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Toyota Recall Information NEWS: Toyota is recalling certain 2007-2013 FJ Cruiser vehicles APRIL 2013 --Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2007-2013 FJ Cruiser vehicles manufactured January 25, 2006 through February 23, 2013 and equipped with a Toyota Auxiliary Driving Lamp Kits mounted to the front bumper. These lamp assemblies include 55 watt bulbs and due to this wattage and mounting angle, the combination of the upper beam headlamps plus the auxiliary lamps are too bright and exceed the maximum light output allowed for an upper beam headlamp. Therefore, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." Light intensities above the maximum allowable limit could cause increased glare for oncoming traffic and increase the risk of a crash. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the 55 watt bulbs with 35 watt bulbs, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in late May 2013. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota recalls certain 2002-2004 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, Tundra, Lexus SC, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles APRIL 2013 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2002 through 2004 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, Tundra, Lexus SC, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag. This recall addresses both the passenger side frontal air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts. A replacement air bag may have been installed, as one example, if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the passenger side frontal air bag. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the passenger seat occupant or other occupants. Toyota will notify owners of affected Toyota and Lexus vehicles and General Motors will notify owners of affected Pontiac Vibe vehicles. Toyota, Lexus, and GM dealers will inspect vehicles, and where a defective air bag inflator is identified, the inflator will be replaced, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided the agency with a notification schedule. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota, Honda, Nissan recall 2 million vehicles with air bag problem APRIL 2013 -- Toyota, Honda and Nissan are recalling more than 3 million vehicles globally for an identical problem with air bags on the passenger side whose inflator may burst, sending plastic pieces flying. No injuries have been reported related to the problem. The recall for air bags made by Japan's Takata Corp. affects other automakers including non-Japanese manufacturers, Takata spokeswoman Akiko Watanabe said Thursday. She declined to give details. Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling 1.7 million vehicles, with some 580,000 in North America, another 490,000 in Europe and 320,000 in Japan. Affected models include the Corolla, Tundra, Lexus SC, produced between November 2000 and March 2004. Toyota said it had received five reports of air bag problems, three in the U.S. and two in Japan, but there have been no injuries. The automaker suffered a blow to its reputation from a series of massive recalls in 2009 and 2010, including faulty braking, sticky gas pedals and defective floor mats, partly a reflection of how various models used the same parts to save costs. But the latest recall is affecting other major automakers as well. Honda Motor Co. is recalling 1.1 million vehicles. About 680,000 are in North America, 270,000 in Japan and 64,000 in Europe. The models include the Civic, CR-V and Odyssey. The automakers have reported the problem to the Transport Ministry in Japan, and will be reporting other recalls later in the day in other regions, they said. Nissan Motor Co. recalled 480,000 vehicles globally, some 137,000 of them in Japan, for the air bag problem. The Yokohama-based automaker said vehicles in North America and Europe are affected, but did not immediately have other details on its 343,000 overseas recalls. The problem crept in because of two human errors during production. A worker forgot to turn on the switch for a system weeding out defective products and parts were improperly stored, which exposed them to humidity, according to Honda spokeswoman. Also affected under the same recall were the RX-8 and Mazda 6 at Mazda Motor Corp. The Hiroshima-based automaker said 45,000 vehicles were recalled, including 4,000 in Japan. It did not give numbers for other regions, but said recalls will be announced in North America, Europe, China and other nations. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling certain 2007 through 2013 FJ Cruiser vehicles MARCH 2013 --Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2013 FJ Cruiser passenger vehicles. The retractors for the front driver and passenger seat belts are mounted in the access door (rear door) panels of the vehicle. Due to insufficient strength of the access door panel, cracks may develop in the panel if the access door is repeatedly and forcefully closed over an extended period of time. If cracks occur in the panel around the lower retractor anchor, the seat belt retractor could become detached, which could increase the risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash. Toyota is currently developing a remedy. Toyota has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling certain 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 vehicles FEBRUARY 2013 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 vehicles manufactured August 23, 2005, through October 5, 2011; 2010-2012 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles manufactured April 10, 2009, through October 6, 2011; and 2008-2011 Lexus IS-F vehicles manufactured December 14, 2007, through July 10, 2011. The nuts that fasten the wiper arms may be insufficiently torqued such that if the wiper arms are restricted by an external load, such as a buildup of heavy snow, one or both of the wipers may become inoperative.Inoperative wipers could reduce driver visibility and increase the risk of a vehicle crash.Toyota will notify owners, and Lexus dealers will install new wiper arm nuts, free of charge. The recall will begin in late February 2013. . Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. 13V030000 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling certain 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles FEBRUARY 2013 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The supplemental restraint system (SRS) circuits are susceptible to internal shorting. The electrical short may create an abnormal current flow and increased heat which can damage the circuits. This could result in an inadvertent deployment of the front airbags and/or seat belt pretensioners. Inadvertent deployment of the airbags or the seat belt pretensioners may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash. Toyota will notify their owners, and General Motors will notify theirs. Dealers will install a supplemental harness containing an electrical filter between the airbag control module and its wire harness, free of charge. A notification schedule has not been provided. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. 13V029000 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling 1.3 million vehicles worldwide JANUARY 2013 -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it is recalling 1.3 million vehicles worldwide — including more than 1.1 million in the United States — the latest big recall for the automaker that has led in recalls in three of the last four years. The recall covers about 900,000 Corolla and Corolla Matrix models worldwide for potentially faulty airbags and 385,000 Lexus IS cars for defective wipers. The recall covers 752,000 2003-04 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles in the United States and approximately 270,000 2006-12 Lexus IS vehicles. Toyota also said General Motors is recalling 135,000 Pontiac Vibes that were built at a now-shuttered joint assembly plant in California. The investigation began in August 2012 when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration asked other automakers for information on airbag malfunctions using the same chip that was used in Chrysler Jeep Liberty SUVs that were under investigation. Toyota said the airbag control module for the supplemental restraint system in the Corolla and Corolla Matrix may have circuits that are susceptible to internal shorting. These could experience an internal short that creates abnormal current flow and increased heat and lead to the front airbags and seat belt pretensioners inadvertently deploying. The second safety recall involves the front wipers on certain Lexus IS vehicles where the wiper arm nut might not be sufficiently tight. If movement of the wipers is restricted by an external load, such as a buildup of heavy snow on the windshield, one or both of the wipers could become inoperative. Toyota said it first had a report of an inoperative wiper in May 2008, but said despite more reports "there was no clear trend and the failure rate was very low." Toyota adjusted its assembly process in July 2009 and then in July 2011 switched the wiper arm nut assembly for one used with other Toyota and Lexus models — but the company didn't opt to recall the vehicles until it investigated for another 18 months. A Toyota spokesman in Toyoka, Japan, told the Associated Press that 18 injuries have been reported in the United States related to the air bag problem, along with two crashes. In total, it received 46 reports of problems involving the air bags from North America, and one from Japan, and 25 reports of problems related to the windshield wipers, the AP said. Last month, Toyota said it would pay more than $1 billion to settle lawsuits stemming from its recall of more than 14 million vehicles for sudden acceleration issues and agreed to pay a record-setting $17.35 million U.S. fine for delaying the recall of 154,000 Lexus SUVs over pedal entrapment issues.READ MORE... MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling certain 2001 through 2004 Tacoma trucks NOVEMBER 2012 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2004 Tacoma light trucks manufactured from August 28, 2000, through August 27, 2004, and originally sold, or currently registered, in the following cold climate states with high road salt usage: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The spare tire in the subject vehicles is located underneath the rear of the vehicle and held by a spare tire carrier. A lift plate on the carrier is used to help raise, lower and retain the tire. During its manufacture, the lift plate may not have been sufficiently coated with anticorrosion materials. If the plate is insufficiently coated and the vehicle is operated in cold climate regions where road salts are frequently used, road spray can reach the carrier assembly and corrode the lift plate. Corrosion of the plate could cause it to break, which could result in detachment of the spare tire from the vehicle. Detachment of the spare tire could result in a road hazard which may increase the risk of a vehicle crash. A remedy for this defect is currently being developed. Toyota will notify owners when a remedy plan has been finalized. The recall is expected to begin during December 2012. 12V-542 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling certain 2004-2009 Prius vehicles NOVEMBER 2012 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 5, 2003, through March 30, 2009. The affected vehicles have a steering intermediate extension shaft assembly built with metal splines that complete the connection from the steering wheel to the steering gear. These splines may have been manufactured with an insufficient hardness. Over time, the splines may wear and eventually fail resulting in a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the extension shaft and replace it if it is one with insufficient hardness, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in December 2012. 12V-537 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling certain 2004-2009 Prius vehicles NOVEMBER 2012 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2003, through March 30, 2009 and FCHV-adv vehicles manufactured December 12, 2008, through September 13, 2011. During manufacturing, a scratch may have occurred inside of the electrically driven water pump at the coil wire. The coil wire may corrode at the scratched portion. The corroded coil wire may break and the water pump could stop. A short circuit between coil wires may result, creating a stall-like condition of the hybrid system while the vehicle is being driven. This may increase the risk of a vehicle crash. Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will replace the electric water pump, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during December 2012. 12V-536 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling certain 2012-2013 Scion IQ vehicles NOVEMBER 2012 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Scion IQ vehicles manufactured July 31, 2011, through October 12, 2012. The cable for the Occupant Classification System (OCS) may become damaged when sliding the passenger seat forward or backward. If the cable for the OCS becomes damaged, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover on the OCS weight sensor cable. The recall is expected to begin in December 2012. . 12V-528 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota to recall 2.5 million vehicles in the USA over power window glitch OCTOBER 2012 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Tundra, Sequoia, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Yaris, Scion xB, Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The power window master switch assemblies in some of these vehicles were built using a less precise process for lubricating the internal components of the switch assemblies. Irregularities in this lubrication process may cause the power window master switch assemblies to malfunction and overheat. MORE RECALL INFO:
NEWS: Toyota to recall 2.5 million vehicles in the USA over power window glitch OCTOBER 2012 -- Toyota Motor Corp said it would recall more than 7.4 million vehicles worldwide as a faulty power window switch was a potential fire hazard, the latest in a series of setbacks that have dented the reputation of Japan's biggest automaker. The voluntary move is the biggest single recall since Ford pulled 8 million vehicles off the road in 1996 to replace defective ignition switches that could have caused engine fires. The recall, intended to fix a malfunctioning power window switch on the driver's side, primarily affects cars in the United States, China and Europe. The recall will include some Yaris and Corolla models, with repairs taking about 40 minutes, the company said. "The process to repair (the power window switch) is not an extensive one," spokeswoman Monika Saito said, adding that it would involve putting heat-resistant grease on the switches, or exchanging them. "Of course, 7 million vehicles is a huge number, but it's probably not going to be like last time when customers in the United States avoided buying Toyota cars. This sounds like a completely different scale from then," he said. The recall will include 2.47 million vehicles in the United States, 1.4 million in China and 1.39 million in Europe, the company said. No accidents, injuries or deaths have been reported as a result of the problem, though there is a possibility the malfunctioning switches could emit smoke, Saito said. Toyota's U.S. news release said the problem could lead to fire if commercially available lubricants were used on the switch. The first time the problem was reported was in September 2008 in the United States, Saito said. MORE RECALL INFO:
