In a near rerun of its U.S. fiasco, the Chinese unit of Toyota Motor (TM) will recall 43,000 vehicles, including models such as Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Highlander sports utility vehicle and Previa minivan. The vehicles are reported to have engine oil leaks. The recall, accounting for about 1 percent of Toyota’s projected global annual sales, will begin on Dec 30.
In late September, Toyota recalled the largest ever U.S. batch of 3.8 million vehicles, triggered by a high-speed crash in August involving a 2009 Lexus ES350 that killed a California Highway Patrol officer and three members of his family near San Diego. Investigators with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have found out a rubber all-weather floor mat in the wreckage that was slightly longer than the mat and could have covered the accelerator pedal.
The U.S. recall involved popular vehicles such as the Toyota Camry (2007–10 model year) – the top-selling passenger car in the U.S., and the Toyota Prius (2004–09) – the best-selling gas-electric hybrid, apart from Toyota Avalon (2005–10), Toyota Tacoma (2005–10), Toyota Tundra (2007–10) and Lexus (2007–10 ES350 and 2006–10 IS250/350).
To fix the problem, Toyota has instructed dealers to shorten the length of the gas pedals as a temporary measure beginning in January next year. Meanwhile, the company will develop replacement pedals for its vehicles.
The new replacement pedals are expected to be available for some models beginning in April 2010 and will be provided even if the vehicles have already received a modified pedal under the recall. Some vehicles will have brake override systems, called a “smart brake”, installed as a precaution that will ensure that the vehicle will stop even if both the brake and the accelerator pedals are applied simultaneously.
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