This is another latest bad sign. Toyota now recalling their Toyota brand and Lexus brand cars mainly in US which includes Toyota Camry and the total cars with problems affected by the recall reaches 550,000 cars. However, it does not affect Toyota cars in Malaysia. The recall is due to defective crankshaft pully. Read full news from thestar below.
Toyota 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.
TOYOTA RECALL ANOTHER 550 THOUSAND CARS WITH PROBLEMS
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.
Toyota and Lexus models sold in Malaysia are not affected by the recall, according to a statement issued by UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd.
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.
In other developments, Toyota has told parts suppliers it aims to restore Japanese production to normal levels by early 2012, recovering from the impact of Thai flooding that hit suppliers, a source familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.
A Toyota spokesman declined to comment on the plans, although the company said its three Thai factories would resume partial operations on Nov 21 as it grapples with the impact of Thailand’s worst flooding in 50 years.
Japan’s top automaker has halted production at the three plants in its southeast Asia production hub since Oct 10 after flooding affected suppliers, forcing it to reduce production from Oct 24 in Japan, where output is running at 70 to 80 percent of planned levels.
Toyota aims to secure alternative parts by the end of this year and return output to originally planned levels at the start of 2012, the source said, adding Toyota was also looking at how it might restore production from overseas plants at about the same pace as its recovery in Japan.
The plan is in line with analysts’ expectations of a relatively swift restoration of production after Toyota said the disruption would not be as severe after as the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Toyota has said the supply of about 100 parts has been disrupted by the Thai floods, primary resin, casting and electronic items.
Toyota will provide further details on its production resumption in Thailand as early as next week, said a company spokesman
Jom komen!