materials that do not quite meet agreed specifications, the executive explained. The problems occurred where products were falsely labeled or where the specifications were outside those agreed with the customer but labeled as within specifications, he said.


Two certification companies confirmed that they are investigating whether Kobe Steel was in line with ISO9001, a global standard on overall quality control.

Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance Ltd and Japan Quality Assurance Organization said they may suspend or cancel ISO9001 certification of Kobe Steel's plants or subsidiary, if they do not meet the standard. They would not confirm a NHK report that they plan a site inspection as early as later this week.

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wasn't there a steel plant explosion that held up prime deliveries?

 

the 2011 fukushima nuke/explosions/tsunami disaster destroyed Toyota's production (no parts - no electricity - etc) as well as many other industries - so release of the 2012 PiP was delayed. But i don't recall anything re prime.
.

 

google it.

 

now this was aichi steel, but who knows what that might have led to.