Category Archives: Toyota

News about Toyota automobile manufacturer. News about Toyota recalls, technical service bulletins (TSB), and problems regarding Toyota vehicles.

Good News For The Auto Industry In California

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An automobile plant recently close by Toyota in California will be opening up their doors again for Tesla Motors Corp. Backed by a $50 million investment by Toyota, Tesla will start making electric cars within the year, at the same plant that was shared by a Toyota/GM venture. “By working together with a venture business such as Tesla, Toyota would like to learn from the challenging spirit, quick decision-making and flexibility that Tesla has. Decades ago, Toyota was also born as a venture business,” Toyoda said in a statement.

Restarting the factory is a major achievement for California’s economic development and a rare victory for a state that many business leaders say has become uncompetitive because of more regulations and higher labor costs than other states.

But not everyone is happy. The move is a disappointment for Downey officials who had been in talks with the automaker, hoping the company would set up shop in a closed facility that had once been used to manufacture the space shuttle.

Toyota’s investment in Tesla is particularly important because the electric vehicle company will be competing against better capitalized and larger traditional manufacturers. When an established manufacturer decides to partner with newcomers it will considerably increase the probability of success by giving them manufacturing know-how and access to a distribution network

Toyota Recalls Lexus LS Vehicles

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Toyota announced Wednesday that it will be recalling almost 4,500 Lexus LS luxury sedans in the United States and 7,000 in Japan. The complaint comes from consumers who say that the steering wheel came out of alignment with the direction of the car’s wheels during certain driving maneuvers.

The problem involves the computerized system that oversees how the steering wheel controls the tires. The steering system comes standard in Japanese models, but is optional in other countries. It varies the amount that the steering wheel turns the tires, 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 Paul Nolasco.

There have been 12 complaints out of Japan but no accidents reported because of the problem.

Auto Sales Up – Motorcycle Sales Down

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After massive restructurings in the auto industry, things seem to be looking up. After ten consecutive money losing quarters, GM said that they have made an unexpected profit of $865 million in the first quarter. Even Toyota, still recovering from their biggest recall ever for unintended acceleration, said Tuesday that the January-March profit totaled $1.2 billion compared to a loss the year before. But when it comes to motorcycles and scooters, things are still looking grim.

Even though motorcycles and scooters are more economical to operate, their sales are down 4.6% in the first quarter compared to last year. Hard hit by a down economy that has tightened credit and by stable gasoline prices, motorcycle dealers are scrambling to find customers any way they can. With so few buyers in the market for new bikes dealers are focusing on parts, accessories and pre-owned motorcycles to survive. Many dealerships have also cut hours and staff.

Another Safety Probe For Toyota

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As Transportation chief Ray LaHood met with president of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, another safety probe is on the horizon. This time, Federal regulators are examining whether Toyota delayed disclosing a defect in the steering system in 4Runner SUVs and T100 trucks. The probe was launched when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received documents Friday indicating that Toyota had potentially misled the government in 2005 over problems with steering linkages in its 1989-95 4Runner and the 1993-98 T100 vehicles.

Toyota said it had recalled HiLux trucks sold in Japan but no recall was necessary in the U.S., because there had not been any complaints. But four lawsuits filed in 2009 in Los Angeles, showed that there had been complaints as far back as 2000 on models using the same linkages. It wasn’t until 2005 that the automaker recalled vehicles in the U.S. to replace the steering relay rods.

In addition to the new investigation, NHTSA is examining whether the company’s recalls for floor mats and sticky pedals that could cause sudden acceleration were timely. In addition to investigating sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles, the stability control system in the Sequoia SUV, stalling problems in the Corolla and Matrix, steering wander in the Corolla and Matrix and braking performance in the Prius.

But NHTSA has also come under fire for its handling of the Toyota defect scandal. In the last eight years, the agency closed multiple investigations involving Toyota despite thousands of complaints and allegations of several dozen deaths caused by sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles.

Lexus “Don’t Buy” Recommendation Lifted

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Consumer Reports magazine is lifting their “Don’t Buy” recommendation for the 2010 Lexus GX460 after dealerships updated the electronic stability control software.

In April, Toyota recalled about 10,000 of the Lexus SUVs and stopped selling them after Consumer Reports testers went into a sideways skid during a high speed turn on the magazines test track. Under normal circumstances, the electronic stability control should quickly correct the loss of control and keep the SUV on its intended path. But with the GX 460, the stability control took too long to react, the magazine’s engineers said.