NEWS: Toyota recalls 878K vehicles for rear suspension, Toyota RAV4 and Lexus HS 250h AUGUST 2012 -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it is recalling 878,000 vehicles because some drivers say the rear suspension has failed, causing them to lose control. The recall includes 760,000 2006-2011 RAV4 SUVs and 18,000 2010 Lexus HS 250h cars in the U.S., and comes less than two months after the government opened an investigation into reports of failures in rear tie rods. An additional 100,000 vehicles, including 99,000 RAV4s, are being recalled in Canada. Four drivers reported they lost control while driving at high speeds. Toyota says nine crashes and three minor injuries resulted from the problem. The Japanese automaker told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the problem is not a manufacturing defect, but rather the result of improper tightening of turnbuckle nuts by service technicians. Toyota said that if the nuts on the rear suspension arm are not tightened properly during a rear wheel alignment, excessive movement may occur at the threaded portion of the arm, followed by rust. The automaker said it first began receiving reports of the condition in 2008, but didn't detect a "clear trend of failure" and said the failure rate was low. In August 2010, Toyota introduced a new suspension arm on the vehicles. In August 2011, it inspected 52 vehicles and found that just one, with a history of rear wheel alignments, had loose nuts. In May, Toyota received a complaint of a customer crash. The automaker inspected the scene of the crash and learned that non-factory applied lubricant had been used, evidence of rear wheel service. The company inspected 25 vehicles in service and found loose nuts on one vehicle. NHTSA opened its investigation in June. "Toyota has concluded that this issue is caused by the improper tightening of the lock nut during adjustment of the rear wheel alignment in the field," Toyota told NHTSA. "However, Toyota decided to conduct a voluntarily safety recall campaign to ensure proper tightening of the lock nuts." Toyota is developing a fix. Once the remedy is available, the automaker will notify vehicle owners. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota to recall Lexus SUVs to fix floor mat JUNE 2012 -- Toyota's problems with unintended acceleration just won't go away. Federal safety regulators said Friday that they have asked the company to recall about 154,000 Lexus SUVs because their floor mats can trap the gas pedal and cause the vehicles to speed up without warning. The agency is also said it may investigate whether Toyota told the agency about problems quickly enough. The move adds the 2010 model year Lexus RX 350 and RX 450 to a string of safety recalls that date to 2009. Toyota has recalled more than 14 million vehicles globally to fix problems including sticky gas pedals and floor mats. The recalls tarnished the company's reputation for reliability and cut into sales. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it requested the SUV recall after reviewing complaints from customers and information from Toyota. The agency said gas pedals can become trapped by floor mats, causing the SUVs to accelerate unexpectedly. The agency said people with the SUVs should remove the driver's side floor mat and have their vehicles serviced quickly. Toyota said owners will be notified by mail in early August, and dealers will fix the problem for free. Experts say if your car accelerates unexpectedly, you should step on the brake and shift into neutral or shut off the engine. Toyota paid the U S. government a record $48.8 million in fines for failing to promptly alert U.S. regulators to safe. READ MORE.... MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2013 Scion FR-S vehicles JUNE 2012 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2013 Scion FR-S vehicles manufactured from march 22, 2012, through May 14, 2012. The owner’s manual contains an inaccurate description of the actual operation of the front passenger occupant classification system. Other portions of the owner’s manual, describing the air bag system, require clarification. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) no. 208, “occupant crash protection.” If a user reads and follows inaccurate owner’s manual information, this could lead to an increased risk of injury to a front passenger seat occupant under certain crash conditions. Toyota will notify owners, and will mail corrected inserts for the owner’s manuals, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during june 2012. Customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov 12V-255 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2013 Lexus GS350 vehicles MAY 2012 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2013 Lexus gs350 vehicles, manufactured from December 12, 2011, through February 7, 2012. The steering control electronic control unit (ecu) programming for the variable gear ratio steering (vgrs) system could cause the steering wheel to become off-centered when restarting immediately after the vehicle is parked with the steering wheel turned. If this occurs, the driver may not realize that the steering wheel is off-centered when pulling from a parked position, the vehicle could maneuver in an unexpected direction, resulting in a crash. Toyota will notify owners, and Lexus dealers will update the vgrs system free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin in early June 2012. Customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov. 12V-221 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling 700,000 vehicles in the United States. Tacoma:faulty air bags; Camry & Venza:faulty brake light switch MARCH 2012 -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it is recalling almost 700,000 vehicles in the United States to fix potentially faulty air bags and replace a faulty brake light switch. ....Toyota said it's recalling 495,470 Tacoma pickup trucks made between 2005 and 2009 because friction might result in a loss of a electrical connection in the driver's air bag module. That could cause the air bag warning lamp on the instrument panel to remain illuminated after starting the vehicle, and the driver's air bag might be deactivated and fail to deploy during a crash. The automaker said it began investigating an increase in the number of out-of-warranty claims on the Tacoma from March through October last year. Toyota duplicated the problem during testing and decided to issue the recall. Since 2005, Toyota has received 162 complaints. The Japanese automaker said it's also recalling 70,500 Camry and 116,000 2009-2011 Venza vehicles to replace a brake light switch. Toyota said the sedans might not start or might not shift out of park READ MORE >>> MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Feds open fire probe into 830K Toyota Camry, RAV4 vehicles FEBRUARY 2012 -- Federal safety regulators have opened an investigation into 830,000 Toyota vehicles over complaints of fires sparked by power window switches. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday it was opening a preliminary investigation into the 2007 Camry and RAV4 after receiving six consumer complaints alleging a fire in the driver's side door. "Based on the available information, it appears the fires are originating from the power window master switch located on the driver's door," NHTSA said. None of the complaints filed with NHTSA allege any injuries but some say the fires caused serious damage....One complaint said the driver was coming home from work last month and saw a flame came out of the left power switch. "I was so scared," the driver wrote. Another owner of a 2007 Camry said she saw flames coming from the door and the vehicle was declared a total loss. Another driver said the window power switch caught fire in August. "Toyota would not fix because (too) many miles," the complaint said. "I was so afraid to drive the fire trap I traded it in for a new car. .....Toyota said it is aware of the investigation and is working with NHTSA. "Toyota will fully cooperate with the agency in its efforts to investigate these allegations," Toyota spokeswoman said. READ MORE... MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling 2011 RAV4 vehicles FEBRUARY 2012 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2011 RAV4 vehicles, manufactured from November 24, 2011, through December 19, 2011. In the curtain shield airbags, propellant with the incorrect specification was used for the initiator assembled in the airbag inflator. In this condition, the inflator may not perform properly, causing one or both curtain shield airbags to not deploy. In the event of a crash, the airbags may not deploy and will not be able to properly protect an occupant, increasing the risk of injuries. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will check the vehicle identification number to identify the curtain shield assemblies and replace the assemblies as necessary with new ones free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin early march 2012. Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov . 12V-029 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2011 through 2012 Sienna vehicles DECEMBER 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2011 through 2012 Sienna vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 110, "tire selections and rims." these vehicles do not meet the requirement for displaying the correct vehicle capacity weight as the rated load for the combination of cargo and occupants. Incorrect information on the vehicle placard may lead to tire overloading and possibly cause tire failure increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota will mail out a corrected placard to customers along with revised owner manual information. This service will be performed free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a remedy plan or an owner notification schedule. Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov . 11V-560 MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota recalls 550,000 vehicles on steering YAHOO NEWS -- November 9, 2011 – (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Co is recalling 550,000 vehicles worldwide, including more than 420,000 in the United States, to replace an engine component that could hamper steering, the Japanese automaker said on Wednesday. Models involved include the Toyota-branded Camry sedan, Solara coupe, Highlander SUV, and Sienna minivan for the 2004 and 2005 model years. The recall also covers the 2004 Toyota Avalon sedan and 2006 Highlander HV. Toyota luxury brand Lexus models recalled were the 2006 Lexus RX 400H SUV as well as the 2004 and 2005 ES330 sedan and RX330 crossover. The recall is the latest in a reputation-damaging series that began in the fall of 2009, mainly involving complaints of unintended acceleration linked to defective floor mats and gas pedals. This recall affects 283,200 Toyota and 137,000 Lexus vehicles in the United States, bringing the total in the country so far this year to a little more than 3.3 million vehicles. Toyota will replace the crankshaft pulley on the six-cylinder engines of the models. The company said the outer ring of the pulley may not be aligned with the inner ring. If the condition were not fixed, a component of the power steering pump could be detached from the pulley and force the driver to put in more effort to steer. About 27,000 vehicles were recalled in Canada and 38,000 recalled in Japan, a Toyota spokesman said MORE RECALL INFO:
NOVEMBER 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004 Avalon vehicles; 2004 and 2005 Camry, Camry Solara, Highlander, and Sienna vehicles, 2006 Highlander Hybrid; 2004 and 2005 Lexus ES330 and RX330; and 2006 Lexus RX400h vehicles manufactured from June 1, 2004 through March 31, 2005, equipped with the 1MZ-FE or 3MZ-FE engine. The amount of adhesive agent applied between the outer ring and the torsiona l rubber damper (inner ring) in the crankshaft pulley may be inadequate. If the adhesive is insufficient, there is a possibility that the outer ring may become misaligned and it may not properly rotate with the inner ring, causing noise and/or illumination of the battery discharge indicator light. In some cases, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley which could result in a loss of power steering and a sudden increase in steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will check the crankshaft pulley to identify whether it was produced by the U.S. supplier. If so, the dealer will replace the pulley with a new one at no charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during early January 2012. . 11V-539 JULY 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2011 Lexus RX350 passenger cars manufactured from August 30, 2010, through May 18, 2011, and equipped with vehicle dynamics integrated management (VDIM). The calibration for the hydraulic control valves is incorrect. Due to this condition, there is a possibility that the right front wheel may not be controlled properly during ABS (antilock brake system) or VSC (vehicle stability control) actuation. This could result in increased stopping distances and/or a failure to adequately correct a vehicle slide, which could increase the risk of a vehicle crash. Dealers will replace the brake actuator with a new one, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during August 2011. 11V-377 JUNE 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2011 Venza and Sienna passenger cars manufactured from March 7, through March 10, 2011. There is a possibility that the front, right, drive shaft may break due to insufficient heat treatment. Should the shaft break during vehicle operation, the vehicle will lose power without prior warning. Loss of motive power without warning may increase the risk of a crash. Toyota will notify owners and dealers will inspect the drive shaft, and, if the shaft is identified as one that may not have been correctly manufactured, it will be replaced with a new one at no charge. The safety recall began on June 22, 2011. 11V-306 JUNE 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2001 through 2003 Prius passenger cars manufactured from January 28, 2000, through May 30, 2003. The steering linkage may loosen, resulting in reduced electric steering assistance when making a left turn. Loss of power steering, particularly when an operator is actively intending to a steer the vehicle, may increase the risk of a crash. Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace the nuts in the steering linkage free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin in early July 2011. 