Toyota's Ontario plant delayed over quality concerns

Posted Wed Jan 30 2008 3:51 PM by Nelson Ireson

Despite a reputation for quality and reliability, Toyota is no stranger to recalls and production delays. Perhaps such growing pains should be expected given Toyota's meteoric rise to the top of the auto industry. But whatever the cause, the quality control issues are cropping up again, this time in relation to an environmentally friendly painting process for the RAV4 at the Woodstock, Ontario plant.

Already being used successfully at the RAV4 plant in Japan, the method itself is proven, but the Ontario plant's ability to turn out quality examples is apparently not up to par. A delay of several weeks is expected as the plant ramps-up to proper production. Previous recalls and sales hold-ups have been a bit more serious. In 2005, the Japanese maker had to fix defects in 2.3 million U.S. vehicles, according to Canadian publication The Globe and Mail's Report on Business. Last year, Toyota's Australian operations halted sales of V6-equipped RAV4s because of problems with the motor.

Toyota nevertheless remains optimistic about the plant's output, expecting 150,000 vehicles this year. Production of the RAV4 will not commence until October at least, pushed back from the earlier projected start in September of this year.

Reader Comments

Wed Jan 30 2008 4:07 PM
chris says

interesting... wonder what the problems are.. or if we will hear about the solutions implimented. the plant is undergoing expansion and is relatively new.. im sure that is contributing.
Wed Jan 30 2008 4:18 PM
Gus says

There will always be teething problems with something that complex.
Thu Jan 31 2008 8:43 AM
SuperSkyline89 says

Wow, if this was on Autoblog we would have drowned in negative comment by now, this is why I prefer this site, people don't just rant on about their personal opinions.

All of Toyota's recent problems would be expected of any company that expanded as much as Toyota had. The Tundra was all new and their first try at a full size truck so it was just natural that something would go wrong. This seems to be the same kind of situation, new technology that they're trying to work the kinks out of. I do wish I knew what the problems were though, but I guess Toyota doesn't want to give people any more things to complain about so they're keeping quiet.
Fri Feb 1 2008 3:18 PM
Luke says

A clarification for Chris.

The plant will be brand new, it is not finished yet.
It is not an expansion, it has been under construction for the past couple years.

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