Although the carmaker does not directly link the new closure to the recent 9 million vehicle recall, undoubtedly the move is a response to the decreasing demand in Toyota vehicles.
According to Toyota, the Kentucky plant will suspend production on February 26, with two additional suspension days possible for March or April. In Texas, production will be suspended two times, in the weeks of March 15 and April 12. This will not affect the second shift planned to be added to the plant on March 1, nor the addition of the Tacoma to the production line in late June or early July.
As for the people who work at the respective facilities, Toyota says it will send them to take part in training and plant improvement activities.
In a survey conducted by the Jumpstart Automotive Group, Toyota's recall led to a serious drop in Toyota's public perception, as 51 percent of the respondents indicated Toyota's issues have lead them to eliminate the car manufacturer as an option for their next vehicle purchase.
"History has proven that the key to mending any major brand is transparency about the issues," Joe Kyriakoza. "Toyota's representatives need to continue using honesty as their number one policy in order to win back disenchanted customers. Even still, Toyota's road to recovery will undoubtedly be long and strenuous."
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