11V-304 JUNE 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400H passenger cars manufactured from February 16, 2005, through August 30, 2006. A module inside the inverter module may contain inadequately soldered transistors that during high-load driving, may be damaged by heat caused by the large current. If this occurs, various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will be illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota/Lexus will mail an interim owner notification in the middle of July 2011 to advise owners of this recall and the fact that they will receive a future notice when parts become available to complete repairs. Toyota dealers will inspect the hybrid inverter production number to determine whether the inverter contains suspect transistors and replace the module free of charge. 11V-342 NEWS: Toyota to recall 82,200 vehicles in the US YAHOO NEWS -- June 29, 2011 – Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it will recall about 82,200 hybrid SUVs in the U.S. due to computer boards with possible faulty wiring. The car giant said the recall will involve Highlander and Lexus brand hybrid SUVs from its 2006 and 2007 lines. The action covers just the vehicles sold in the U.S., with no other models affected. The recall is the latest setback for Toyota, which is just recovering from the earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan in March. The company earlier this month predicted annual profit will fall nearly a third due to recent production disruptions related to the disasters, though it expects a strong rebound in the coming months. Wednesday's recall involves about 45,500 Highlander Hybrid and 36,700 Lexus Rx 400h vehicles, the company's U.S. subsidiary said in a press release. Toyota said the affected vehicles' hybrid system has a computer board with inadequate soldering that could be damaged during high-load driving. If damage were to occur, the company said the vehicles would either continue to operate under reduced power for a short distance, or coast to a stop. The automaker said it is working on obtaining replacement parts, and for now will notify owners of possibly faulty vehicles by mid-July. Toyota was recovering from a series of recalls that soiled its reputation for safety and eventually reached 14 million vehicles worldwide when the natural disasters struck in March. The company said last week it will hire 3,000 to 4,000 temporary workers in Japan to be ready for a recovery in vehicle production as automakers bounce back and revamp their operations. Even with a recovery, Toyota is expected to lose its spot as the world's top-selling automaker to General Motors Co. this year because of the disasters. Japanese automakers are also dealing with possible electricity shortages after the quake and tsunami destroyed a nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota recalls 105,784 Prius cars to fix gearbox, steering YAHOO NEWS -- June 1, 2011 – Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) said on Wednesday it will recall 105,784 early model Prius cars in Japan and overseas to fix a fault with the model's steering and gearbox. The recall will affect all its first generation Prius cars, which it launched in 1997. At home the notice covers 47,784 vehicles, with a further 52,000 in the United States. Toyota sold the remainder in the UK and Germany, a company spokeswoman said. Last month Toyota extended its Prius line up with the launch of the Prius Alpha including a two-row, five-seater version and a three-row, seven-seater version. Toyota wants to sell at least 1 million hybrid vehicles globally a year by mid-decade. Toyota also recalled 33,636 iQ small cars, 21,636 of which it sold in Japan between 2008 and 2009. Toyota declined to say how much the recall will cost. MORE RECALL INFO: Toyota Prius APRIL 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2011 Tundra vehicles equipped with a 3-Joint type propeller shaft. Due to improper casting of the slip yokes, there is a possibility that the slip yoke may break, causing the propeller shaft to separate at the joint and come into contact with the road surface. The driver could experience loss of motive power and vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota will notify owners and inspect the propeller shaft and, if necessary, replace it free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during May 2011. 11V-254 APRIL 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, and model year 2007-2008 RAV4. In the curtain shield airbag (CSA) system, there are two sensors in the airbag sensor assembly which are designed to detect vehicle roll angle. If one of these sensors malfunctions, the airbag warning light (malfunction indicator light: mil) will illuminate and the roll detection system will be suspended;however, the airbag CSA remains available in the event of a side crash. If both sensors fail nearly simultaneously after initial airbag system check, the CSA and the seat belt pretensioner could be inadvertently activated. Inadvertent activation of the CSA and/or the seat belt pretensioner can cause injury to a vehicle occupant. Toyota will replace the airbag sensor assembly with a new one containing improved roll rate sensors, free of charge. Toyota intends to send an interim owner notification to owners early to mid-May 2011 when sufficient parts and remedy becomes available. 11V-245 MARCH 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2011 FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Tacoma, Sequoia and Tundra vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)." When factory-installed wheels and tires were replaced with Toyota authorized accessory wheels and LT tires prior to first sale, the tire pressure monitoring systems were not re-calibrated correctly and therefore do not start illuminating the low tire pressure warning telltale at the required minimum activation pressure. Failure to warn of tire deflations is a non-compliance with FMVSS 138 and could lead to tire failure increasing the risk of a crash. For the land cruiser, sequoia, Tacoma and tundra vehicles, the dealer will re-calibrate the tire pressure monitoring system on affected vehicles and install an updated tire and loading information label at no charge. For the FJ cruiser vehicles, the TPMS cannot be reset so the electronic control unit (ECU) for the TPMS will be replaced. Toyota is currently developing the remedy ECU. If an owner is not certain whether his or her vehicle is equipped with these accessories, please contact any Toyota dealer for an inspection at no charge. The safety recall began on March 31, 2011. 11V-148 FEBRUARY 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, and model year 2004-2007 Lexus RX330, RX350, and RX400H vehicles. If the forward retention clip used to secure the floor carpet cover, which is located in front of the center console, is not installed properly the cover may lean toward the accelerator pedal and interfere with the accelerator pedal arm. If this occurs, the accelerator pedal may temporarily become stuck in a partially depressed position rather than return to the idle position. A stuck accelerator pedal may result in unintended and sustained vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. Dealers will replace the floor carpet cover with a newly designed one free or charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during March 2011. 11V-112 FEBRUARY 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2011 Lexus LX570, 2003 through 2009 Toyota 4Runner, and 2006 through 2010 RAV4 vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death. The remedy plan is under development, but will involve modification or replacement of the accelerator pedal and replacement of any Toyota all-weather floor mat. Toyota has not provided a schedule for owner notification at this time. Further information concerning the remedy and the owner notification schedule is expected from Toyota. Toyota's recall campaign numbers are 90l (Toyota) and 90LG (Lexus). This recall is an expansion of safety recalls 09V-388 and 10V-023. 11V-113 FEBRUARY 2011 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 and 2007 Lexus GS300 and GS350 all wheel drive (AWD) vehicles. There is a possibility that the plastic pad embedded into the floor carpet may interfere with the operation of the accelerator pedal. The accelerator pedal could temporarily become stuck in a partially depressed position rather than return to the idle position. A stuck accelerator pedal may result in unintended and sustained vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will modify the plastic pad on the floor carpet free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule. 11V-115 NEWS: Toyota recalls 22,000 vehicles over tire pressure monitors DETROIT NEWS -- March 5, 2011 – Toyota Motor Corp. said Saturday is recalling 22,000 SUVs and pickups that have faulty tire pressure monitoring systems — the latest safety campaign issued by the Japanese automaker. The recall covers some versions of 2008-2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Tacoma and Tundra vehicles. Under federal regulations, the vehicle's tire pressure monitoring systems must warn the driver not more than 20 minutes after the inflation pressure in a tire is equal to or less than either the pressure 25 percent below the recommended pressure. Toyota said the recall covers accessory wheels approved by Toyota that were installed at vehicle processing centers prior to distribution to dealers or by dealers prior to first sale. When the tires were changed, the tire pressure monitoring systems were not recalibrated correctly and do not start illuminating the low tire pressure warning sign at the required minimum activation pressure, Toyota said. Toyota will reset the system in most of the vehicles so they alert drivers as required. For the FJ Cruiser, the tire pressure monitoring system computer module will be changed because it cannot be reset. Toyota spokesman .. said Saturday that the company is unaware of any crashes or injuries related to the tire pressure system recall. Toyota hasn't decided on a recall schedule yet. Toyota has recalled 2.45 million vehicles this year in five campaigns after leading all automakers in recalls in 2009 and 2010, with about 11.8 million vehicles called back over the two-year period. Last month, Toyota issued three separate recall campaigns for 2.17 million for pedal entrapment issues. The recalls ended the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's year-long investigation into whether Toyota had recalled enough vehicles connected to sudden unintended acceleration issues. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota recalls 2.17 million vehicles in US YAHOO NEWS -- February 23, 2011 – Toyota Motor Corp. recalled 2.17 million vehicles in the United States on Thursday to address accelerator pedals that could become entrapped in floor mats or jammed in driver's side carpeting, prompting federal regulators to close its investigation into the embattled automaker. The Transportation Department said it had reviewed more than 400,000 pages of Toyota documents to determine whether the scope of the company's recalls for pedal entrapment was sufficient. "As a result of the agency's review, (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) asked Toyota to recall these additional vehicles, and now that the company has done so, our investigation is closed," said NHTSA administrator David Strickland. Toyota has now recalled more than 14 million vehicles globally to fix gas pedals and other safety problems since 2009. The company has received intense scrutiny from the government since August 2009, when four people were killed in a high-speed crash involving a Lexus near San Diego. U.S. regulators largely cleared the company earlier this month, saying that electronic flaws were not to blame for reports of sudden, unintended acceleration that led to hundreds of complaints. Transportation officials tied the problems to mechanical defects dealt with in recalls and "pedal misapplication," in which the driver stepped on the accelerator instead of the brakes. The company has, however, paid the U.S. government a record $48.8 million in fines for its handling of three recalls. The world's No. 1 automaker has tried to move beyond the recalls, vowing to heed customer complaints and upgrade its safety technology. The company has installed on new vehicles brake override systems, which automatically cut the throttle when the brake and gas pedals are applied simultaneously, and created engineering teams to examine vehicles that are the subject of consumer complaints. In its latest safety action, Toyota said more than half of the vehicles under recall were being added to a massive 2009 recall that fixed gas pedals getting trapped in the floor mat. The Japanese automaker said it would add three models to the 2009 pedal entrapment recall: about 600,000 4Runner SUVs from the 2003-2009 model years; 761,000 RAV4 compact SUVs from the 2006-2010 model years; and 17,000 Lexus LX 570s from the 2008-2011 model years. Toyota spokesman...said the additional pedal entrapment recalls were "based on our continued constructive dialogue with NHTSA. While our actions up to now have led to a substantial reduction in reports of acceleration concerns, we mutually agreed that Toyota would take these additional steps to help ensure that acceleration concerns are further reduced." The recall also includes 372,000 RX 330, RX 350 and RX 400H vehicles from the 2004 through early 2007 model years and 397,000 2004-2006 Toyota Highlander SUVs and hybrid versions to replace floor carpet covering and retention clips on the driver's side that could interfere with the accelerator pedal arm. Toyota also recalled 20,000 2006 through early 2007 GS 300 and GS 350 all-wheel drive vehicles to change the shape of a plastic pad embedded in the driver's side floor carpet that could cause pedal interference. Lyons said the company was unaware of any accidents or injuries related to the new recalls. He said Toyota was pleased NHTSA had closed its investigation. Toyota still faces dozens of lawsuits from owners. NHTSA has received about 3,000 reports of sudden acceleration incidents involving Toyota vehicles during the past decade, including allegations of 93 deaths. NHTSA, however, has confirmed five of them. The company said owners of the recalled GS 300 and GS 350 vehicles will be notified of the recall in early March. Owners of the RX and Highlander vehicles will be notified in the "near future" and receive a second notification once replacement covers are available. Owners of the recalled 4Runner, LX 570 and RAV4s will also receive an initial notification in the near future, followed by a second notification once the recall preparations are complete. MORE RECALL INFO: JANUARY 2011 - Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Lexus IS and model year 2006-2007 Lexus GS vehicles. Due to insufficient tightening of the fuel pressure sensor connected to an engine fuel delivery pipe with nickel phosphorus plating, there is a possibility that, over time, the pressure sensor could loosen. If loosening occurs, fuel could leak past a gasket used in the connection between the sensor and the pipe and through the threaded portion of the sensor. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Dealers will inspect for fuel leakage from the threaded portion of the fuel pressure sensor and if a fuel leak is not confirmed, dealers will further tighten the fuel pressure sensor with the proper torque. If a fuel leak is confirmed, the gasket between the sensor and the fuel deliver pipe will be replaced with a new one, and the sensor will be tightened with the proper torque. