Toyota examines product quality in Canada

Toyota has announced that it will establish product quality field offices in Toronto and Calgary to enhance the company’s ability to detect, analyse and respond to customer and quality issues in the field. Following the success of a pilot program launched in New York in late 2009, the auto giant is also expanding its product quality field office program to four additional U.S. regional sales areas.

Staffed by technical and engineering specialists with expertise drawn from across Toyota’s global operations, the offices will investigate specific field quality issues related to unique regional, geographical or environmental conditions in each area. The New York office was developed to investigate the performance of Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles in cold weather climates, with an emphasis on corrosion issues. The San Francisco office will focus on hybrid vehicle systems and durability. Offices in Toronto and Calgary will focus on extreme seasonal temperature changes and high road salt usage, as well as unique vehicle operating conditions.

Toyota is currently evaluating opening additional offices in Jacksonville, Fla., to focus on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), as well as drivability; Houston, Texas to concentrate on trucks and chassis components; and Denver, Colo., to study high-altitude performance and SUV models.

"Everyone at Toyota is working aggressively to understand what our customers are experiencing and to respond quickly to their needs by enhancing our information gathering capabilities," says Dino Triantafyllos, vice-president, Quality Division, Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing (TEMA). "The expansion of our product quality field offices initiative is one example of the significant changes we are making across our North American operations to help ensure that we are a quality-focused and responsive organization."