Toyota has a flaw that has slipped through its famous production systems. A problem it chooses to ignore - or brazen it out - but the backstreet mechanics of Delhi are making the most of it, poking fun at the global auto giant and its much vaunted claim to high quality products.
The problem is with the switch assembly that controls a range of functions related to windscreen wipers, headlights and indicators.
Set yourself in this situation: You are driving down a busy expressway. It is rush hour traffic and there are vehicles of all shapes and sizes speeding alongside with their customary disregard for driving etiquette - jumping lanes, flashing high-beams, blasting away at their horns...you get the picture. Suddenly, for no apparent reason your windscreen wiper jumps to life, squeaking long arcs on the dry glass surface, refusing to respond to any switches, distracting you from your focus on the road. Clearly a dangerous situation to be in.
The first time this happened on our Toyota Etios in 2018, the only way to stop the windscreen wipers was to pull off the road, to shut down the engine and restart. We took it immediately to the Toyota workshop and they said it was a 'rare malfunction' and that the only solution was to replace the entire switch assembly. At around INR8000 it was an expensive spare part to replace.
A few months into the Covid lockdown the new assembly unit developed exactly the same problem. This had happened well within a year of replacement but the vehicle could not be taken to the workshop due to the lockdown restrictions, and the only consolation Toyota could offer was, "If you had sent us an email complaint during the lockdown we could have extended the warranty period...".
So what was the solution? - "Sorry, but the only option is to replace the assembly unit once again...it is however not readily available, so once you confirm your order, we will get it for you in a month's time..". Then came the kicker - the cost of the unit had gone up - it was now over INR12,000!
We fretted about this for a while. Was it worth spending so much money for second replacement? Would we have to replace the assembly yet again a year later? What if the sudden activation of the zombie wiper led to an accident on the roads?
Ultimately we decided to get a second opinion from one of the numerous mechanics who hang around the tiny workshops at Sector 2, NOIDA. It was young Irshad who took up my case. He took one look at the car and said nonchalantly, "Since you don't want to get the assembly replaced again, I will solve this problem for INR300. It will take about 15 minutes."
Then, as I stood by watching in wonder and amazement, he deftly removed the steering wheel, pried out the assembly panel, and opened a plastic cap that exposed the electronic circuitry. He looked closely at the soldered points for a few minutes, turning it over, checking and re-checking, and then with a quick, sharp flick of the screwdriver, made a 3mm incision into the green plate.
Clearly this was nothing new for him - it was a practiced hand at work. "I have done this for scores of cars", he confirmed, "It is a common problem in Toyota cars as well as the Maruti Swift model...the assembly is too expensive so I get lots of business!"
As promised by Irshad the car wipers have never gone rogue after this 'operation'. The only downside is that the 'mist' and 'low' options on the switches do not work anymore but I am quite happy with the remaining two options, 'medium' and 'high', fully functional. On the whole this was like having an appendicitis operation instead of suffering a sudden, painful rupture!
One important learning from this experience has been that the Japanese claim to high quality autos needs to be taken with a pinch of salt and loads of skepticism...so much for the acclaimed Toyota Production Systems.
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