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during March 2011. 11V-029 DECEMBER 2010 - Toyota is recalling certain model year 2011 Sienna vehicles. The brake stop lamp switch is mounted on a small bracket welded on the left side of the service brake pedal support assembly. Due to its proximity to the parking brake pedal, in limited circumstances the stop lamp switch bracket could be damaged by the operator's foot during parking brake application. This could result in brake drag with associated brake noise, vibration, and/or illumination of the brake warning light. Braking effectiveness could be reduced increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the bracket assembly free of charge. Toyota plans to mail an interim owner notification in the middle of January 2011, to advise owners of the recall. A second letter will be mailed when parts are available to complete repairs. 10V-620 NEWS: Toyota recalls 255,000 Lexus GS & IS in North America YAHOO NEWS -- January 26, 2011 – Toyota is recalling 1.7 million vehicles, the bulk of them in Japan, for various defects that may cause fuel leakage — the latest in quality control woes for the world's No. 1 automaker. Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it was recalling a wide range of models, including the IS and GS Lexus luxury models in North America and the Avensis sedan and station wagon models in Europe. There were no accidents suspected of being related to the defects, according to Toyota. Toyota said it had received 77 complaints overseas, 75 of them in North America, and more than 140 in Japan. In one of the problems announced Wednesday, an improper installation of a sensor to measure fuel pressure may cause the sensor to loosen as a result of engine vibration over time, and possibly cause fuel leakage, the company said. That problem also affects 280,000 Lexus cars sold abroad, 255,000 of them in North America and 10,000 in Europe. Included under that recall are the 2006 through 2007 Lexus GS300/350, 2006 through early 2009 Lexus IS250, and 2006 through early 2008 Lexus IS350 sold in the U.S. Lexus dealers will inspect the vehicles for fuel leakage and will tighten the fuel pressure sensor with the proper torque, if nothing is leaking. If a leak is confirmed, the gasket between the sensor and the delivery pipe will be replaced, it said. In December, Toyota agreed to pay $32.4 million in fines to the U.S. government to settle the investigation into its handling of two recalls. The latest settlement was on top of the $16.4 million fine Toyota paid earlier. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota recalling Sienna minivans YAHOO NEWS -- December 14, 2010 – Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday it will recall nearly 100,000 Sienna minivans from the 2011 model year to replace a switch bracket on the brake lamp that could cause the brake lights to stay on. The Japanese automaker, which has grappled with several safety recalls during the past year, said a driver's foot could hit the switch bracket and deform it while applying the parking brake pedal. Toyota said it did not know of any accidents or injuries related to the issue. The switch bracket is welded on to the left side of the brake pedal assembly. The brake lamp provides a signal to indicate that the brake pedal has been depressed and illuminates the brake lights. Toyota has recalled more than 10 million vehicles in the past year to address a number of safety problems, including faulty gas pedals, floor mats that can trap accelerators, defective braking and stalling engines. The world's No. 1 automaker faces dozens of lawsuits in the U.S. from family members of people who were killed or injured in crashes connected to unintended acceleration. In the Sienna recall, Toyota said the bracket problem could lead to the brake lights remaining on. If the bracket was significantly deformed, the service brake could become partially engaged, causing brake drag, noise and vibrations in the vehicle. The brakes could also wear down faster. Toyota told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the recall potentially affected 94,126 vehicles, which were produced from Dec. 22, 2009, through Nov. 4, 2010. The company received its first report about a deformed bracket in December 2009, when the vehicle was in pre-mass production stage. Following additional reports, inspections and an investigation by the company, it decided to issue the recall. Owners will be notified of the recall in mid-January 2011 and told how to minimize the potential of hitting the bracket. Replacement parts are expected to become available in late February and dealers will replace the bracket assembly at no charge. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: Toyota to fix 380,000 Priuses in North America CNNMoney.com -- December 1, 2010 – Toyota Motor Co. has announced a "limited service campaign" to fix cooling pumps on 378,000 Toyota Prius hybrid cars in North America. Air can leak into water pumps that cool parts of the electric drive systems on model year 2004 through 2007 Priuses. Excess air in the cooling system can allow bubbles to form which can, in turn, inhibit cooling. The campaign involves only Priuses from model years 2004 through 2007. This cooling system is separate from the cooling system for the car's gasoline engine. Hybrid cars such as the Prius have both a gasoline engine and electric motor. Once sensors in the car detect overheating of the electric drive system, a warning light will come on alerting the driver to the problem, Toyota spokesman said. At the same time, the car will enter a "safe mode" in which total driving power will be reduced. "You will notice that the car will not go as fast as it used to go, and you will see an indicator light," Hanson said. Owners of model year 2004 through 2007 Priuses have until November 2013, to have the water pump replaced at no cost. Priuses built after the 2007 model year and other Toyota and Lexus hybrid models do not use the same water pump, and therefore are not involved in the campaign. The "limited service campaign" is not considered a safety recall because the problem in question is not considered a safety issue, Toyota spokesman said. OCTOBER 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 Avalon, model year 2004-2006 Highlander, model year 2004-2006 Lexus RX, and model year 2006 Lexus GS and IS vehicles. Brake fluid containing polymers is used that acts as lubricants for certain brake system components. If replacement brake fluid is used that does not contain such polymers, or that contains only small amounts, a part of the rubber seal located at the rear of the brake master cylinder may become dry, and the seal may curl during movement of the piston. If this occurs, a small amount of brake fluid could slowly leak from the seal into the brake booster. A leak of brake fluid could lead to a change in brake pedal feel and overtime a degradation in braking performance increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the seal with a newly designed one. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2010. 10V-499 NEWS: Toyota to recall 1.66 million cars over brake fluid leak YAHOO NEWS -- October 21, 2010 – Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday it would repair 1.66 million Avalon and other vehicles, mostly in Japan and the United States, in the latest large-scale recall to plague the world's biggest automaker. The announcement came less than two months after a recall in Canada and the United States of 1.3 million Corolla and Matrix cars carrying defective engine control modules that could cause the vehicles to stall. Toyota had already recalled over 10 million vehicles in the past year, mostly for unintended acceleration, denting its reputation for quality and attracting intense scrutiny from U.S. safety regulators. Toyota said it would recall 740,000 Avalon, Highlander, Lexus GS300, IS250 and IS350 cars in the United States to replace a brake master cylinder seal because there was a possibility that some brake fluid could leak from the cylinder, causing the brake warning lamp to light up. The recall is expected to begin in October. MORE RECALL INFO:
AUGUST 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles. The engine control module (ECM) for the subject models equipped with the 1ZZ-FE engine and two-wheel drive may have been improperly manufactured. There is a possibility that a crack may develop at certain solder points or on varistors on the circuit board. There are a variety of warnings and consequences associated with the defect. The engine warning lamp could be illuminated, harsh shifting could result, the engine may not start, or the engine could shut off while the vehicle is being driven. An engine shutoff while the vehicle is being driven increases the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect the production number of the ECM and replace the ECM if necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Toyota will mail an interim owner notification the middle of September 2010 to advise owners of this defect and recall. This interim notification will inform owners that they will receive a future notification when parts become available to have the free remedy performed on their vehicle. A schedule has not been set for the future notifications. 10V-384 NEWS: Toyota recalls 1.1 million Corollas, Matrixes YAHOO NEWS -- August 26, 2010 – Toyota recalled 1.13 million Corolla sedans and Matrix hatchbacks Thursday because their engines may stall, the latest in a string of quality problems at the Japanese automaker. The recall covers vehicles from the 2005-2008 model years sold in North America. Three accidents and one minor injury have been reported, though Toyota said a link to the engine issue has not been confirmed. The automaker said vehicles with 1ZZ-FE engines may contain a defective engine control module, the computer that regulates the performance of the engine. In some cases, a crack may develop on the module's circuit board, which could prevent the engine from starting, harsh shifting or an engine stall. Toyota said it will replace the engine control modules on the recalled vehicles at no charge. It will begin mailing notifications to customers with affected Corollas and Matrixes starting in mid-September. Toyota Motor Corp. has recalled more than 10 million vehicles worldwide over the past year for a range of problems, including faulty gas pedals, floor mats that can trap accelerators and braking problems in its Prius hybrid. Federal regulators have been investigating the possibility of engine stalls in the Corolla and Matrix models since December and intensified their probe earlier this week. MORE RECALL INFO: Toyota Corolla Toyota Matrix JULY 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2008 Lexus passenger cars manufactured from August 26, 2005 through August 4, 2008. Micro-foreign objects in the material of the valve spring may degrade the strength of the valve spring, possibly causing the spring to break. The engine could fail and stop suddenly while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during August 2010. . 10V-309 JULY 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2000-2004 Avalon vehicles. Due to improper casting of the steering lock bar, there is a possibility that a minute crack may develop on the surface of the lock bar. Such a crack may expand over a long period of repeated lock and unlock operations, and eventually the lock bar could break. Should the steering lock bar break, the steering wheel would lock and the driver would lose the ability to steer the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the steering interlock device free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin late August 2010. 10V-345 JULY 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2003-2007 Lexus LX470 vehicles. The construction of the steering shaft is such that the snap ring on the shaft may disengage when the vehicle experiences an unusually severe impact to the front wheels. If the snap ring becomes disengaged and the steering wheel is then repeatedly turned to the locked position, over time the steering shaft may become disconnected. This could result in loss of steering control increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the snap ring with a newly designed one and install an additional component which will prevent separation of the steering shaft. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during August 2010. . 10V-346 NEWS: Toyota says to recall 412,000 cars in the U.S. YAHOO NEWS -- July 29, 2010 – Japan's Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday it would recall 412,000 high-end passenger cars in the United States to fix steering problems. Toyota, which has conducted a string of recalls this year, will recall 373,000 of its 2000-2004 model year Avalon sedans because the steering lock bar in these vehicles could break under certain conditions, it said in a statement. It will also recall 39,000 of its 2003-2007 model year LX470 sports utility vehicles to eliminate the risk of steering shaft disengagement, the world's biggest automaker said. Toyota has received reports of three accidents involving the Avalon models subject to the recall though there have been no injuries reported, a Toyota spokesman said. It is not clear if the three accidents are related to the possible defect Toyota is now trying to fix, he said. There have been no reports of accidents involving the LX470 models subject to the recall, Toyota said. MORE RECALL INFO: NEWS: U.S. grand jury subpoenas Toyota on steering rods YAHOO NEWS -- July 20, 2010 – A U.S. grand jury has ordered Toyota Motor Corp to turn over documents related to problems with rods that connect vehicle steering systems to their front wheels, the company said on Tuesday. The subpoena was at least the third Toyota has received this year, potentially deepening the automaker's legal issues following its recall of more than 10 million vehicles since last September. The embarrassing recalls by Toyota, once considered a benchmark for high vehicle quality, mainly concern unintended acceleration, including pedals that stick or become caught under floor mats. Toyota said in a statement that it was complying with the subpoena. The company did not identify the models and model years covered by the latest subpoena, which a Toyota spokeswoman said was received by a U.S. unit from a federal grand jury in Manhattan on June 29. A spokeswoman for the office of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara declined to comment on Tuesday. A federal grand jury in the same prosecutorial district subpoenaed Toyota in February as the automaker tackled a crisis over how it handled problems that caused unintended acceleration in vehicles. The following month, Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox subpoenaed the company seeking information on the recalls. A grand jury probe raises the possibility of criminal charges, on top of dozens of civil lawsuits that could cost Toyota billions of dollars in damages. The Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office has one of the highest profiles in the United States, with jurisdiction over some of Wall Street's largest publicly traded companies. Toyota has shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a probe into the timing of a September 2005 Toyota recall for a steering relay rod problem. It questions whether Toyota notified the agency of a defect within five business days, as required by U.S. law. Toyota recalled Hilux trucks with defective steering relay rods in 2004 in Japan, but at the time told U.S. regulators the defect was isolated to vehicles in Japan, NHTSA said. The automaker later admitted the problem affected vehicles sold in the United States. Its 2005 U.S. recall covered about 978,000 vehicles, including the 4Runner sport utility vehicle and pickup trucks from the 1989-1996 model years. The U.S. government ordered Toyota in April to pay a $16.4 million fine for delaying a January recall over accelerator pedals that did not spring back as designed. JUNE 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 HS250h Lexus vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 301, "Fuel System Integrity." When the vehicle was rotated following a crash test as required, the amount of fuel leakage exceeded the allowable limits. