For decades Chrysler has had problems with the quality of its vehicles. Chrysler is now seeking to become a quality leader by 2012 and it is doing so with a revamped and much larger quality team and tougher standards.
"It's different now," said Doug Betts, senior vice president in charge of quality at Chrysler. "People are talking openly about problems now and how to fix (them.)"
Betts was recruited from Nissan two years ago under Chrysler's former owner, Cerberus Capital Management LP. At that time Cerberus also pledged to improve Chrysler's quality issues, but then the Chrysler ran out of money.
Chrysler sales are down 38.9 percent this year, so there isn't a better time than now to fix Chrysler's issues. Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles continue to perform poorly in quality surveys, which has hurt the automaker's sales.
Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has made quality a priority and Betts is hiring more than 200 quality engineers bringing the total to 1,700 from 200 when he started 2 years ago.
Comments (10)
Too little, too late. It can take a decade to overcome the shoddy quality image.
Posted by john-guy | November 19, 2009 11:19 AM
Posted on November 19, 2009 11:19
They have a tough road to hoe. It like a restaurant that serves bad food: most remember that, and won't return.
Posted by wvo | November 19, 2009 11:42 AM
Posted on November 19, 2009 11:42
I figure they would be more focused on still being in business in 2012...thank god for that printing press in the Feds basement.
Posted by thetruth | November 19, 2009 11:56 AM
Posted on November 19, 2009 11:56
just to the title......HA.....HAHA i like dodge jeep and chrysler but we all know that is a little too late for that. they have had a crap quality image FOREVER. if they had started to turn that around years ago like Ford and even GM here recently then i would take it seriously.
Posted by Phil | November 19, 2009 1:02 PM
Posted on November 19, 2009 13:02
You don't need 1700 Quality Engeers, you need Engineers and Management that want to design and build a quality product. You can't inspect quality into a product.
Posted by harryo | November 19, 2009 1:46 PM
Posted on November 19, 2009 13:46
No, you need to shoot all the bean counters, keep the designers and engineers, and start building car with quality parts. Start with the cheap ass plastic they've been using in their cars.
Posted by topper | November 20, 2009 7:35 AM
Posted on November 20, 2009 07:35
"Hey honey! Remember that Chrysler car we bought a few years back that broke down while we were crossing Arizona? And the one your uncil Bill had back in '82? And...haha...that P.O.S. my cousin Alice drove for a while?"
[says in irritation] "Yes..."
"Let's go buy another one! They're better now! Some guy at the corporate office says so!"
[wife slaps her husband silly and storms out of the room]
Good luck with that, Chrysler.
Posted by Jared | November 20, 2009 7:54 AM
Posted on November 20, 2009 07:54
^^^ exactly. its too bad though
Posted by Phil | November 20, 2009 10:03 AM
Posted on November 20, 2009 10:03
To achieve this goal, I suggest they just rebadge Hondas.
Posted by Patrick | November 24, 2009 7:20 PM
Posted on November 24, 2009 19:20
Uhhh.. what?
Posted by patman08 | November 30, 2009 2:36 PM
Posted on November 30, 2009 14:36