Perhaps I am using common sense but when a company issues a Stop Sale and Return notice in the Auto Industry for things like fuel spraying onto an engine or a brake pedal breaking because of shit quality control in China. Then shouldn't they also ask their dealers if they have sold any during that time and if so do they have records for who they sold them to? I mean do the lawyers and accounts just do the math and figure a few deaths that might happen is cheaper than the bad PR of an actual recall? A friend sent these to me from Ford. These were just the ones they issues this week.
I think its a question of risk assessment. Who really knows if the parts fail for everyone or its just a statistic. Its possible that in the past they didn't care but now that there are class action lawsuits for everything even if its not legit like those runaway Toyotas we are going to see a lot more of this kind of thing and we are the ones that are going to be doing the pushups while Pyle eats his jelly donut.
Perhaps I am using common sense but when a company issues a Stop Sale and Return notice in the Auto Industry for things like fuel spraying onto an engine or a brake pedal breaking because of shit quality control in China. Then shouldn't they also ask their dealers if they have sold any during that time and if so do they have records for who they sold them to? I mean do the lawyers and accounts just do the math and figure a few deaths that might happen is cheaper than the bad PR of an actual recall? A friend sent these to me from Ford. These were just the ones they issues this week.
What are your thoughts on this type of thing?
Search about the ethics surrounding the ford pinto recall. FoMoCo was one of the first businesses to use a value for human life in a cost analysis.
I agree Dev but sadly without anyone enforcing such things or mandating the reporting of them we are just left to never really know unless it happens in large enough volume that it makes the news.
Had it been a simple piece of trim work, weatherstrip or something mundane it wouldn't be an issue but fuel manifolds on high pressure diesel applications and brake pedals aren't minor items.
I agree Dev but sadly without anyone enforcing such things or mandating the reporting of them we are just left to never really know unless it happens in large enough volume that it makes the news.
Had it been a simple piece of trim work, weatherstrip or something mundane it wouldn't be an issue but fuel manifolds on high pressure diesel applications and brake pedals aren't minor items.
It's not that I don't disagree that something has to be done but every time the government gets involved it makes it worse and ends up being a racket or an environmental catastrophe. We have got to a point where our lives are way to complicated and expensive. Regulations especially the most well intentions ones are a way for the big guys to hold a monopoly over their competitors which is usually a small company trying to do better and sometimes they get exemptions that benefit them like Amazon with their shipping rates. The dynamics of the regulatory process does not always work in the peoples favor and there is so much corruption in the legal system that they get away with it. See the movie Dark Waters.
As far as risk assessment its not a bad idea if people were a little more aware that there are risks to everything so we can make better choices.
Industry operates somewhere between the bump stops of profit and loss. Like a Hellcat on the entering a highway...brutal acceleration that’s hard to resist. You are constantly calculating the risk of wreckage, SUVs all around and cops hiding in the shady areas but sometimes hanging out with the SUVs.
The big three have had all kinds of catastrophic safety recalls. Loose balljoints and failing ignition systems among the many other issues. Then we find out from leaked memos that they knew about it and did nothing. The way I see it's a cultural thing where the guys running the show are breed from an industry where our colleges filter in undeserving people that are not talented but influential hires. This is why they have unions and a lot of other problems because of bad management.
If you look at the Japanese they know how to run a company by taking care of their employees and hiring the best people, if they are not up to standard they train them. There was a stigma that it is the lazy American workers fault which is unfair and the Japanese proved it wasn't true with the Marysville Ohio Honda plant. At one time the Honda Accord was the most exported car from the US. US companies should have got Japanese consultation a long time ago but they don't otherwise it would mean an end to their influential middle management hiring practices . When Toyota had to go under congressional hearings for alleged safety issues with faulty pedals it was a travesty when it turned out to be some floor mat fix. Many of these cars did not get the fix even though they were recalled but just like that the problem went away.
I agree Dev but sadly without anyone enforcing such things or mandating the reporting of them we are just left to never really know unless it happens in large enough volume that it makes the news.
Had it been a simple piece of trim work, weatherstrip or something mundane it wouldn't be an issue but fuel manifolds on high pressure diesel applications and brake pedals aren't minor items.
It's not that I don't disagree that something has to be done but every time the government gets involved it makes it worse and ends up being a racket or an environmental catastrophe. We have got to a point where our lives are way to complicated and expensive. Regulations especially the most well intentions ones are a way for the big guys to hold a monopoly over their competitors which is usually a small company trying to do better and sometimes they get exemptions that benefit them like Amazon with their shipping rates. The dynamics of the regulatory process does not always work in the peoples favor and there is so much corruption in the legal system that they get away with it. See the movie Dark Waters.
As far as risk assessment its not a bad idea if people were a little more aware that there are risks to everything so we can make better choices.
Agreed---read: "Make the rules or your rivals will" for multiple examples of how regulation (and "deregulation") is lobbied.
At the same time--we do need some sort of governing body for safety because most of manufacturing middle management works on firefighting the issue of the day and short-term economics to manage budgets, savings targets, cash flow, profits, etc..