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Toyota has not provided a remedy for this campaign or has not determined when the safety recall is expected to begin. 10V-285 NEWS: Toyota says 270,000 vehicles have faulty engines YAHOO NEWS -- July 1, 2010 – Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday about 270,000 cars sold worldwide, including luxury Lexus sedans, have potentially faulty engines, in the latest quality issue to confront the Japanese automaker after a string of massive recalls. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the U.S. government's auto safety agency, said Toyota had not formally notified it about a recall. Japan's top-selling daily Yomiuri said the company will inform the Japanese transport ministry of a recall on Monday but the paper cited no sources. Toyota spokesman Hideaki Homma in Japan said the company was evaluating measures to deal with the problem of defective engines that can stall while the vehicle is moving. He would not confirm a recall was being considered. The world's largest automaker has scrambled to repair its reputation following the recall of 8.5 million vehicles around the globe because of problems with sticking accelerator pedals and gas pedals that can get trapped in floor mats. Toyota was slapped with a record $16.4 million fine in the United States for acting too slowly to recall vehicles with defects. Toyota dealers have repaired millions of vehicles, but the automaker still faces more than 200 lawsuits tied to accidents, the lower resale value of Toyota vehicles and the drop in the company's stock. U.S. regulators are working with scientists from NASA to investigate what caused some of the vehicles to suddenly accelerate. That review is expected to be completed by late August. NHTSA officials are also reviewing whether Toyota waited nearly a year in 2005 to recall trucks and SUVs in the U.S. with defective steering rods, a case that could lead to additional fines. Lexus general manager Mark Templin said during manufacturing there were some contaminated materials used for valve springs in the engine, which could cause abnormal noises or rough idling. In extreme cases, Templin said the engine could stall and drivers would likely hear noises or idling before the vehicle stalled. Templin said the engines were included in previous model years of the IS350, GS350, GS460, GS450h, LS460, LS600h, LS600hL and Toyota Crown, which is primarily sold in Japan. He said the company was still evaluating which model years were affected by the engine problems and the company would make an announcement to customers when a fix is determined. Lexus said in a statement that approximately 137,000 vehicles could be affected in the U.S. A company official in Japan said earlier that about 90,000 vehicles with the engine problems were sold in Japan and a total of 270,000 vehicles worldwide were involved. Lexus said it had not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to the issue. Asked whether the cars were safe, Templin said, "I'm driving one and I feel totally comfortable in it." Toyota said it has received around 200 complaints in Japan over faulty engines. Some drivers told Toyota that the engines made a strange noise. Homma said there have been no reports of accidents linked to the faulty engines. Toyota spokesman Ed Lewis said the company had not formally notified the U.S. highway safety agency about the issue. He could not confirm any plans for a recall in the United States. In the aftermath of the recalls, Congress is considering an upgrade to auto safety laws to toughen potential penalties against automakers, give the U.S. government more power to demand a recall and push car companies to meet new safety standards. Toyota said last week it will recall 17,000 Lexus luxury hybrids after testing showed that fuel can spill during a rear-end crash. MAY 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain Model Year 2009 and 2010 Lexus LS460 and LS600 vehicles manufactured from August 20, 2009 through May 13, 2010. A programming change of the steering control ECU for the variable gear ratio steering (VGRS) system can cause improper activation of the steering system protection logic designed to protect the system when larger than normal steering inputs are applied at a fully turned position. Improper activation of the steering system protection logic can cause the steering wheel to become off-center up to 90 degrees. This may occur after the driver has fully turned the steering wheel in one direction then quickly attempts to turn it back to the center position. Should this occur while driving, the risk of a crash is increased. Toyota will notify owners and Lexus dealers will replace the steering control ECU free of charge. Toyota has not determined when the safety recall is expected to begin. 10V-218 NEWS: Toyota to recall Lexus "LS" vehicles in US YAHOO NEWS -- May 20. 2010 – Toyota said Wednesday that it will recall a line of luxury Lexus sedans in the United States and Japan to fix a computerized steering problem. The recalls will affect 4,500 Lexus "LS" vehicles in Japan and the 3,800 2010 "LS" models that Toyota has sold in the United States. The line is Toyota's top-priced luxury sedan brand, and includes the "LS 600h" hybrid. The world's largest automaker, battered by a series of high-profile safety recalls in recent months, said consumers have complained of steering wheels that came off-center during certain driving maneuvers, out of alignment with the directon of the car's wheels. Toyota received 12 complaints in Japan, but said it knew of no accidents caused by the problem. The company has sold about 7,000 Lexus "LS" sedans outside of Japan, including the 3,800 in the U.S., 150 in Europe and 800 in China, with others sold in areas such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Australia. After being hit with a record $16.4 million fine in the U.S. and facing strong government criticism both at home and abroad for slow responses to safety problems, Toyota Motor Corp. is working to react more quickly. The company on Tuesday paid the fine in the U.S., where it still faces hundreds of state and federal lawsuits. The latest issue involves a computerized system that oversees how the steering wheel controls the tires. The steering system comes standard in Japanese models, but is optional in some other regions. It varies the amount that the steering wheel turns the tires on a car, allowing drivers to turn the wheel less at low speeds when attempting to navigate or park in tight spots and providing finer control at high speeds. The system can take "a few seconds" to return the steering to normal after it has been adjusted, which led to complaints from drivers, said Toyota spokesman He said Toyota is preparing to conduct a recall in Japan soon, but wasn't sure of the exact timing. The U.S. recall is expected Friday.
APRIL 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Lexus GX460 passenger vehicles manufactured from November 16, 2009 through April 8, 2010. If the vehicle is driven through a sharp turn at high speed under certain conditions it could skid and could roll over. If the vehicle strikes a curb or slides off the pavement, a crash could occur. Toyota will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles by reprogramming the vehicle stability control free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during May 2010. 10V-159 APRIL 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 1998 through 2010 Sienna passenger vehicles manufactured between August 7, 1997 and January 4, 2010, currently registered in or originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington District Of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, And Wisconsin. The subject vehicles are equipped with the spare tire stowed under the vehicle. If the vehicle is operated in the cold climate regions of the United States where road salt is frequently used, water splashed backwards with high concentrations of road salt can reach the spare tire carrier and corrode the spare tire carrier assembly cable. The cable may break due to excessive corrosion and the spare tire may separate from the vehicle, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash. The manufacturer has not yet provided the agency with a remedy and notification schedule. 10V-160 APRIL 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2003 Sequoia passenger vehicles manufactured from April 1, 2002 through April 17, 2003. The center position of the Steering Angle Sensor (SAS) may not be stored correctly due to improper logic of the Skid Control ECU programming. The Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system could activate at low speed for a few seconds during acceleration from a stopped position. Should this occur, the vehicle may not accelerate as quickly as the driver expects, increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace the Skid Control ECU free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during May 2010. 10V-176 MARCH 2010 - Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Tundra vehicles with four wheel drive, there is a possibility that an improper weld exists at the union of the propeller shaft and yoke. Due to this improper weld, this joint may separate and the separated shaft may come into contact with the road surface. This may result in a loss of vehicle control increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the front propeller shaft free or charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during April 2010. . 10V-091 NEWS Toyota recalls 600,000 mini-vans USA TODAY -- April 17, 2010 -- Toyota says it is recalling 600,000 Sienna mini-vans because of corrosion on the cable holding the spare-tire carrier. The problem has surfaced on vehicles in cold climates with heavy use of road salt. The recall covers 1998 through 2010 model years. The automaker write in its news release that "prolonged exposure" to road salts may cause "excessive corrosion" of the cable. "In the worst case," the company says, cable may fail and the spare tire could "become separated from the vehicle." That creates "a road hazard for following vehicles" and could cause a crash. Toyota said it's working on a remedy. Until then, owners will receive "an interim notice" telling them to take their vehicles to a dealership for an inspection. MORE RECALL NEWS: Toyota Sienna FEBRUARY 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Toyota Prius and Lexus HS250H passenger vehicles. Customers have experienced inconsistent brake feel after ABS actuation during slow and steady application of the brakes on rough or slick road surfaces. Stopping distances may be increased compared with a customer's expectation for a given pedal force. Vehicle stopping distances may increase relative to a customer's expectation increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will rewrite the programming of the ABS control unit free of charge. The safety recall began on March 3, 2010. 10V-039 FEBRUARY 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Camrys. The length of the power steering pressure hose on vehicles equipped with the 4-cylinder (2AR-FE) engine may be insufficient, such that the gap between the crimp on the pressure hose and the brake tube for the left rear brake may be insufficient. Under these circumstances the brake tube may interfere with the crimp and may wear and then perforate. A brake tube perforation may result in brake fluid leakage. A leak in brake fluid may impact braking performance increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota will notify owners and, if necessary, dealers will replace or adjust the brake tube free of charge. The safety recall began on March 4, 2010. 10V-040 FEBRUARY 2010 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks. The propeller shaft may develop cracks during the manufacturing process. Over time, the cracks may eventually lead to the separation of the propeller shaft. This may result in a loss of vehicle control increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect and replace the front propeller shaft on affected vehicles free of charge. Owners will be notified in March and April 2010. 10V-042 NEWS: Toyota to expand recall of Tundra pickups for rust YAHOO NEWS -- March 11, 2010 – Toyota said Tuesday it will expand a recall announced last year to fix Tundra pickup trucks with frames that could rust and lead to spare tires falling from the vehicle. Toyota spokesman ,,, said the recall will cover Tundra pickups from the 2000-2003 model years in all 50 states. It would broaden a recall announced in November that covered 110,000 trucks in 20 "cold weather" states and the District of Columbia. Lyons said dealers were notified of the expanded recall Tuesday but he did not immediately know how many additional trucks would be covered. He said Toyota would provide more details. Toyota has recalled more than 8 million cars and trucks worldwide to address gas pedals and floor mats that can cause the accelerator to become stuck in the depressed position. Federal regulators have linked 52 deaths to crashes allegedly caused by the accelerator problems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into excessive rust on Tundra frames in October after receiving 20 complaints of "severe frame corrosion." NHTSA said then it had received 15 reports alleging the spare tire, stowed under the truck bed, separated from the frame. Five other reports alleged broken brake lines because of the rust. It urged owners to remove the spare tire from the frame, concerned it could fall onto the road and create a road hazard. When the limited recall was announced last year, Toyota said it would ask dealers to inspect the frame's rear cross-member. If the inspection found the frame could no longer safely support the spare tire, the cross-member assembly would be replaced. Toyota had said it was recalling the trucks in the cold weather states because road salts and chemical deicers typically used to treat roads during the winter could cause additional corrosion in the trucks. The states originally covered by the recall are: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The Transportation Department had no immediate comment on the expanded recall.
