KARACHI: The Indus Motor Company (IMC) made a third recall of Toyota Corolla vehicles in just one year owing to low quality parts and accessories, with total recalls now tallying over 15,000.

IMC informed the vehicle owners this week that around 2,500 Toyota Corolla 1.8L Altis Grande (August 2015-January 2016 models) are equipped with front airbag sensors. The sensors can possibly malfunction with time, causing the airbag warning light to illuminate with the risk that the driver’s airbag may not deploy during an accident.

The company said it is undertaking a “special service campaign” for the said models under which airbag sensors will be inspected and replaced free of cost. Recalls are part of the ethical practice of maintaining quality control in the market, and are routinely resorted to by global manufacturers for ensuring their vehicles abide by international standards. Imported cars do not get similar treatment.

Action is in keeping with global best practices in case of defects

In February 2017, IMC had recalled 9,896 Toyota Corolla XLI, GLi, Altis and Altis Grande vehicles (2016-17 models) due to faulty brakes and in June 2017 another 2,700 Corolla XLI, GLI, Altis and Altis Grande models after finding the mounting bolts of the front seats to be improperly tightened.

IMC produced and sold 25,102 and 25,325 units in July-December 2017 versus 25,946 and 25,768 units in the same period of 2016, according to the figures of Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association. In 2016-2017, total production and sales of Corolla stood at 52,874 and 52,676 units.

When contacted, the spokesperson of IMC told Dawn that the campaign for around 2,500 Altis Grande is for inspection and part of a global recall by Toyota that affects about 650,000 vehicles. Upon diagnostic results, further corrective action, if required, will be taken free of cost.

Disagreeing that the company is facing any serious problem in maintaining the quality of its vehicles, he said the IMC is following global Toyota standards and production system in vehicle manufacturing. Even after a vehicle is sold, if any batch of parts is found to have a potential defect, the company initiates such campaigns for customer satisfaction.

He said the ‘special service campaign’ and recall are related terms used to encourage customers to visit dealerships for diagnostic check-up.

On a question regarding whether the cost of replacing parts and accessories of 15,000 vehicles under recall campaign was to be borne by IMC or Toyota Motor Corporation Japan, he said the cost is a secondary matter when there is a possibility of defects in the company’s models.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2018