Toyota recalls close to 800K vehicles

[ifcar]

Steering Problem Has Toyota Recalling 750,000 Trucks
Posted 5/17/05 2:50 p.m. CDT
The Tundra is being recalled, along with the 4Runner, Sequoia and Tacoma.

The Tundra is being recalled, along with the 4Runner, Sequoia and Tacoma.

Toyota Motor Corp., in one of its largest safety recalls ever, said Tuesday it is recalling more than 750,000 pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles because of problems with the front suspension that could hinder steering.

The company said the recall covers 774,856 vehicles in the United States, including the 2001-2004 model years of the Tacoma, the 2001-2002 versions of the 4Runner and the 2002-2004 model years of the Tundra and Sequoia.

Toyota said the surface of a ball joint that connects to the front suspension may have been scratched when it was manufactured, which could lead to wear and tear over time.

Any excessive wear or looseness in the joint could force drivers to exert more effort when steering, allow the vehicle to drift and increase the amount of noise from the suspension.

Ming-Jou Chen, a Toyota spokeswoman, said the company had confirmed six cases in which the condition existed in the suspension. There have been no injuries associated with the problems.

Toyota said it planned to conduct a similar recall of the affected vehicles in Canada, Japan, Australia and other countries, but did not immediately have the number of vehicles that would be covered outside the U.S.

Chen said it was one of the largest recalls in company history.

In 1992, Toyota recalled about 550,000 Camrys from the 1987-1990 model years because of the potential for power door locks to malfunction and lock passengers out of or inside the vehicles.

In 2002, the company recalled nearly 400,000 subcompact and minicar vehicles exported to the United States, Europe and Canada because of improperly designed brake fluid pipes.

In Tuesday's recall of trucks and SUVs, owners will be notified beginning in July and will be able to have the problem fixed at no cost, Chen said.  

[BMWDave]

How many recalls has Toyota had in its recent history?  Seems to be pretty few.

[Catman]

That's alot of ball joints to replace! :o   Guess I'll wait for my little recall card to show up. :D  

[Fire It Up]

Can you imagine a soccer mom when her SUV starts to drift?

[BMWDave]

Can you imagine a soccer mom when her SUV starts to drift?

that wouldnt be a pretty situation.

[Fire It Up]

Can you imagine a soccer mom when her SUV starts to drift?

that wouldnt be a pretty situation.

She would blame it on the kids!  :angry:  

[giant_mtb]

Can you imagine a soccer mom when her SUV starts to drift?

that wouldnt be a pretty situation.

She would blame it on the kids!  :angry:

:P  

[CaseyNPham]

Can you imagine a soccer mom when her SUV starts to drift?

that wouldnt be a pretty situation.

She would blame it on the kids!  :angry:

:P

Or maybe the car is alright, but the kids are making the car drift by... moving around. :P  

[Raghavan]

Can you imagine a soccer mom when her SUV starts to drift?

that wouldnt be a pretty situation.

She would blame it on the kids!  :angry:

Nah, it wouldn't really drift. It'd just flip over.  Then the mom'd be mad at the kids because she can't get to the soccer game. :D  

[R33 GT-R]

Not again

[R33 GT-R]

no way

[Raghavan]

no way

why? thinking of buying a Toyota?

[R33 GT-R]

no way

why? thinking of buying a Toyota?

nope, I have a 84 Toyata 4X4 truck the only Toyota I'll have.

[JWC]

Can you imagine a soccer mom when her SUV starts to drift?

She wouldn't know the difference.

[Raghavan]

Can you imagine a soccer mom when her SUV starts to drift?

She wouldn't know the difference.

how would you know, soccer mom!  

[JWC]

See them everyday in the dealership.

Generally, and after I've driven their buses,  the conversation goes....

Ma'am, how long has you Expediton been making that popping noise when you turn?

I don't know, isn't it supposed to do that?

[BMWDave]

See them everyday in the dealership.

Generally, and after I've driven their buses,  the conversation goes....

Ma'am, how long has you Expediton been making that popping noise when you turn?

I don't know, isn't it supposed to do that?

  Are they really that bad?

[JWC]

See them everyday in the dealership.

Generally, and after I've driven their buses,  the conversation goes....

Ma'am, how long has you Expediton been making that popping noise when you turn?

I don't know, isn't it supposed to do that?

  Are they really that bad?

Ironically, today a woman shows up to make an appointment. Her husband drove her Explorer a couple of weeks ago and came back saying it was making a loud noise from the back of the vehicle.

I drove it. Could barely hear the stereo over the growling noise. Needs wheels bearings.  Her comment: it has been doing it for a couple of months, but I thought it was normal car noise.

[Raghavan]

See them everyday in the dealership.

Generally, and after I've driven their buses,  the conversation goes....

Ma'am, how long has you Expediton been making that popping noise when you turn?

I don't know, isn't it supposed to do that?

  Are they really that bad?

Ironically, today a woman shows up to make an appointment. Her husband drove her Explorer a couple of weeks ago and came back saying it was making a loud noise from the back of the vehicle.

I drove it. Could barely hear the stereo over the growling noise. Needs wheels bearings.  Her comment: it has been doing it for a couple of months, but I thought it was normal car noise.

idiots.

[BMWDave]

See them everyday in the dealership.

Generally, and after I've driven their buses,? the conversation goes....

Ma'am, how long has you Expediton been making that popping noise when you turn?

I don't know, isn't it supposed to do that?

  Are they really that bad?

Ironically, today a woman shows up to make an appointment. Her husband drove her Explorer a couple of weeks ago and came back saying it was making a loud noise from the back of the vehicle.

I drove it. Could barely hear the stereo over the growling noise. Needs wheels bearings.  Her comment: it has been doing it for a couple of months, but I thought it was normal car noise.

thats pretty bad.

[Raghavan]

See them everyday in the dealership.

Generally, and after I've driven their buses,  the conversation goes....

Ma'am, how long has you Expediton been making that popping noise when you turn?

I don't know, isn't it supposed to do that?

  Are they really that bad?

Ironically, today a woman shows up to make an appointment. Her husband drove her Explorer a couple of weeks ago and came back saying it was making a loud noise from the back of the vehicle.

I drove it. Could barely hear the stereo over the growling noise. Needs wheels bearings.  Her comment: it has been doing it for a couple of months, but I thought it was normal car noise.

thats pretty bad.

good thing her exploder didn't explode...