NEWS: Toyota probes Corolla steering, considers recall YAHOO NEWS -- February 18, 2010 -- Toyota is considering a recall of its hot-selling Corolla subcompact after complaints about power steering problems — another blow to the world's largest automaker already reeling from a string of recalls for safety troubles. Despite pressure from some lawmakers, President Akio Toyoda said he won't be attending the U.S. congressional hearing on the automaker's quality lapses, entrusting the job to U.S.-based executives — though would consider an appearance if the committee requests it. He said he wanted to focus on improving quality worldwide. "I trust that our officials in the U.S. will amply answer the questions," Toyoda said Wednesday in his third news conference in two weeks. "We are sending the best people to the hearing, and I hope to back up the efforts from headquarters." He said Yoshi Inaba, who heads Toyota Motor Corp.'s North American unit, was more familiar with the U.S. situation and was the best executive to deal with the hearing. Toyoda said he was still making plans to go to the U.S. and dates have yet to be set. But in an alarming disclosure that could widen Toyota's recall crisis, the executive in charge of quality controls, Shinichi Sasaki, said Toyota was taking seriously the complaints about power-steering problems in the Corolla, the world's best-selling car. Speaking at Toyota's Tokyo office, Sasaki said the company was putting customers first in a renewed effort to salvage its reputation and would do whatever is necessary if a Corolla fix is needed. He said it was still uncertain if a Corolla recall would be necessary, but it is an option the automaker is considering. He didn't disclose model years or regions that could be affected and said there have been fewer than 100 complaints. Toyota sold nearly 1.3 million Corolla cars worldwide last year. Drivers may feel as though they were losing control over the steering, but it was unclear why, Sasaki said. He mentioned problems with the braking system or tires as possible underlying reasons for the steering problem. U.S. federal safety officials have also said they are examining complaints from Corolla owners about steering problems. Toyota has already recalled 8.5 million vehicles globally during the past four months because of problems with sticking gas pedals, floor mats trapping accelerators and faulty brake programming. Its once pristine reputation for quality has been hammered, and Toyota's share of the critical North American market has nose-dived. Last month was the first time since February 1998 that Toyota's monthly U.S. sales fell below 100,000 vehicles, according to Ward's AutoInfoBank. Koji Endo, managing director at Advanced Research Japan, said the Corolla problems, if they expand into a recall, would deal another major blow to Toyota. "If Toyota has to recall Corollas, I wouldn't be surprised if they have to recall more than a million units again. It's going to be another big, big negative," said Endo. But others said Toyota was sending a message it was going to be quick and thorough about maintaining quality. "It really shows the company has learned its lesson from the recall debacle by starting to announce every investigation far more quickly," said Ryoichi Saito, auto analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities Co. in Tokyo. Analysts had mixed views about Toyoda's reluctance to show up at Congress — some critical but others saying it was OK. Unlike Western chief executives, Japanese presidents are not always expected to be an authoritative figure and play more of a team leader role in a culture that values harmony and consensus. That role is even more pronounced for Toyoda, the grandson of the company's founder who holds special significance for rank-and-file workers and dealers in Japan. The U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is holding a hearing on Feb. 24 on Toyota's gas pedal problems. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has scheduled one the next day. Inaba, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and NHTSA Administrator David Strickland are expected to testify at both meetings. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has scheduled a March 2 hearing. At Wednesday's news conference, a solemn Toyoda reiterated his promise beef up quality controls at the world's No. 1 automaker. He promised a brake-override system in all future models worldwide that will add a safety measure against acceleration problems that are behind the recent massive recalls. The system is a mechanism that overrides the accelerator if the gas and brake pedals are pressed at the same time. "We are not covering up anything, and we are not running away from anything," Toyoda said. The automaker said it was also dealing with questions about whether the gas pedal flaw was electronic and reiterated its investigation has not found any electronic problems. But it has commissioned an independent research organization to test its electronic throttle system, and will release the findings as they become available. Scrutiny of Toyota is growing. The U.S. Transportation Department has demanded Toyota hand over documents related to its massive recalls. The department wants to know how long the automaker knew of safety defects before taking action. Reports of deaths in the U.S. connected to sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles have surged in recent weeks, with the alleged death toll reaching 34 since 2000, according to new consumer data gathered by the U.S. government. Toyota told NHTSA in January that the problem appeared in Europe beginning in December 2008. Toyota has said it began fixes on that in August 2009, but the company failed to link that with gas pedal problems in the U.S., which surfaced in October 2009. Toyota took full-page ads in major Japanese newspapers Wednesday to apologize for the recalls in Japan, which affect the flagship Prius hybrid and two other hybrid models. "We apologize from the bottom of our hearts for the great inconvenience and worries that we have caused you all," the black-and-white ads say. MORE RECALL INFO: Toyota Corolla NEWS: Toyota recalls 8,000 Tacoma trucks CNN -- February 13, 2010 -- Toyota announced a voluntary safety recall of about 8,000 four-wheel-drive Tacoma trucks in North America, citing potential production defects in the front drive shaft of certain 2010 models. The automaker said Friday that the front shaft in a small production run of pickups may include a component that developed cracks during the manufacturing process. As the vehicles are used, the cracks could lead to "the separation of the drive shaft at the joint portion." Toyota said the safety inspection and replacement will be performed at no cost. READ FULL NEWS STORY MORE RECALL INFO: Toyota Tacoma NEWS: Toyota recalls 133,000 Prius & 14,500 Lexus Hybrid Vehicles YAHOO NEWS -- February 9, 2010 – Toyota is recalling 437,000 Prius and other hybrid vehicles worldwide to fix brake problems — the latest embarrassing safety lapse at the world's largest automaker. In the U.S., Toyota will recall 133,000 Prius cars and 14,500 Lexus HS250h vehicles. Nearly 53,000 Priuses are also being recalled in Europe. Toyota is suspending production of the Sai and Lexus HS250h in Japan until the updated software for those models is ready. If drivers experience a delayed reaction when depressing the brakes in any of these models, they should keep pressing, according to Toyota and the transport ministry. The Prius repairs will start in Japan on Wednesday. U.S. owners will start receiving letters about the recall next week. READ FULL NEWS STORY MORE RECALL INFO: Toyota Prius Lexus HS250h NEWS: Toyota to recall Prius hybrid in US, Japan YAHOO NEWS -- February 5, 2010 – Toyota will recall 270,000 Prius hybrid vehicles over brake problems in the United States and Japan, a report said Friday, while the beleaguered auto giant launched an investigation into possible problems with the brakes in its luxury Lexus hybrid. The recall would affect the new Prius hybrid model, and Toyota Motor Corp. would soon notify Japan's transport ministry and the U.S. Department of Transportation of the recall, Japan's top business newspaper, Nihon Keizai, said Friday. Japanese public broadcaster NHK also said Toyota was considering a recall of Prius hybrids in the U.S. and Japan. Takayuki Fujimoto, a transport ministry official, said the government has yet to receive a recall notice from Toyota. Toyota cannot announce a recall in Japan until it notifies the ministry. Toyota spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi said Friday that Toyota had not yet decided whether to recall the Prius. "Nothing has been decided on whether we will recall or not," Takeuchi said. The new Prius hybrid went on sale in Japan and the United States in May 2009. More than 170,000 of the new Prius models have been sold in Japan, with around 103,000 sold in the U.S. since May. Toyota, reeling from massive global recalls of 4.5 million vehicles involving faulty gas pedals, acknowledged Thursday design problems with the brakes in its prized Prius. Complaints about braking problems in the Prius — the world's top-selling gas-electric hybrid — have been reported in the U.S. and Japan, combining to some 180. Takeuchi said Toyota has launched a probe into the luxury Lexus HS250h hybrid model for possible brake problems in Japan and the United States as the vehicle uses the same brake system as the new Prius hybrid. "We want to ensure safety for our customers," Takeuchi said. Toyota has not received any complaints about the Lexus HS250h, she said. The luxury HS250h went on sale in Japan in July 2009, and September last year in North America. Toyota said Thursday it had corrected problems with the antilock brake system in the new Prius models sold since late last month, including those shipped overseas. But the company said it was still deciding what steps to take to fix the problem in Prius cars sold in Japan and overseas before late January. MORE RECALL INFO: Toyota Prius NEWS: Toyota probe grows with questions on Prius brakes YAHOO NEWS -- February 3, 2010 – Americans should park their recalled Toyotas unless driving to dealers for accelerator repairs, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood warned Wednesday — then quickly took it back — as skepticism of company fixes grew and the government's probe expanded to other models in the U.S. and Japan. Questions now are being raised about the brakes on Toyota's marquee Prius hybrid. The Prius was not part of the most recent recall, but Japan's transport ministry ordered the company to investigate complaints of brake problems with the hybrid. LaHood said his department, too, was looking into brake problems. About 100 complaints over Prius brakes have been filed in the U.S. and Japan. Harried dealers began receiving parts to repair defective gas pedals in millions of vehicles and said they'd be extending their hours deep into the night to try and catch up. Toyota said that would solve the problem — which it said was extremely rare — of cars unaccountably accelerating.......Since October, Toyota first recalled about 5 million vehicles over problems with floor mats trapping gas pedals and now, in a recall announced Jan. 21, some 2.3 million vehicles amid concerns that gas pedals could become stuck or slow to return to the idle position. The latest recall involves 2009-10 RAV4 crossovers, 2009-10 Corollas, 2009-10 Matrix hatchbacks, 2005-10 Avalons, 2007-10 Camrys, 2010 Highlander crossovers, 2007-10 Tundra pickups and 2008-10 Sequoia SUVs. READ FULL NEWS STORY MORE RECALL INFO: Toyota Prius NEWS: What Toyota Drivers Should Do If Car Speeds Up on its Own Wall Street Journal -- January 27, 2010 -- Toyota Motor Corp. is advising drivers who own one of the 2.3 million vehicles affected by its latest recall for sudden acceleration to keep driving, but be on the lookout for anything unusual in the car's behavior. Unlike Toyota's earlier recall of 4.2 million vehicles for full-throttle unintended acceleration caused by accelerator pedals getting stuck under floor mats, the latest problem involves pedals that stick with the throttle partially open. Toyota says the new "sticky pedal" problem isn't related to the earlier cases. There is, however, an overlap of about 1.7 million cars that could have both problems, Toyota said. Drivers should look out for symptoms like a rough feel in the accelerator pedal's movement or a pedal that seems to return too slowly to the idle position. Owners also can have their dealer check the accelerator mechanism for wear that could precede more serious problems. Drivers who experience sudden acceleration from a stuck accelerator should step on the brake pedal firmly with both feet and shift the transmission into neutral to bring the vehicle to a stop, according to documents that Toyota has distributed to its dealers. Drivers who are unable to shift the vehicle into neutral should turn the engine off, the documents advise. The move won't cause a loss of steering or braking control, although drivers will have to use more effort because the power systems that assist steering and braking mechanisms with the engine on will be lost. In vehicles that have push-button starters, drivers should steadily press the button for at least three seconds to turn off the engine, the car-maker's documents say. Owners with a traditional key ignition should turn the engine off but not remove the key since that would lock the steering wheel. "Toyota is working quickly to prepare a correction remedy and will issue owner notifications in the future," according to the documents seen by The Wall Street Journal. "No action is required at this time unless you feel you are experiencing this condition. If you are experiencing this condition, immediately contact your nearest Toyota dealer for assistance." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it has been working with Toyota to address the defects and plans to review eventual remedies, but had no advice for consumers beyond contacting Toyota. "Toyota is the lead on this," said NHTSA spokesman Eric Bolton. Mr. Bolton said the agency is pleased that Toyota is taking action to correct the problem and notify drivers of potential hazards. John McEleney, president of Southgate Motors, a dealership in Clinton, Iowa, is asking his concerned Toyota customers to schedule an inspection appointment to determine if there is a problem. Other than that, Mr. McEleney said his hands are tied until Toyota begins sending replacement pedals or other corrective parts, which may take a couple of weeks. "We can at least provide a quick inspection to give customers some comfort," he said. If a dealer isn't providing inspections, vehicle owners who may be concerned should still call the showroom and get their names on a list for any repair, said Edmunds.com spokeswoman Jeannine Fallon. She also advised owners to take their vehicles to an empty parking lot and conduct their own tests to see if the accelerator pedal feels sticky. "If the pedal is slow to respond then don't drive it," Ms. Fallon said. "This may also be a time to set up other transportation possibilities, such as renting a car or traveling with a friend." NEWS: Toyota expanding recall by another 1 million vehicles YAHOO NEWS -- Jan 27, 2010 -- Toyota Motor Corp late on Wednesday said it is expanding a recall of its cars and trucks by another 1.1 million vehicles to address the risk of accelerator pedals becoming dangerously stuck. The recall involves 2009-2010 model year Corolla, Venza, Matrix vehicles and the 2008-2010 Highlander, as well as the 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe. The Vibe had been assembled at a plant in California that Toyota had operated jointly with GM. Toyota told federal officials of the expanded recall on Wednesday. It is the second high-profile safety action in less than a week for the automaker. Last week, Toyota recalled 2.3 million vehicles that it said may have a faulty accelerator pedal that sticks. Last year, Toyota said it was recalling more than 4 million vehicles for what it then said were safety risks linked to improperly placed floormats. In November, after the issue was investigated by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Toyota said it would also modify or replace accelerator pedals as well. The total number of recalled Toyotas in 2009 and 2010 now stands at 5.9 million. There are some models involved in last week's as well as last year's recall. In a letter to the NHTSA on Wednesday, Toyota said its plan is to modify or replace accelerator pedals. Modifying vehicle floors also will be considered on some models, Toyota said. "Initially, dealers will be instructed on how to reshape the accelerator pedal for the repair," Toyota's letter to U.S. safety regulators said. "As replacement parts...become available, they will be made available to the dealers," Toyota said Models covered by the latest GAS PEDAL recall include the
