08 Mar 2008 12:28:06 | Anna Henningsgaard
A wide scale recall is the last resort for a car company to take
with a problematic vehicle, and most automotive problems do not
even make it to recall stage. Toyota has been known to avoid
issuing recalls at all cost, preferring to issue safety warnings
and avoid covering repair costs on vehicles that are beyond
warranty. This should put this year’s massive Toyota truck
recall into perspective.
This May, Toyota Motor Corp issued one of its largest safety
recalls in history. Toyota is recalling more than 750,000 pickup
trucks and SUV’s because of problems with the front suspension
that could make the vehicles difficult to steer. The recall
covers 775,000 vehicles in the United States alone, including
2001-2004 model years of the Toyota Tacoma, the 2001-2002 models
of Toyota 4Runner and the 2002-2004 model Tundra and Sequoia.
During the manufacturing of these vehicles, the surface of the
front suspension ball joint was scratched. Wear and tear on this
ball joint creates friction that makes the vehicles difficult to
control. At speeds as low as 20 mph, Toyota drivers have
reported ball joints collapsing, causing the front wheels to
fold under the truck.
Overall, Toyota admits to conducting five recalls this year in
the United States affecting nearly 1 million vehicles. In 2004,
Toyota conducted nine recalls affecting 1,060,000 vehicles,
according to the NHTSA. This year, Toyota has also recalled:
- 92,577 Celica coupes from 2000-2001 models to adjust daytime
running lights that blind oncoming drivers
- 23,000 model year 2005 Tacoma pickups to tighten a lock nut on
the parking brake pedal
This ball-joint recall was the second time in the same week that
Toyota issued a high-profile safety warning. Just days before
the recall was issued, Toyota began looking into 13 complaints
about a possible software glitch that could cause the Prius
hybrid car to stall at highway speeds. If you or a loved one
have been injured by a Toyota truck that has since been
recalled, consult a lawyer about collecting damages. GA
Contact a Toyota truck
recall or contact a
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