Whistleblower: "Nummi Management Routinely Deleted or Downgraded Significant and Serious Defects."

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

SFGate reports that a former quality control inspector at Toyota and GM's joint production facility in Fremont, California is suing her old employer for emotional distress. Katy Cameron, 54, claims supervisors at the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) factory subjected her to a campaign of intimidation after Cameron refused to ignore production defects. Cameron said cars were rolling off the assembly line with "defective seat belts," "water leaks throughout the vehicles," "mirrors falling off," "steering wheel alignment defects" and "missing radiator caps." Managers allegedly began altering her defect reports eight years ago to lower her daily Defect Per Vehicle reports. She says the alterations became "more substantial" two years ago, when she was recording an average of nine to 15 defects per car. At that point, Cameron began retaining her original pencil written reports (to document the changes) and turning-in photocopies. NUMMI spokesperson Lance Tomasu said that while he couldn't comment on the lawsuit, "we will investigate these claims thoroughly."

Robert Farago
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  • Bunter1 Bunter1 on Nov 08, 2007

    daro31- perhaps you missed my point "B". Her claims are at odds with the reliability records of the plants output that been amoung the industries best for twenty years. IF her report is accurate, and it COULD be, then perhaps other plants have been far worse. Again, just a thought. Cheerio, Bunter

  • Daro31 Daro31 on Nov 08, 2007

    Bunter 1 perhaps you missed my point “B”.

    I was in a plant with worse scoring cars, and that is the type of stuff that goes on, that I have recounted.

    I also continue to say on here that the Quality of cars is mostly a design/price/cost choice. The auto hourly assembler has very little input into the quality. An automobile is probably one of the most complicated manufactured products there is. For the guy on the line the right way is the usually the easiest way to perform his job. When things go out of spec, or defective parts are introduced it is how management handles those problems that effects the quality of the cars.

    One of the best things that has happened to automotive Quality in the last 20 years is outsourcing to 2nd tier suppliers. If they screw up there is all kinds of pressures available to the Big 3 to fix problems. If it is a part from the mother company though, believe me you will just have to learn to live with it.

  • Bunter1 Bunter1 on Nov 08, 2007

    daro31- Not knockin' your experience. Just noting that you seemed to have missed that I did not assume she was lying, merely pointed out that it was a possibility. It is possible that your point of view, which incidently fits in with my "point B" nicely, could be correct. Take care, Bunter

  • Nanapat Nanapat on Jul 08, 2008

    I bought a 2007 Toyota Corolla in May 2007 this Corolla came from the NUMMI factory and I can personally tell you that it is a LEMON !!!! I have filed so many Lemon Law complaint's on this car and also have reported the dealer.. This car has so many flaw's, defect's and problem's I am sick over it.. So don't knock the Whistleblower in this case she is doing consumer's a favor and I am only sorry I didn't know about it before the dealer stuck me with this car..

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