Models ADDED to the latest FLOOR MAT recall include the Models covered by the original FLOOR MAT recall include
NEWS: Toyota halts US sales of 8 recalled models YAHOO NEWS -- Jan 26, 2010 -- Toyota is suspending U.S. sales of eight car and truck models to fix sticking gas pedals and halting production lines at plants from Texas to Canada to deal with the problem, the latest to confront the world's No. 1 automaker. The suspended sales, announced Tuesday, involve a significant portion of Toyota Motor Co.'s fleet and some of its most popular vehicles, including the Camry and Corolla. As part of the plan, Toyota is halting some production at five assembly plants beginning the week of Feb. 1 "to assess and coordinate activities." There are 2.3 million vehicles involved in the recall, which was announced last week. Toyota has said it was unaware of any accidents or injuries due to the pedal problems associated with the recall, but could not rule them out for sure. "This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized," said Bob Carter, Toyota's group vice president and general manager. The Japanese automaker said the sales suspension includes the following models: the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2009-2010 Corolla, the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2009-2010 Matrix, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia. Models covered by the latest recall include the
Aaron Bragman, an auto analyst for the consulting firm IHS Global Insight in Troy, Mich., said Toyota typically sells about 65,000 Camrys and Corollas a month, and the frozen sales could strike the company's bottom line and reputation for quality. "That's huge if they can't sell these and they don't have a fix identified. They need to go and get a solution to this fast," Bragman said. Toyota sold more than 34,000 Camrys in December, making the midsize sedan America's best-selling car. It commands 3.4 percent of the U.S. market and sales rose 38 percent from a year earlier. Sales of the Corolla and Matrix, a small sedan and a hatchback, totaled 34,220 last month, with 3.3 percent of the market and sales up nearly 55 percent from December of 2008. It was unclear how long Toyota would suspend production of the vehicles. In an e-mail to employees, company officials said, "we don't know yet how long this pause will last but we will make every effort to resume production soon." Toyota officials did not immediately return phone messages. The automaker said the move would affect plants in Princeton, Ind., Lafayette, Ind., Georgetown, Ky., San Antonio, Texas, and a facility in Ontario, Canada. About 300 workers who build V8 engines at a Toyota plant in Huntsville, Ala., will also be affected, said Stephanie Deemer, a spokeswoman for the plant. Deemer said workers there would have the option of receiving additional training, take vacation or unpaid leave. Toyota said no other North American Toyota facility would be affected by the decision. Toyota dealers said they were concerned the move would hamper sales and were hopeful parts to fix the problem could be distributed quickly. "They're going the extra mile to reassure people that they really care about the customers," said Earl Stewart, owner of a Toyota dealership in North Palm Beach, Fla. "It is something that's going to be at least a short-term hardship on the dealers, and especially on Toyota." The auto company said the sales suspension would not affect Lexus or Scion vehicles. Toyota said the Prius, Tacoma, Sienna, Venza, Solara, Yaris, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser and select Camry models, including all Camry hybrids, would remain for sale. Toyota said last week it was recalling 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. to fix accelerator pedals with mechanical problems that could cause them to become stuck. The announcement followed a larger recall months earlier of 4.2 million vehicles because of problems with gas pedals becoming trapped under floor mats, causing sudden acceleration. That problem was the cause of several crashes, including some fatalities. NEWS: Toyota issues new recall for 2.3M vehicles over sticking pedals YAHOO NEWS – Jan 21, 2010 -- Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday it would recall 2.3 million vehicles in the United States to fix potentially faulty accelerator pedals in an admission of more wide-ranging problems with dangerous acceleration in its cars and trucks. The recall marked an acknowledgment that potential safety problems on Toyota vehicles run deeper than the automaker had first announced and broadened a recall that already ranked as its largest ever. The moves have threatened to damage Toyota's reputation for market-leading quality and safety at a time when the automaker's U.S. sales remain under pressure. Toyota had previously maintained that there was no evidence of a mechanical fault linked to reports of bursts of unintended acceleration that prompted the recall of about 4.2 million vehicles last year. The recall announced on Thursday is separate from the earlier action that Toyota said was aimed at addressing the risk that the accelerator pedals could become entrapped by loose or improperly installed floor mats. About 1.7 million Toyota vehicles are subject to both recalls, Toyota said. Models covered by the latest recall include the
The 2009-10 Pontiac Vibe -- which was assembled at the same factory as the Matrix -- is also going to be recalled. Toyota said its own investigation in recent months had found that some accelerator pedals on those Toyota brand models might stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to idle. The problems could occur when the pedal mechanism becomes worn, it said. "Toyota will continue to investigate incidents of unwanted acceleration and take appropriate measures to address any trends that are identified," it said in a statement. As recently as November,.... Toyota's U.S. brand chief, had said there was "no evidence" to support claims that the reported safety problems could be caused by anything other than loose floor mats interfering with the accelerator pedal. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had received reports of 100 incidents at the time of Toyota's first recall. Those reports included 17 crashes and five fatalities possibly linked to floor mats and accelerator pedals in Toyota cars and trucks. Toyota's earlier recall covers the Camry and Avalon sedans, the Prius hybrid, the Tacoma and Tundra pickup trucks, and the luxury Lexus models IS250, IS350 and ES350. NHTSA had conducted a similar investigation of floor mats in Toyota vehicles that began in 2007 and resulted in a recall of more than 50,000 cars. That probe focused on the Lexus ES350 and concluded that grooves in the floor mat could trap the accelerator if the mat was not secured with retaining hooks. JANUARY 2010 - Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Avalon, model year 2007-2010 Camry, model year 2009-2010 Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Rav4, model year 2010 Highlander, model year 2008-2010 Sequoia, and model year 2007-2010 Tundra vehicles. Due to the manner in which the friction lever interacts with the sliding surface of the accelerator pedal inside the pedal sensor assembly, the sliding surface of the lever may become smooth during vehicle operation. In this condition, if condensation occurs on the surface, as may occur from heater operation (without A/C) when the pedal assembly is cold, the friction when the accelerator pedal is operated may increase, which may result in the accelerator pedal becoming harder to depress, slower to return, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position. The accelerator pedal may become hard to depress, slow to return to idle, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will install a reinforcement bar in the accelerator pedal which will allow the pedal to operate smoothly. GM will notify owners for the Pontiac Vibe please see 10V-018. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin early February and will be completed in late April 2010. 10V-017 JANUARY 2010 - Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Highlander, model year 2009-2010 Corolla, Venza and Matrix passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. This recall is an expansion of a campaign of 3.8 million other Toyota vehicles announced in 2009 for the same issue (See 09V-388). A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death. Toyota will modify or replace the accelerator pedals on the subject vehicles. Floor surface modifications are also being considered and will be included for any model for which it is deemed appropriate. Initially, dealers will be instructed on how to reshape the accelerator pedal for the repair. As replacement parts with the same shape as the modified pedal become available, they will be made available to the dealers for the repair. Customers who have had the pedal reshape remedy completed will have the opportunity to receive a new pedal if they desire, after replacement pedals become available. In addition, Toyota will replace any Toyota all-weather floor mat in a subject vehicle with a newly designed mat, free of charge. For those customers who have the previous design all-weather floor mat but do not need or want the newly designed all-weather floor mat, Toyota will recover the previous design all-weather floor mat and reimburse its price. Toyota has not yet provided an owner notification schedule. 10V-023 NOVEMBER 2009 -- Toyota is recalling model year 2000-2003 Tundra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Excessive corrosion of the rear cross member may cause the separation of the spare tire stowed under the truck bed which would present a road hazard that could cause a crash. Also, corrosion of the rear cross member could affect the rear brake lines and the proportioning valve resulting in diminished braking capability. Separation of the spare tire and diminished brake capacity could increase the risk of a crash. Toyota is asking owners of the affected vehicles to remove the spare tire from under the vehicle until a remedy can be obtained. Dealers will inspect the rear cross member and related components, including the brake lines, and replace them if necessary. If the cross member does not need to be replaced, it will be sprayed with a corrosion protection compound. These services will be performed free of charge, however multiple visits to the dealer may be required. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before December 15, 2009. 09V-444 OCTOBER 2009 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death. Toyota will notify owners of affected vehicles to remove any driver's floor mat and not replace it with any other floor mat pending the development of model-specific remedies. Toyota will mail a second notification to owners of affected vehicles notifying them of the free remedy when it is available. The first notice was mailed on October 30, 2009 and Toyota will advise NHTSA an estimate of the date when the remedy parts will be available. 09V-388 NEWS: Toyota to recall 3.8M vehicles over floor mats WASHINGTON – November 2009 -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will recall 3.8 million vehicles in the United States, the company's largest-ever U.S. recall, to address problems with a removable floor mat that could cause accelerators to get stuck and lead to a crash. The recall will involve popular models such as the Toyota Camry, the top-selling passenger car in America, and the Toyota Prius, the best-selling gas-electric hybrid. Toyota said it was still working with officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to find a remedy to fix the problem and said owners could be notified about the recall as early as next week. Toyota spokesman Irv Miller said until the company finds a fix, owners should take out the removable floor mat on the driver's side and not replace it. "A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop a vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death," Miller said. NHTSA said it had received reports of 102 incidents in which the accelerator may have become stuck on the Toyota vehicles involved. It was unclear how many led to crashes but the inquiry was prompted by a high-speed crash in August in California of a Lexus barreling out of control. As the vehicle hit speeds exceeding 120 mph, family members made a frantic 911 call and said the accelerator was stuck and they couldn't stop the vehicle. "This is an urgent matter," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. "For everyone's sake, we strongly urge owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration." The recall will affect
