Toyota Sued Over Defects

The California autoworker who is suing Toyota and others in a whistleblower lawsuit said Tuesday she was merely carrying out the quality-conscious Toyota way in spotting defects when managers cracked down on her efforts and demoted her.

Katy Cameron, 54, employed for 23 years at New United Motor Manufacturing Inc., a joint venture between Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Corp. in Fremont, Calif., filed a lawsuit against the companies on Nov. 6 in Alameda County Superior Court.

The suit accuses management at NUMMI of routinely deleting or downgrading defects that Cameron found as a certified auditor -- including broken seat belts, faulty headlights, inadequate braking and steering wheel alignment problems -- and demands $45 million in damages for retaliation against a whistleblower and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

From the Staff of the Detroit Free Press