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Well, Toyota is showing its true colours again – and I mean high ethics. Unlike our friends at Ford, Toyota has done another recall on their rust problem. According to the autoblog site: “Toyota has extended that recall to include the 2002-03 model years, saying that a small number of trucks could suffer from frame corrosion that could cause the spare tire to detach from its underbody housing.”

You’ll notice that it states “a small number”.  Meanwhile, back at Ford, they remain silent on the leaky front window issue, along with the blowing spark plug and leaking rear window problem.  No, they haven’t the guts to stand up and say they have a problem.  No, they don’t tell you to go out and fix it before the damage to other components is done and you would save money.  No, they don’t tell you a thing.

But then, what would you expect from a company that used slave labour in WW II to build vehicles in Germany to fight the British, Canadians and Americas.  True patriots!!!!

Ethics is a non-entity in Ford land.

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In today’s Toronto Star there is an article titled: “Canadians left in the dark”, where the Automobile Protection Association is complaining that Canadians did not get a letter telling them about the floor mat problem. Yeah, right, as if the whole world doesn’t know about it. Toyota was very open and the media made a big splash about it.

Meanwhile, back at Ford, they are hiding behind the bushes like school-yard perverts and hoping no one will notice the plethora of blowing spark plugs, leaking rear windows and the all time favourite – leaking front windows.

I mean, if you put the floor mat in as instructed – no problem. And if it does stick, turn off the ignition (without locking it) or jam the gear shift into neutral)

You buy a Ford F150, you don’t even know the front window is leaking until you start to replace electronics. Ever have the wipers fail in a downpour? I know one mother did and it could have ended in a tragic moment.

Ever been stalled in a vehicle in the middle of nowhere and it won’t start in sub-zero weather? Hope you have matches to burn the manual for heat.

Electronic door locks burn out and you can’t start the vehicle? Hope you’re not trying to get someone to the hospital.

Who has the balls? Sneaky Pete Ford who doesn’t come out and explain the problem or, Toyota who was very open.

Its called ethics and our Ford buddies lack this in big time. Maybe the CAW/UAW will come out of the closet and help the consumer out. No!!!. Oh yes, might spoil those big benefit packages.

Who ever heard of employees not paying into a pension fund – at least part of it and then expect the government to bail them out with tax dollars. The same guys who put in the leaky windows and say: buy local not foreign and buy union. Tell me why?

Here is the letter I sent to the Automobile Protection Association. I expect to hear the delete button any minute.

- – - – - – - -

I have noted that Toyota is doing, in the U.S., a recall on the loose floor mat problem that can interfere with the accelerator pedals of their vehicles. I notice that your organization has gone public with the idea that Toyota should have sent letters to the Canadian owners of Toyota vehicles. I agree with your argument on this issue.

What I can’t understand is that Ford has sold numerous vehicles that have spark plugs blowing out and rear windows leaking. I find the spark plug issue potentially dangerous but nothing has been done. No recall, no notification of the public and certainly no reimbursement for this faulty part.

In addition, there are numerous complaints (most to U.S. government) that the front window was improperly installed by Ford on F150 trucks. They have acknowledged this internally but have done nothing for the consumer – no recall, no formal notification, nothing.

There are numerous instances where this faulty leaking window will cause the electronics to fail, sometimes at dangerous times such as downpours and below freezing weather. I feel that you should look into this and make this problem public for many reasons.

Many of us replaced expensive electronic equipment due to this faulty window, at our cost, including the window. These vehicles are being sold as roadworthy to others, who find that they have to replace corroded electronics on the used vehicles. Ford is making money on the repairs without telling the public about the problem, a problem they designed into the vehicle with faulty material. If the electronics fail at a certain point in time, the vehicle could lose control due to wipers failing, lights flicking on and off, etc. As well, the electronic door locks can create a problem and if the electronics short out, the vehicle won’t start – this could be fatal in our northern climate.

Loose floor mats (if the owner puts them in right, there is no problem) is one thing but a product design that allows electronic corrosion that costs the consumer money and potentially injury, is another. I feel that your association, if you feel floor mats are a problem, should also investigate the leaking front window problem on F150’s.

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This just in……

Ford announces a $1 BILLION Q3 profit, right after the CAW voted to make concessions to help out the company.  Here is a company that made $1Billion in one quarter of the year, can’t help out the consumers with leaky windows and then gets the CAW to cut back.

Now, this is even better than the Nazi history in Ford.  Instead of using slave labour, like it did in WW II, it just shafts the consumer with poorly built products, doesn’t do recalls on potentially dangerous manufacturing errors and then to top it off, gets the CAW to cut back on its demands.

Talk about cojones…. the executives must all be bowlegged with their sets.  And, they wonder why workers and consumers get pissed off and move on.

