Toyota is recalling about 420,000 cars because of a potential problem with defective power steering that can lead to a loss of control of the vehicle. In a news release, Toyota said it plans to replace a crankshaft pulley in about 283,000 Toyotas and 137,000 Lexus models. The problem is that in certain V-6 engines, the adhesive between the outer and inner rings may be inadequate. This can cause the outer ring of the crankshaft pulley to misalign with the inner ring. The V-6 engines identified with the problem are the 1MZ-FE or MZ-FE V6 engines.
Vehicles involved include: the 2006 Highlander HV; 2004 and 2005 Camry, Highlander, Sienna and Solara; 2004 Avalon; 2004-2005 ES330 and RX330; and the 2006 RX400h.
Toyota owners should go to a dealership and have the crankshaft pulley inspected. With the latest problems, consumers can contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331 or visit http://www.toyota.com/recall.
Defective Product Recalls
Toyota described the recall as voluntary, but once a manufacturer knows of a safety problem, under law it is required to report the defect to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) within five days or face civil penalties.
Toyota paid the largest civil penalty on record, $16.4 million, for not reporting a problem with sticking gas pedals in a timely manner. When the NHTSA finds a flaw, whether in the design, the manufacturing, or in a failure to warn the public, the automaker must recall the vehicle or face legal action.
The Los Angeles Times reports that since September 2009, Toyota has recalled more than 13 million vehicles. Hundreds of lawsuits have still not been heard concerning the unintended acceleration of various Toyota models that led to injuries and deaths. If you have been injured by a product due to the negligence of the manufacturer of the item, the Florida product liability lawyers of Farah & Farah can help. Call (800) 670-1464 for a free consultation.
Source:http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/toyota-recalls-420000-models-for-possible-steering-flaw/; http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/10/business/la-fi-autos-toyota-recall-20111110
