Drea Knufken
Another year, another massive Toyota recall. This time, Toyota is recalling 1.7 million cars. 1.3 million of those are in Japan and mostly pertain to the NOAH/Moxy minivans made between 2001-2007. But a smaller chunk of the recall affects Lexus models in the US, according to USAToday:
The largest recall today was for improper installation of a fuel pressure sensor that could allow it to vibrate loose, causing fuel to leak in the engine compartment. It affects more than 1.3 million Japan market vehicles, but also 255,000 of its luxury Lexus brand sedans in the U.S. and 10,000 in Europe The U.S. vehicles are:
* 2006-07 Lexus GS300/350 sedans
* 2006-09 Lexus IS250 sedans
* 2006-early 2008 Lexus IS350 sedans
Toyota says it has no reports of accidents or deaths, but has had 75 complaints in North America and more than 140 unhappy owners in Japan.
The Wall St Journal has more on the recall mess in Japan:
Toyota is keen to check out fuel systems for leaks, fixing fuel pipes and high-pressure fuel pumps among other problems. One of the three recalls filed involves 1.203 million vehicles in Japan, bequeathing the incident the ignoble distinction of being the second biggest single recall by a Japanese car maker issued on home turf, according to the Transportation Ministry. Most affected by the recall this time around are Noah/Voxy minivan models, with over 773,500 vehicles manufactured between November 2001 and May 2007 involved.
But at least the auto maker didn’t surpass itself in another respect: Toyota also claims the unwelcome record for the country’s largest recall of defective vehicles. The auto maker’s tremendous recall of 1.27 million vehicles in October 2005 because of an electrical malfunction that could lead to headlight failures is the biggest one in Japan to date. That notorious title replaced the last one set by Nissan when it recalled 1.04 million cars in 1996 because of a defect related to car radios.
Not to mention the fact that Toyota recalled 7 million cars last year.
Toyota remains the world’s biggest automaker, but with a reputation like this, that position can’t last too much longer.
