Toyota Repairs Underway

MYFOXNY.COM -- In Japan, Akio Toyoda bowed in apology for the accelerator recalls from the car company with his name. Then he tried to assure his customers that safety is still the top priority to the world's number one automaker. He expressed his deep regret for the inconvenience and concern caused to Toyota owners.

"I offer my apologies for the worries," he said in Japanese.

In the meantime, Toyota dealers have begun to receive parts for repairs to the recalled vehicles. The company's engineers figured out that a precision-cut steel reinforcement bar needs to be installed into the accelerator pedal assembly. That bar is supposed to eliminate the excess friction that has caused pedals to stick in rare instances, Toyota said.

Akio Toyoda also announced that he personally will take the lead toward improving quality around the world by establishing what the company calls a global quality task force that will carry out quality-improvement activities region by region.

Toyoda is the grandson of Toyota's founder. He has been criticized for not coming out sooner to answer questions about the flood of quality problems that have hit Toyota, the AP reported.

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Akio Toyoda's committee will have a six-point action plan:

1. Improve Quality Inspection Process - Toyota will once again inspect every process, while verifying the causes that led to the recalls, including quality in design, production, sales and service.

2. Enhance Customer Research - Toyota will enhance the customer information research offices in each region to collect information faster.

3. Establish an "Automotive Center of Quality Excellence" in key regions to further develop quality management professionals

4. Support from Outside Experts - Toyota will seek confirmation and evaluation from outside experts—in line with the industry's best practices—of its newly improved quality control management, based on the above improvements.

5. Increased Communication - In addition, Toyota will work to increase the frequency of communication with regional authorities.

6. Improve regional autonomy - To provide customers with satisfying products in each and every region, Toyota has long promoted the autonomy of its regional subsidiaries. We intend to further enhance this autonomy, listen carefully to each and every customer and improve quality.