Hey, Toyota, I questioned you joining the CAW in the last blog.  You really want to join this kind of outfit and get involved in this type of business.

Hope not.

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I see where Ford and the CAW have come to an agreement and concessions were made.  At least the union woke up and smelled the coffee but aren’t happy about the rollbacks – but then who is?

But what bothers me is the up to $100,000 settlements for those being laid off and the vehicle vouchers.  Who the hell pays for that?  Probably the consumer who will have to pay the bill through charges to the vehicles they buy – vehicles which have leaky windows, blowing spark plugs and burning speed controls.

Why are we rewarding these guys with so much money when they can’t build a decent vehicle?  And, don’t even help those consumers shafted with vehicles like that mentioned in my last blog.

And Toyota, I hear is thinking of joining the CAW.  Wake up guys.  You will have to start paying dues and look what happened to the CAW workers in St. Thomas – no work.  Yeah, they are getting big packages but at the cost to the consumer who not only pays for these packages but also pays to repair poorly built vehicles.  You want to be part of that crowd?

At least at Toyota you are doing the right thing.  Just think – join the union and get the big deductions off your new salary.  I saw one group join a union and they made less per week due to the union dues and their company lost the contract to another company who gave all the old workers a 50 cent raise right off the bat. Hmmmm.  Oh, did I mention the new company was non-union?

And, if you join the CAW, will all those CAW workers who are now laid off get an advantage at your plant and claim seniority and get your job?  Just a thought.  I saw guys at GM losing their job at one plant and claiming seniority and moving to another plant and some poor guy got dumped.

So Toyota, you can join the CAW, which are losing members and jobs and help pay the union executives their large salaries and benefits and build sub-standard vehicles or, keep working at Toyota and produce vehicles with some pride in workmanship and know you still have a job. 

Your choice.

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I haven’t really been spending much time on this blog.  Why?  I guess the realization that Ford continues its Nazi type thinking and the chances of Ford doing anything for the consumer is next to nil so I spend my time more productively elsewhere – like scratching that itch on my butt.  Kind of like the CAW/UAW workers that put our F150 together with the faulty window – their minds must have been elsewhere.

Anyways, I received the following letter which only shows there are others out there suffering the same crap from Ford.  You’ll notice the fact the wipers don’t work in the rain - kind of a safety issue in my book but I guess not much in Ford’s mind.  I guess at Ford – “Safety isn’t No. 1″.

Well, here is the letter and I have dropped the person’s name for their own safety – don’t need some Ford guy getting upset at this woman and maybe offering to repair her damages.  Yeah, right.

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In the business section of today’s Toronto Star, I read very disappointing news. After years of screwing the auto industry with overzealous labour demands and eventually costing the Canadian taxpayer millions and in a world of reducing labour force, the CAW is trying to get Toyota workers to come over to the dark side.

Lets face it – the CAW paying membership is being reduced on a steady basis as plants close, shifts are reduced and production moved out of Canada and, in order to support the lifestyle they have gotten used to, they are trying to get Toyota workers to get on board a union.  Hey, if it wasn’t for the taxpayer bailout, the union auto industry would be sucking lemons right now.  Your non-union plant has been doing great.

They say it is because Toyota has scheduled extra production, reduced some paid holidays and increased daily production. Wake up Toyota worker – this is what the UAW has agreed to in the US to get production rolling and the CAWhas also make concessions.

In order to protect your company, these things had to be done but it seems that the CAW wants to bring you guys down to the lowest common dominator.  I’d tell you stories but I think it is common knowledge – union = protection of worst worker. 

It was a union plant that built my F150 with the leaky window and this so-called voice of the people, the CAW didn’t help me, even though it was one of their guys who made the mistake.  So much for responsibility and accountability.  Their guy made the mistake but they tell me it’s Ford’s problem.  Each pass the buck and nothing gets done.

So, Toyota it is up to you.  You’ve got good workers and maybe they need something to help out.  But, you Toyota worker have a responsibility as well to put out a quality product and work towards making sure you are competitive. 

Unless of course, you want to join the CAW/UAW union method of sucking on the taxpayer’s tit for help.  Nothing like union welfare.

Ford has announced another recall on their infamous speed control switches.  Reported at MSN Autos, the following was stated:

“All new recalls are from model years 1992 to 2003, and, it should be noted, no fires have been reported. The measure is a preventive one to stem “possible ongoing customer lack of confidence in vehicles with the switch,” a Ford representative said.) The Texas Instrument-made switches may leak, overheat, smoke and burn. “

You’ll note that no fires have been reported and a “possible ongoing customer lack of confidence” has led to this latest recall.  So much for those of us who suffered thousands of dollars of repairs to our vehicles due to a leaky front window and the fact that the failing electronics could cause an accident.  Guess if a few Fords burn up you get action. 