I agree Dev but sadly without anyone enforcing such things or mandating the reporting of them we are just left to never really know unless it happens in large enough volume that it makes the news.
Had it been a simple piece of trim work, weatherstrip or something mundane it wouldn't be an issue but fuel manifolds on high pressure diesel applications and brake pedals aren't minor items.
It's not that I don't disagree that something has to be done but every time the government gets involved it makes it worse and ends up being a racket or an environmental catastrophe. We have got to a point where our lives are way to complicated and expensive. Regulations especially the most well intentions ones are a way for the big guys to hold a monopoly over their competitors which is usually a small company trying to do better and sometimes they get exemptions that benefit them like Amazon with their shipping rates. The dynamics of the regulatory process does not always work in the peoples favor and there is so much corruption in the legal system that they get away with it. See the movie Dark Waters.
As far as risk assessment its not a bad idea if people were a little more aware that there are risks to everything so we can make better choices.
Agreed---read: "Make the rules or your rivals will" for multiple examples of how regulation (and "deregulation") is lobbied.
At the same time--we do need some sort of governing body for safety because most of manufacturing middle management works on firefighting the issue of the day and short-term economics to manage budgets, savings targets, cash flow, profits, etc..
Yes that is exactly what happens. Big industry in some cases lobbies for regulations or they will be consulted by the government to write the bill and then write in exemptions for themselves. I believe GE did something like this.
Then we have governing bodies and independent certifications racket. The whole certification process has taken on a new meaning that its now a confidence game of showing credentials. Its the same with the whole pre owned crap they sell at their dealer where they are able to change the perception of a used car into a preowned vehicle but they do squat as far as letting in damaged cars that it is meaningless. Kelly Blue Book and all of those so called independent research is industry created to con college educated idiots.
There is a way but its always overlooked and that is to let these companies fail based on their reputation. If GM wasn't given a ball-out it would be the best thing to happen. There would be a restructuring with the incentive so it doesn't happen again. At one time when GM was in trouble Toyota was thinking of acquiring them which would have been the best thing for GM because they would have kept the names of the brands and the workers. The first thing they would do is eviscerate middle management and try to build a reputable brand based on the merit of the employees. None of these stupid team building exercise camps and all the other crap with outside consultants. Just straight forward goal oriented hard work where you are valued.
Toyota has taught us that if you build it right you will be successful. You should read about the Tahara plant and how they go about building the LS vehicles as its amazing how masterful they are at building it right with no Monday cars. Only the best workers in Toyota motor city are selected to advance to this plant which is considered a great honor.
The big three have had all kinds of catastrophic safety recalls. Loose balljoints and failing ignition systems among the many other issues. Then we find out from leaked memos that they knew about it and did nothing. The way I see it's a cultural thing where the guys running the show are breed from an industry where our colleges filter in undeserving people that are not talented but influential hires. This is why they have unions and a lot of other problems because of bad management.
If you look at the Japanese they know how to run a company by taking care of their employees and hiring the best people, if they are not up to standard they train them. There was a stigma that it is the lazy American workers fault which is unfair and the Japanese proved it wasn't true with the Marysville Ohio Honda plant. At one time the Honda Accord was the most exported car from the US. US companies should have got Japanese consultation a long time ago but they don't otherwise it would mean an end to their influential middle management hiring practices . When Toyota had to go under congressional hearings for alleged safety issues with faulty pedals it was a travesty when it turned out to be some floor mat fix. Many of these cars did not get the fix even though they were recalled but just like that the problem went away.
I'll strongly disagree on this, at least on the general worker up to supervisors role. The Japanese plants around me don't attract the best people, they turn and burn temps to save on employee benefit costs, there's better (more pay or better work environment) factory style jobs and so forth. I don't want to get into details of it publicly, but I see it and hear about it quite a lot with having a manufacturing job.
Unfortunately, hiring and riding temps hard is the new norm for industry -> hire temps for the vacant position and give them a thorough test ride to see if the company should keep them on as permanent employees.
Almost every manufacturing company that has hired my graduating students has used this practice here in the greater Cleveland OH area.
To be fair, I would probably do the same sort of evaluation since the employee work ethic appears to be a dying trait in the younger generation.
I do not have any first hand accounts. My information is purely based on journalistic documentation though a documentary on the Honda plant and what happened when the Detroit based Unions tried to infiltrate Japanese car manufacturing plants. The Unions were rejected by the employees from what I recall and they went into the reasons one of which was better management and happier employees. This was primarily for Japanese based companies but I have heard it was not the case for Korean based companies.
There is something that inherently works with Japanese manufacturing not just for the manufacture but for the consumer. Also I have heard that some Japanese companies that set up shop in other Asian counties have had issues with quality control and skilled people so they have to move the product back to Japan for manufacturing rather then put out an inferior product. I have seen this with camera gear.
I read this book a few years ago called the relentless pursuit which is a fascinating look into how Toyota put Lexus on the map. Toyota did not cut any corners they were after perfection.
Another country famous for its manufacturing quality is Switzerland. I have a vintage espresso machine made by the Swiss and its built like you wouldn't believe compared to previous Italian machines that I have owned.
