The recall notice came in a nondescript envelope. If I remember correctly, I opened it, found out I needed to take my vehicle back to the dealership for a repair and tucked it away in a pile of papers. I finally called, set up an appointment, sat in the lounge area for maybe 20 minutes and the repair was complete.
It had something to do with ball bearings or the like on my a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac.
It was a few years ago, a mostly-under-the-radar recall, the kind that happens with more than 10 million vehicles every year.
Which brings me to the noise swirling around Toyota's problems.
My wife and I not too long ago bought a Toyota after her Jeep had been driven its final productive mile. We researched and spoke with our mechanic. We were told Toyota, along with Honda and a couple of the upgraded American-based brands, had strong safety records.
We ended up with Toyota for safety reasons and because of its zero percent finance offer, and we haven't regretted that decision.
The car was recalled. We made an appointment at the dealership. A part was repaired. And that's the end of the story.
It's been driven multiple times to Columbia and even Atlanta. No mysterious accelerations. Nothing but a smooth drive. (Except when the kids get restless.)
The Toyota recall has evolved into a scandal. What did Toyota executives know and when did they know it? It sparked criticism against the federal agency charged with keeping cars safe, and Toyota has been accused of allowing its desire to be the world's bestselling car manufacturer to overshadow the quality for which it had long been known.
On a macro scale, some or all of that examination may be warranted. I'll leave that to the experts. For me, I get bothered any time a narrative becomes so powerful it becomes sacrosanct. A man in California called 911 to report his Prius was out of control at 94 miles per hour because of a stuck gas pedal.
A police officer used his squad car to bring the car to a halt. It was a harrowing story and attracted a lot of attention. But subsequent tests by Toyota and federal regulators could not duplicate or verify the man's claims.
There are increased reports of Toyota drivers having problems, some real but many others most likely phantom, built upon fear.
That's unfortunate.
Toyota clearly must redouble its safety efforts and regulators need to amp up their oversight.
But there's no reason for the rest of us to be driven by fear.
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