All I know is that I’m telling everyone I know about my problems and I intend to buy Toyota for my next truck.  At least they are honest and do the recalls on all their problems and don’t pick and choose like Ford.  After learning about Ford’s work during WW II and how they supported the Nazis, why on earth would I support a company like that.  I kind of wonder why the CAW and UAW support a company with that history.  Lot of union boys got killed fighting against Ford vehicles.

Recently, Lexus and Toyota ordered a recall on 55,000 floor mats.  Seems that if the owner of the vehicle does not properly hook up the supplied door mats or, adds another floor mat to the driver’s side, there is a possibility they will slide forward and lodge under the accelerator, thus causing the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably.

Now, two points here are important.  One is that Toyota is doing this recall at no cost to the public, and the problem was not caused by Toyota but by owners who either took the mats off the provided safety hooks or, added a second mat which was not properly hooked.

And we should note the following from Consumer’s Report:

“Although this recall affected Toyota and Lexus vehicles, improper mat usage can pose risks in any vehicle. When installing factory or aftermarket mats, follow the directions. If your vehicle has them, utilize the mat anchors; they provide a real safety benefit of keeping the mats secure and out of the way of the pedals. And do not stack a new mat on the old one. The combined height of the two mats or a loose upper mat may interfere with pedal operation.”

Yes folks, Toyota realises there is a POTENTIAL problem caused by the owners and is making alterations to minimize this owner initiated problem.  A problem that can occur in any vehicle.

Now Ford, on the other hand, builds F150 trucks with a leaky front window that can fry the electronics and potentially cause a vehicle to go out of control.  Do they say anything?  No, they keep repairing the electronics and don’t even notify the owners of this problem, let alone have a recall.

ETHICS!!!

Toyota takes the high road and minimizes the risk to the owner while Ford hides the problem and doesn’t even come clean with the owners and repair the damage – window, electronics, nada.

But then, what do you expect from a company that not only built machinery for the Allies but also helped out the Nazis in Germany with Ford plants and then sued the American government for bomb damage to their Nazi plants.

And we still support Ford by buying a product that could be built wrong but Ford won’t do anything about it.  Maybe if there was a death or two that results in law suits.  Seems their ethic level only responds to lawyers.  Both at the same low level.

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In today’s Toronto Star, in the business section, the title reads: “Once-dominant GM left eating dust”. They also mention that Ford is no longer in the top 5  North American automakers.  They noted that GM,Ford and Chrysler still dominate the truck market, as would be expected.  But, I think people have found out how shallow Ford is, at least in terms of backing up their product.  They still refuse to discuss the fact they built F150’s with leaky front windows that cost us consumers thousands.

And the end result?  In the last decade Ford,GM and Chrysler have dropped from 80% of the market share to around 60%.  This is in the truck/SUV and mini-van market.  I think people found out that in Ford, Quality isn’t number 1 nor are they now built Ford Tough.

In trucks, Ford has dropped from 16% market share to 12.75.  Toyota – holds at 14.4%, up from 8.8%.  It apears that their honesty and recalls are having the right affect.  People want quality and understand nothing is perfect.  But, a company that tries to make things right – you’re going to buy from them instead of a company like Ford who makes money selling you products to repair your F150 with the built in leaky window.  And they don’t even warn you about it.

The consumer is talking Ford – maybe instead of counting your executive bonuses and billionaire welfare, you should be listening to those who pay your wages – the consumer.

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In the August 5th Toronto Star (the one who knows the Ford problem but won’t say) there is a headline “Ford holding lead as GM sputters”. They show that the Ford sales in July were + 47.4% while GM is – 41.9%.

Now, I was not a supporter of the welfare payment to the auto industry and executives and must admit that at least Ford didn’t beg for government money. No, they have a more effective strategy.

They build vehicles with quality issues (save money?) and then make money in repairing these vehicles they build with the built in errors. They don’t inform the consumer that the vehicle has a fault that will cost the owner thousands of dollars and put their lives at risk – no, that is too ethical.

Remember we are talking a company that supported the Nazi’s in WW2 and used slave labour and then sued the U.S. government for damaging their Third Reich auto plants. Real Americans!!!!  Hmmm. 

So, you can go out and support a company that shafts the consumer, has had Nazi leanings in their internal politics, sold vehicles to the Nazis and sues their own government or, you can support welfare executives at the other big two.  Since we lent them the money, I’d be more inclined to support them to ensure they don’t fault on the loans – not sure if they are as unethical as Ford has proven to be.

Me, I’d be more apt to buy a Toyota.  Yeah, they had a war with us but at least they are honourable and will stand by their vehicle with recalls when necessary.  Ford – shafts you, Toyota helps you.  No brainer here unless your one of the suckers born every minute.

And the CAW – they are working for a company whose owner was pro-Nazi and was anti-semitic and sells vehicles with built-in quality control issues. What does that make their politics?

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