Former Toyota Lawyer: Automaker Hides Safety Problems

In an exclusive interview with ABC News, a former top lawyer for Toyota claims the automaker regularly hid evidence of safety defects from consumers and regulators, and fostered a culture of "hypocrisy and deceit."

"You have to understand that Toyota in Japan does not have any respect for our legal system," said Dimitrios Biller, who worked as managing counsel for Toyota's American operations from 2003 to 2007. "They did not have any respect for our laws."

Biller handled product liability suits while with the company. He claims that when Toyota received poor results in a vehicle rollover test, it ordered a new test in order to receive better results. According to Biller, the company also made a practice of concealing proof of safety problems, and did not disclose information it was obligated to produce

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Toyota
• Lawyer
• Automaker
• Hides
• Safety
• Problems

[TheDarkDresser]

Typical response from some is to turn on the whistleblower, as you see in some of these comments. It's amazing how some people defend, enable and identify with their perpetrator. I have my own theory that: these same people may be engaging in their own improprieties. They identify with the company that is engaging in imprope/illegalr acts and reacts to the whistelblower in the same fashion as the company..

[newmama007]

Thank goodness there are brave people like Dimitrios Biller in this world. Toyota has clearly shown a track record of cover-ups and making millions of dollars by not correcting problems that kill people. Shame on them! Biller knew them better than anyone and obviously knew they would try to destroy him personally. What a horrible company. So glad I don't own a Toyota.

[Z28HAHACYA]

Oh trust me, I already know what you're going to say. It's CTS's, the driver's, GM's, NHTSA's, USDOT's, Ford's, Chrysler's, the US Government's, Obama's, Bushs', NASA's, etc. fault, ad nauseum, and so on. Save it. I've heard it all. US citizens were killed, and Yotota workers in Japan even raised the safety flag with no concern whatsoever on safety. Those of us that have the ability to think critically and have intelligence, will not believe some jackasses kookey OPINION, just cold hard facts.

[TheVideo5094]

@Z28HAHACYA I have some facts to back up my statements

[TheVideo5094]

@Z28HAHACYA They Killed themselves by not being able to drive.

[Z28HAHACYA]

@TheVideo5094 Killing US citizens is a "minor problem" to you? Sicko.

[Z28HAHACYA]

@TheVideo5094 Can you back that up with a stated fact, or are you just SPOUTING crap???

[Z28HAHACYA]

@gruffdan The Toyota Sienna was known for it's sliding side door falling off, either stopped or DRIVING. It's a minivan, usually CHILDREN are in/near minivans. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TOYOTAS FAILURE, I know it's hard, BUT CONCENTRATE ON THE TOPIC!

[gruffdan]

@gmracing15 Really? Chrysler had a NHTSA with their minivan lift gate latch assembly.

[gmracing15]

@TheVideo5094 I do not recall any issues in chrysler that would result in the NHTSA too act! Unlike the accusations (and the accident now famous) for Toyota!. REMEMBER! ALL car manufactors build cars with some kind of defect, it's just business. NHTSA will only act if their is prof of a dangerous defect that could indanger peoples lives and/or a large scale faults. I do feel the same way bout NHTSA not doin anything about nissans problems, we'll just wait and see!

[admiraljimmy]

@TheVideo5094 I really don't care about chrysler, I think the new challenger is nice(ish), and they have a couple decent cars finally almost 3 years after the bailout, but they're not the same chrysler they were in the 60's and 70's, I mean how many companies own chrysler now? As far as Ford goes, you said it yourself, over the years, decades, toyota hit 10million+ in a matter of months, because they knew how much they fucked up. Now every company is issuing recalls over the smallest things.

[TheVideo5094]

@admiraljimmy really Chrysler did illegal stuff in the 1990's and NHTSA let them by,GM has done the same and over the years Ford has recalled more than ten million cars.