While the fix made the GX 460’s handling secure, Consumer Reports said it is still “ponderous and ungainly,” which is typical of SUVs. Crossover vehicles are probably a better choice since they are built on car underpinnings, and they are smaller, so you get better gas mileage.

Toyota Recalls Sequoia SUV’s

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Toyota has issued a recall for approximately 50,000, 2003 Sequoia sport SUV’s to fix a problem related to the unexpected slowing of the vehicle. Toyota said Wednesday that the recall would address the vehicle’s electronic stability control system, which helps maintain traction during turning. In some cases, the stability control could activate at low speed and prevent the SUV from accelerating as quickly as a driver expects. The company said that there have been no reports of accidents or injuries connected to the issue and about half of the vehicles had already been repaired under warranty.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had been investigating the issue so Toyota decided to recall the vehicles to address the government’s concerns. “Toyota is committed to investigating customer complaints more aggressively and to responding quickly to issues we identify in our vehicles,” said Steve St. Angelo, Toyota chief quality officer for North America.

Toyota owners will receive letters about the recall in late May, and any owners who paid for the fix should mail a copy of their repair order to the company’s U.S. headquarters in Torrance, Calif., for reimbursement. Owners can call (800) 331-4331 for more information.

Automobile Recalls For March 2010

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Below are some of the automobile recalls for March 2010:

  • Chrysler is recalling model year 2010 Jeep Commander and Grand Cherokee vehicles. They may have been built with an improperly manufactured rear track bar reducing the vehicles stability. Dealers will inspect the rear track bar bushing retaining hoop and replace the rear track bar if any are found to be mis-positioned. The safety recall is expected to begin during April 2010. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
  • General Motors is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and model year 2007-2010 Pontiac G5 vehicles equipped with electric power steering. The driver may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist. The safety recall began on March 29, 2010. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
  • General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles for failing to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 103, “Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems.” These vehicles were built with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control knobs that may fracture and spin on the control shaft. The driver may no longer be able to control the heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle. If this condition affects the defrost system when it is required, it may decrease the driver’s visibility. Dealers will replace all HVAC control knobs free of charge. The safety recall began on March 11, 2010. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
  • Hyundai-Kia will recall certain model year 2011 Sonata vehicles manufactured from December 11, 2009 through February 15, 2010. The front inside door lock switch can remain in the unlatched position, and may open while the vehicle is in motion. Hyundai-Kia will notify owners and dealers will replace latches affected by this recall. The safety recall began on March 12, 2010. Owners may contact Hyundai Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-633-5151.
  • Nissan is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Titan, armada, and Infiniti QX56, and model year 2008-2009 Nissan Quest vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin end was not spin-formed to specification which could cause the pinto slide and cause the brake pedal to partially disengage from the brake pedal bracket. The driver will experience looseness in the pedal and a reduction in braking force. Dealers will inspect to see if the pivot pin had been formed properly and will replace the brake pedal assembly if necessary. The safety recall began on March 22, 2010. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
  • Nissan is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Titan, Armada, and Infiniti QX56 vehicles. The instrument panel fuel gauge may inaccurately display that the vehicle still has some fuel. Dealers will replace the fuel sender unit inside the fuel tank with a new improved sender card. The safety recall began on March 22, 2010. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
  • Nissan is recalling certain model year 2006 and model year 2008 Frontier, Xterra and Pathfinder vehicles. The molded fuel tank shells can deform, causing the fuel sender float arm to contact the tank shell causing the instrument panel fuel gauge to show that the vehicle has approximately one quarter tank when the fuel tank is empty. Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit inside the fuel tank with a new one that has a modified float arm. The safety recall began on March 22, 2010. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
  • Porsche will recall certain model year 2011 Boxster Spyder 2 door convertible passenger vehicles. It is possible that the locking hook on the soft top may not engage correctly into the lock catch. If the soft top is not fully locked, it can open when traveling at higher speeds. Dealers will replace both the locking hook and lock catch with redesigned components. The safety recall is expected to begin during April 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. This joint may separate and the shaft may come into contact with the road surface. The safety recall is expected to begin during April 2010. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Sienna Recall

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Toyota will be recalling about 600,000 first and second generation 1998-2010 Sienna 2WD minivans for the spare tire carrier cable. The vehicles affected will most likely be ones that have been exposed to prolonged salty road conditions causing the cable to corrode and possibly fail.

Toyota is currently working to develop a remedy for this condition, but until this remedy is developed, customers will receive an interim notice instructing them to bring their vehicle to a dealership for a preliminary inspection.