Although large-scale recalls of Toyota vehicles have continued to occur since the highly publicized unintended acceleration problems that provoked lawsuits and congressional hearings, a report from National Public Radio's Marketplace program suggests that American motorists may not be reacting as strongly to some of the more recent safety problems.
Toyota dealership owner Earl Stewart told Marketplace that consumers questioning him about safety concerns have become less and less common: "Thus far today, not a single call. I'm standing around my showroom floor here at my Toyota dealership and nobody's come up to me and voiced any concern whatsoever."
While this might seem like a surprise to some, Marketplace says, other experts reported that recall fatigue may be to blame. Given the large number of recent Toyota recalls in recent months, any safety issues that don't appear to place a motorist in immediate danger of a crash can appear much less pressing to them, according to the report. Marketplace also points out that none of the safety problems targeted in the most recent recalls have caused any fatalities or auto accidents.
However, Marketplace says, the multi-million vehicle recalls have clearly affected demand for Toyota's vehicles among U.S. consumers. The program reports that the Japanese carmarker's market share has decreased noticeably over the course of the past year, though it still maintains a strong base of loyal customers.
Car insurance companies invariably take into account the safety record of a given vehicle when calculating the rate a consumer will pay for coverage. Given the widespread recalls of Toyota cars, prospective buyers would do well to consider this aspect of their purchase and carefully research auto insurance rates.