News Analysis |
The hottest selling of the Big Three, The Indus Motor Company (IMC), has made an astonishing fourth recall of the Toyota Corolla vehicles in just 13 months. This cranks up the total recalls to 16,719 units, which is the highest number of recalls for any vehicle and brings a total of vehicles recalled to an approximate 38.82 percent of the total sales in the past year. IMC informed buyers that the company is undertaking a special service campaign for 1,719 vehicles, of the model Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8L Grande, manufactured between August 2015 and March 2016.
The above-mentioned cars are in compliance with international auto standards, equipped with Front Airbag Sensors.
However, these airbags have been reported to possibly deteriorate overtime, losing their ability to deploy in an accident and unable to warn the driver with a blinking light before malfunctioning.
Keeping in mind the recent campaigns against the big three, a major portion illuminates the lack of safety measures in the locally manufactured overpriced vehicles.
Read more : Toyota recalls thousands of Corollas after airbag malfunctions
IMC produced and sold 42,992 and 43,190 units through July till April 2017 and 2018, as compared to 45,534 and 45,447 units in the same period, the previous year. Through 2016 to 2017, the total production and sales of Corolla stood at 52,874 and 52,676 units.
Statistically, Toyota Corolla has been one of the most popular vehicles in Pakistan, as reported earlier.
However, it is apparently not doing well in the quality department, as seen in previous reports by GVS. In just a single year, Toyota’s Pakistan chapter, The Indus Motor Company (IMC), made a third recall of Toyota Corolla vehicles due to low quality parts and accessories.
The total recalls have mounted up to 15,000, which has been the highest number of vehicles rolled back by any automobile company in Pakistan.
In a shocking revelation, the company officially informed the vehicle owners that somewhere around 2,500 Toyota Corolla 1.8L Altis Grande (August 2015-January 2016 models) had faulty front airbag sensors installed. These airbags could spontaneously malfunction with time, causing the airbag warning light to illuminate, risking the driver’s safety with an impotent airbag that may not deploy during an accident.
Read more : Toyota, Suzuki close their doors to most of Pakistan
The current Corolla is available in several variants like Xli, GLi, Altis and Altis Grande. A campaign was held to carry out inspection of around 2,500 Altis Grande as part of a global recall, by Toyota. This affected about 650,000 vehicles combined.
After reviewing the diagnostic results, a spokesperson was reported, by a local publication, to promise further corrective action if required, that too free of cost.
The company mulled over the whole fiasco with excuses like ‘ethical practice’ and ‘keeping up with global standards.’ Indus Motors Pakistan said that it is undertaking a “special service campaign” for the said models under which airbag sensors will be inspected and replaced free of cost. Actions will be taken to keep up with globally appreciated practices, in case of defects.
The company has, now, retracted the option of booking cars by non-filers, alongside recalling the current vehicles.
This has been done, by IMC, to encourage buyers to change their status from non-filers to filers, in order to streamline the process of deliveries, avoiding delays and/or cancellations of placed orders.
Read more : Bad news for Toyota enthusiasts: Prices to be raised further
The public notice reads as, “While announcing the budget for the fiscal year 2018-19, the government has recently introduced a new policy in order to restrict all non-filers from purchasing locally manufactured and/or imported vehicles. This includes all individuals whose names do not appear in the Active Taxpayer’s list as well as those customers who have already booked a vehicle and are expecting delivery after 30th June 2018.”