Thursday, September 8, 2005

Toyota recalls 1 million trucks over flawed parts

Its largest U.S. recall, which was voluntary, covers 4Runners, small pickups and T-100s

Detroit News staff and wire reports

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Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling almost 1 million light trucks, its largest U.S. recall ever, to check for and repair a steering-related flaw that could cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles.

The voluntary action by the world's second-largest automaker covers 1989 through 1996 model 4Runner sport utility vehicles, as well as a compact Toyota pickup truck and large T-100 pickups, the company said.

The recall covers as many as 375,000 4Runners, 535,000 small pickups and 68,000 T- 100s, Toyota spokesman Sam Butto said.

Toyota will inspect steering relay rods in the trucks for fatigue cracks and replace flawed parts at no charge to customers, Butto said. The Japanese automaker has had no reports of accidents or injuries related to the problem, Butto said.

In a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Toyota said a similar flaw was discovered last year in two SUVs sold in the Japanese market.

The recall will begin in mid-September and was based on seven confirmed cases of the power-steering problem in T100 vehicles, Toyota said.

The total number of vehicles covered by Toyota's action exceeds a May recall of almost 800,000 pickups and SUVs, which Toyota then said was its largest U.S. recall. The company didn't estimate how much inspection and repairs of the relay rod would cost per vehicle.

Registered owners of the models will be notified starting this month, Toyota said in its filing with the agency.

Bloomberg News contributed to this report.