Toyota's previously largest U.S. recall was about 900,000 vehicles in 2005 to fix a steering issue. The company declined to say how many complaints it had received about the accelerator issue. The Japanese automaker warned owners that if they think their vehicle is accelerating out of control, they should check to see whether their floor mat is under the pedal. If a driver can't remove the floor mat, Toyota advises drivers to step on the brake pedal with both feet until the vehicle slows and then try to put it into neutral and switch the ignition to accessory power. For vehicles with engine start/stop buttons, Toyota said the engine can be shut off by holding the button down for three seconds. In the August incident near San Diego, the fiery crash of a 2009 Lexus ES 350 killed California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor, 45, and three members of his family on State Route 125 in Santee. The runaway car was traveling at more than 120 mph when it hit a sport utility vehicle, launched off an embankment, rolled several times and burst into flames. One of the family members called police about a minute before the crash to report the vehicle had no brakes and the accelerator was stuck. The call ended with someone telling people in the car to hold on and pray, followed by a woman's scream. NHTSA investigators determined that a rubber all-weather floor mat found in the wreckage was slightly longer than the mat that belonged in the vehicle, something that could have snared or covered the accelerator pedal. Toyota spokesman John Hanson said the final report had not yet been submitted in the California case. "We don't know what the actual cause was of that accident other than preliminary reports that have been published so it's impossible for us to comment on that particular incident," Hanson said. In mid-September, Toyota ordered 1,400 Toyota and Lexus dealers nationwide to ensure that each new, used and loaner vehicles had the proper floor mats and that the mats were properly secured. In September 2007, Toyota recalled an accessory all-weather floor mat sold for use in some 2007 and 2008 model year Lexus ES 350 and Toyota Camry vehicles because of similar problems. NEWS: Toyota recalls 95,700 Toyota, Scion vehicles YAHOO NEWS -- August 27, 2009 -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it is launching a recall of roughly 95,700 Toyota and Scion-brand vehicles in the U.S. due to a possible brake malfunction. MORE RECALL INFO: AUGUST 2009 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Corolla vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." The air bag label installed on the driver side sun visor can separate from the surface of the visor. This does not meet the standard requirements. Dealers will inspect the label and exchange the driver's side sun visor free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or before October 15, 2009. 09V-332 AUGUST 2009 -- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Scion XD and model year 2009-2010 Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with 1.8L engine and originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. When driving under certain unique conditions in extremely low ambient temperatures, the intake manifold suction port for the brake vacuum can become locked due to the freezing of condensation resulting from positive crankcase ventilation. This could lead to an increase in vehicle stopping distance and a crash could occur. Dealers will install a newly designed intake air connector which will relocate the brake system vacuum port. This service will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or before September 15, 2009. 09V-338 JUNE 2009 -- Toyota is recalling 1,348 Model Year 2009 and 2010 passenger cars built from June 2, 2008 to May 4, 2009. These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 110, "Tire Selection and Rims." Incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels could result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota will notify owners and provide them with a new, accurate label to be installed over the inaccurate label free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during July 2009. 09V-223 JUNE 2009 -- Toyota is recalling 1,281 Model Year 2006 through 2009 Sienna, 2004 Land Cruiser, and 2009 Lexus GX passenger vehicles. The vehicle capacity weight on the tire and loading information label and the GVWR on the certification label is insufficient for certain vehicles. Some vehicles were accessorized through vehicle processing centers and had accessories installed that caused the vehicle to exceed the GVWR value. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 110, "Tire Selection and Rims," and 49 CFR Part 567. The GVWR is insufficient for the load carrying capacity of the vehicles. Toyota will notify owners instructing them to return their vehicle to a Toyota or Lexus dealer for an exchange of the certification label and the tire and loading information label, an installation of the load carrying capacity modification label, if necessary, and a correction to the owner's manual. This remedy will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during July 2009. 09V-234 JANUARY 2009 -- Toyota is recalling 214,570 MY 2006-2008 Lexus IS, MY 2006-2007 GS and MY 2007-2008 LS passenger vehicles equipped with aluminum fuel delivery pipes (fuel rails). Ethanol fuels with a low moisture content will corrode the internal surface of the fuel rails. As this condition progresses, the engine malfunction indicator light may illuminate. Over time, the corrosion may create a pinhole resulting in fuel leakage. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Dealers will inspect and replace the fuel delivery pipes free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during February 2009. Owners may contact Toyota/Lexus at 1-800-255-3987. 09V-020 JANUARY 2009 -- Toyota is conducting a safety improvement campaign involving 26,501 early 2004 MY Sienna vehicles. In the event the retention clip used to secure the floor carpet cover is missing, the cover can interfere with the operation of the accelerator pedal if the acceleration pedal is depressed to nearly the full throttle position. If this occurs, the accelerator pedal can become stuck which could result in a vehicle crash. Dealers will replace the retention clip and floor carpet cover at no charge. The manufacturer will begin notifying owners in early February 2009. Owner notification is expected to be completed by early April 2009. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371, if they have any further questions. This action is deemed a safety improvement campaign and is not being conducted under the safety act. However, Toyota has informed NHTSA that it will provide the modifications described above at no cost. This recall was the subject of an Engineering Analysis, EA08-014, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 09V-023 JANUARY 2009 -- Toyota is recalling 134,895 MY 2006-2007 Yaris vehicles equipped with driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners, which are designed to be activated in response to a severe frontal impact. When the sensor detects a severe frontal impact, the front seat belts are quickly drawn back by the retractors so that the belts snugly restrain the occupants. The involved vehicles contain a center pillar sound insulator located underneath each front seat belt pretensioner. In the event of seat belt pretensioner deployment, the gas generated may affect the sound insulators. In the worst case, if the sound insulators ignite, this condition will result in a post-collision fire. Dealers will modify the vehicle free of charge. The modification will entail removal of the small urethane center pillar sound insulators (sponge) underneath the driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners. The recall is expected to begin during February 2009. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. 09V-031 NEWS: Toyota recalls 130,000 Yaris cars in US Yahoo News -- January 28,2009 -- Toyota said Wednesday it will recall almost 1.3 million vehicles worldwide due to a defect that could cause a foam pad near the seat belt to ignite during collisions. The Japanese automaker said the recall includes 134,900 model-year 2006 and 2007 Yaris subcompacts that were sold in the U.S. Toyota Motor Sales USA said it is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall the vehicles. Toyota spokesman said in "severe front-end collisions," the mechanism that tightens the vehicle's seat belt expels a gas that could cause a sound-insulating foam pad nearby to ignite. In a worst-case scenario, the problem could cause a fire, he said. However, ... said no cases of either have been reported where this actually happened in the U.S., and no other vehicles are affected. The recall affects about 1.28 million vehicles worldwide that are based on Toyota's Yaris platform. MORE RECALL INFO: Toyota Yaris JUNE 2008 -- Toyota is conducting a safety improvement campaign involving 196,222 MY 2004-2006 Toyota Sienna vehicles equipped with power rear liftgate struts. The gas struts used to help lift and support the rear power liftgate could wear out sooner than expected. As the gas struts deteriorate, the performance of the liftgate will begin to degrade and the power rear liftgate will operate more slowly than when the gas struts were new. If not repaired, the gas struts may not be able to support the weight of the liftgate when it is open, and eventually, the gas struts could deteriorate to the point that the liftgate will fall about ten inches after it reaches the fully open position, at which point the power motor will engage and power the liftgate to the fully closed position. This condition may cause injury to a person who is struck by the liftgate when it falls or when it is closing. Dealers will replace the gas struts with newly designed gas struts that have a longer service lift. The campaign is expected to begin during August 2008. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. This action is deemed a safety improvement campaign and is not being conducted under the safety act. However, Toyota has informed NHTSA that it will provide the modifications described above. This recall was the subject of an Engineering Analysis, EA06-020, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 08V244 APRIL 2008 -- Toyota is recalling 662,178 MY 2003-2004 Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with power windows. The driver and front passenger door glass bolts may loosen and come off, causing the door glass to separate from the window regulator. Due to the components becoming loose and possibly rattling, an abnormal noise may be heard from the driver and/or front passenger door when operating the power windows. The door glass may separate from the window regulator, bind and shatter during operation of the power windows, causing driver distraction and/or injury. Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger door glass bolts with newly designed bolts free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during May 2008. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. This recall was the subject of an Engineering Analysis, EA08-004, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 08V-162 APRIL 2008 -- Toyota is recalling 90,189 MY 2008 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles equipped with a third row seat. These vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." The non-driver designated seating positions (DSP) on these vehicles are equipped with seat belt assemblies that have a feature that converts the retractor from an emergency locking retractor (ELR) to an automatic locking retractor (ALR). The belts convert to the ALR mode after the webbing has been fully withdrawn from the retractor. The system is designed so that as the belt is released into the retractor, the system remains in the ALR mode so that a child restraint system can be tightly secured. However, for the two third row seating positions on these vehicles, the ALR mode deactivates before the webbing is fully retracted, so that it will not lock when certain rear-facing child restraint systems that have a short seat belt routing path are installed in the vehicle. This can allow the seat belt webbing to spool out during normal driving maneuvers, which could affect the stability of a child restraint installed at those seating positions. As such, this could discourage the use of a child restraint and in the event of a crash, the child may not be adequately protected possibly resulting in injury. Dealers will install a newly designed seat belt component free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. This recall was the subject of an investigation, OA-208-071120E, conducted by the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance. 08V-181 DECEMBER 2007 -- Toyota is recalling 15,616 MY 2007 Tundra 4-wheel drive pickup trucks. Due to the improper heat treatment of the slip yokes that had been reworked during the manufacturing process, the hardness of the slip yoke may be insufficient. In this condition, there is a possibility that the yoke may break causing the propeller shaft to separate at the joint and come into contact with the road surface or the fuel tank which could result in a loss of vehicle control or a fuel leak. Dealers will inspect the slip yoke and replace the propeller shaft if necessary. The recall is expected to begin during January 2008. 07V-579 NOVEMBER 2007 -- Toyota is recalling 34,343 MY 2006 Lexus GS and IS vehicles. High stress areas may have been created in two specific fuel pipes located in the engine compartment. Combined with other factors such as the presence of corrosive agents in fuel, a crack may form over time leading to fuel leakage from the fuel line(s). Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire. Dealers will replace the two involved fuel lines with newly designed lines free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during December 2007. 07V545 NEWS: 2004-2006 Toyota Sienna ConsumerReports.org -- July 21, 2008 -- Toyota is conducting a safety improvement campaign on over 196,000 Toyota Sienna minivans equipped with power rear liftgate struts. The gas struts used to help lift the rear power liftgate could wear out earlier than expected and could eventually cause the liftgate to fall a few inches or completely close. Dealers will replace the gas struts with new ones that have a longer life. Owners can contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. MORE RECALL INFO: Toyota Sienna NEWS: Toyota recalls 90,000 Highlander SUVs over seat belt problem Toyota recalling about 90,000 Highlander sport utility vehicles over seat belt problem MORE RECALL INFO: Toyota Highlander NEWS: Toyota and GM recall 662,000 cars in U.S. DETROIT (Reuters) - April 10, 2008 - Toyota Motor Corp and General Motors Corp are recalling more than 662,000 vehicles sold in the United States due to defects in power windows, the two companies said on Wednesday. MORE RECALL INFO: Pontiac Vibe Toyota Matrix Toyota Corolla NEWS: Toyota recalling 15,600 Tundra pickups DETROIT (Reuters) -- December 14, 2007 -- Toyota Motor Corp said on Friday that it is recalling 15,600 Tundra pickup trucks in the United States because a rear propeller shaft may separate at the joint. |
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