Toyota accused of destroying and hiding evidence

[mustang84]

A former attorney for Toyota has accused the automaker of illegally withholding evidence in hundreds of rollover death and injury cases, in a "ruthless conspiracy" to keep evidence "of its vehicles' structural shortcomings from becoming known."

The explosive allegations are contained in a federal racketeering suit filed in Los Angeles by Dimitrios P. Biller, former managing counsel for Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., who claims his complaints about the company's legal misconduct cost him his job.

The complaint charges that in a pair of lawsuits in Colorado and Texas, Toyota failed to fully disclose electronic data (such as e-mails) in defiance of court orders to do so. It states that when Biller learned of the company's failure to produce design and test data from an engineering subsidiary, he attempted to collect and preserve the information.

Despite these efforts, the engineering unit "was allowed to destroy relevant information and documents that should have been produced in, approximately, over 300 rollover accidents involving roof crush issues," the lawsuit claims.

It further charges that Toyota regularly, and improperly, withheld records on design and testing of vehicle roofs. For example, it says that Toyota never produced a document showing that the company's internal standard for roof strength was tougher than the federal requirement. Toyota engineers and witnesses repeatedly testified that the internal standard did not exist, the lawsuit says, adding that there are vehicles on the road today that do not meet the standard.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/29/...in5273636.shtml

[ShadowDog]

Well, that's one side of the story so far.

I'd imagine there would be an impact from the public... but their Kool-Aid is strong!

[daves87rs]

Interesting.....

[balthazar]

Even the allegations are not surprising, given past examples of corporate japanese culture.

[fightingbee]

Conveniently for Toyota their evidence was all inscribed on Tacoma pickup frame rails.

[Justin Bimmer]

If the United States Attorney's office files an obstruction of justice criminal charge against them, then I will start listening.

[Daryl Z71]

Well, that's one side of the story so far.

I'd imagine there would be an impact from the public... but their Kool-Aid is strong!

Lmao! :rotflmao:

[toesuf94]

Conveniently for Toyota their evidence was all inscribed on Tacoma pickup frame rails.

:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

[Robert Hall]

I assume this is about the old 4Runners (the ones from the '90s). They were notorious for rollovers, being tall and narrow.

[capriceman]

well any car can roll over though didn't satty flip a solara? still the roof should support the cars own weight.

[tmp]

Isn't Toyota the Happy Green Company?

Toyota looks to have a potential public-relations nightmare on its hands. According to CBS News, one of the company's former lawyers, Dimitrios P. Biller, has filed a federal racketeering suit against the Japanese automaker. Biller worked for Toyota from 2003 through 2007 defending the company against rollover lawsuits blaming injuries and deaths on the alleged instability and weak roof structures of the company's SUVs and pickups. Biller's suit alleges that Toyota has withheld electronic evidence like emails in over 300 rollover cases, and it states that evidence was destroyed by the company in spite of his efforts to secure the data. The suit also alleges that Toyota withheld design and test data for vehicle roofs, and it also states that some vehicles on the road today don't meet roof safety standards.

Edited August 31, 2009 by JamesBond
Merged into a topic already created on this subject.

[Robert Hall]

Didn't 60 Minutes or Dateline have an expose show on this topic (specifically called out the '90s 4Runners) 5 years ago or so? I thought it was common knowledge that BOF trucks and SUVs in general (not just Toyota) have weak body construction and collapse in a roll over..

I specifically remember the late '90s F150s also being shown...big turds rolled over and the roof collapsed down to the tops of the doors...weak junk. Are the pillars made out of recycled pop cans or what? Or is just that trucks and SUVs are too heavy?

Edited August 31, 2009 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[fightingbee]

Didn't 60 Minutes or Dateline have an expose show on this topic (specifically called out the '90s 4Runners) 5 years ago or so? I thought it was common knowledge that BOF trucks and SUVs in general (not just Toyota) have weak body construction and collapse in a roll over..

Of course if it was Dateline doing the testing some C-4 may have been involved.

[ShadowDog]

Isn't Toyota the Happy Green Company?

Toyota looks to have a potential public-relations nightmare on its hands. According to CBS News, one of the company's former lawyers, Dimitrios P. Biller, has filed a federal racketeering suit against the Japanese automaker. Biller worked for Toyota from 2003 through 2007 defending the company against rollover lawsuits blaming injuries and deaths on the alleged instability and weak roof structures of the company's SUVs and pickups. Biller's suit alleges that Toyota has withheld electronic evidence like emails in over 300 rollover cases, and it states that evidence was destroyed by the company in spite of his efforts to secure the data. The suit also alleges that Toyota withheld design and test data for vehicle roofs, and it also states that some vehicles on the road today don't meet roof safety standards.

It pays to be at #2 for a while, if that's where GM is happy to sit. The media do a pretty thorough job to pick apart at the success of a company to find any possible story; not that this story is small, by any means. Still, I'd like to see a screen-shot of GM big wigs standing next to Toyota's champagne and balloon party upon reaching #1 saying, "You got it!... and everything that comes with it!"

Like a horde of paparazzi that suddenly flows as a wave would once the next celebrity pulls up in their limo, the leeches turn to the next ripple in the water.

Have fun Toyota!

[ZL-1]

Serious stuff. I hope it is possible to get to the bottom of this.

[Z-06]

Wow

[daves87rs]

Wow

+1

Might get interesting.....