They should have trucked’em

CERRITOS, Calif. — Medium-duty truck builder Isuzu Commercial Truck of North America would rather toss potentially problematic trucks than foist them on unsuspecting fleets.

That’s why ICTA announced this week that it is taking the radical step of scrapping 110 brand new medium-duty N-series trucks that were stuck on a freighter ship that was listing off the coast of Alaska in 60 degree weather last summer.

“Isuzu gives top priority to the quality and safety of the trucks we put into the hands of commercial users around the world,” said Makoto Kawahara, ICTA President and COO. “Because vehicles aboard the Cougar Ace remained on the affected ship for a considerable period of time, we couldn’t in full confidence put customers behind the wheels of these vehicles.”

He said Isuzu’s commitment to customers and a concern for future unforeseeable service implications led to the decision to scrap the more than 100 trucks and not sell them as “used or damaged” vehicles.

It’s not the only cargo from the ship to get deep-sixed. Along with the Isuzus, the Cougar Ace was carrying 4,700 brand new Mazdas, and after testing those vehicles for problems, Mazda engineers decided they were unfit for the used market, too.

It took more than a month to right the ship, which had keeled over so far onto its side that its prop was out of the water.