Category Archives: Toyota

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

Toyota And Lexus Recall For Brakes

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Toyota has announced it will be recalling almost 750,000 vehicles in the United States because of leaky brake fluid lines that could lead to loss of stopping power. Toyota suspects that the brake fluid used during maintenance may have not had enough polymers as “Toyota genuine brake fluid”, which may have lead to the seals drying out. That leakage will cause the brake warning light to illuminate.

The models affected by this recall are:

  • 2005–6 Avalon
  • 2004–6 Highlander (non hybrid)
  • Lexus RX 330
  • 2006 Lexus GS 300
  • IS 250
  • IS 350

Toyota will begin sending out letters to owners urging them to schedule an appointment with a local dealer who will replace the seal at no charge to the owner. Owners wanting more information can call Toyota at (800-331-4331) or Lexus at (800-255-3987).

Toyota Expanding Their Hybrid Empire

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Toyota has set itself up as one of the top hybrid makers in the world with the development of one of the first hybrid vehicles, the Prius. They share their technology with companies like Nissan, Mazda and Ford, which allows them to produce hybrids in larger numbers while keeping the cost down. Recently, Toyota has partnered with Tesla Motors to develop and electric version of Toyota’s RAV4 crossover. The RAV4 EV will be making its debut at this years LA Auto show, and will begin selling the model to the public in 2012.

Japanese media reported this Friday that Toyota may be expanding it’s hybrid empire. Dailmler is working on its own hybrid technology and has approached Toyota about sharing its gas electric hybrid technology with them. The two companies have been in negotiations for over a year now, so an official announcement is expected soon. If the deal should go through we could see Toyota technology showing up in Mercedes-Benz vehicles as early as 2012.

Toyota Rav4 EV Debuts At The LA Auto Show

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It is no secret that Toyota and Tesla have joined forces to develop an all electric Rav4 that they hope will shake up the electric vehicle market. Tesla has already delivered a working RAV4 EV to Toyota earlier this summer and will debut it to the public at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The vehicle is likely to be one of the stars of the Auto Show, which traditionally hosts “green” vehicle debuts. GM’s Chevy Volt and Nissans Leaf will also be there, but Toyota’s Rav4 hopes to attract the consumer who wants an electric vehicle, but wants something bigger than a compact car.

Toyota Officially Recalls Corolla And Matrix Vehicles

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An intensified investigation into complaints of stalling engines has lead Toyota to recall over one million 2005-2008 Corolla sedans and Matrix wagons. The recall will also include 2005-2008 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. No other Toyota or Lexus vehicles are involved in the recall.

The problem is being blamed on an improperly manufactured engine control unit (ECU) which could lead to the check engine light coming on, hard shifting, the engine not starting or stalling while driving. Toyota has known about this problem since 2005 when it issued a technical service bulletin (TSB). At the time, if a customer came in with any of the above complaints, the ECU was replaced under warranty. If the warranty was up, it was left to the discretion of the dealership whether they would pay for it or not. Now that there has been an official recall the automaker will reimburse customers who paid for the fix.

Toyota and GM will mail owners notices starting in middle September. The ECU will be replaced on all of the recalled vehicles free of charge.

NHTSA Investigation Into Toyota’s Stalling Engines

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A recall has not been issued yet, but U.S. safety regulators are intensifying an investigation into complaints of stalling engines on Toyota Corollas and Matrix hatchbacks. The preliminary probe begun last November when the NHTSA received complaints for 2006 models, but the problem has been expanded to include almost 1.2 million 2005-2007 Corolla and Matrix cars.

The problem is being blamed on an improper coating on the engine control unit (ECU) circuit boards that lead to cracks in the coating. The NHTSA has received 163 complaints of stalling engines as of last week. It is unclear whether the investigation will lead to a recall.

Toyota Posts Quarterly Profit

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Despite the bad economy and the multiple safety recalls, Toyota has posted a $2.2 billion quarterly profit, the biggest in two years. While automobile manufacturers have been struggling to make a profit, Toyota sales in North America, Japan, and other Asian countries ended up being higher than what was first forecast. Analysts say that consumers have been buying Toyota due to their sale incentives such as zero percent financing and added free options. The company has also received government incentives for green vehicles such as the Prius hybrid. Whatever it is, it has caused the company’s shares to increase two percent. With Toyota’s increased awareness of safety and recalls, the company can’t help but to come out stronger.

Toyota Recall For Steering System Problems

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Toyota announced Thursday that they will be recalling 373,000, 2000-2004 Avalon sedans as well as 39,000 2003-2007 Lexus LX470 SUVs for two unrelated steering system defects.

The defect in the Avalon Sedan is being blamed on an improper casting in a component of the steering lock system. If the steering is turned hard to the right, the component may break, resulting in the steering locking up. There have been six reports of the problem in the U.S. Three resulting in accidents with no injuries.

In the Lexus LX479 SUV, the snap ring on the steering shaft may disengage when the vehicle experiences an impact to the front wheel, such as hitting a pothole. Over time, this may cause the steering shaft to disengage. Toyota was not aware of any accidents resulting from the Lexus steering-shaft problem.

In announcing the latest recall, Steve St. Angelo, Toyota’s chief quality officer for North America, said the automaker was “continuing to work diligently to address safety issues wherever they arise and to strengthen our global quality assurance operations so that Toyota owners can be confident in the safety of their vehicles.”

Another Subpoena For Toyota

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Toyota has been subpoenaed again by a grand jury, this time for documents related to steering relay rods. A probe was launched when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received documents 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. The subpoena, issued June 29, requests documents related to “defective, broken and/or fractured steering relay rods of Toyota vehicles,” Toyota said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In February, the same federal grand jury subpoenaed Toyota for information related to unintended acceleration in its vehicles as well as braking systems in the Prius hybrid. Toyota has also received subpoenas related to sudden acceleration from the SEC and the attorney general of Michigan. Toyota did not disclose which vehicles or model years were targeted by the latest subpoena.