Category: Toyota News

Posted on

Urgent Alert: Toyota’s Latest Recall Puts 381,000 Tacomas in Peril

Toyota’s recall woes continue to mount as the company announces its fourth recall in just six days, this time affecting about 381,000 Tacoma midsize pickup trucks. The latest recall, aimed at addressing potential rear axle issues, adds to the growing list of concerns for Tacoma owners and highlights the importance of vehicle safety.

The Problem: Rear Axle Defects

The issue at hand involves certain 2022 to 2023 Toyota Tacoma trucks sold in the United States. According to Toyota, welding debris left on the ends of the rear axle assembly during manufacturing could cause retaining nuts to loosen over time. If these nuts fall off, a part could separate from the axle, affecting the stability and brake performance of the vehicle and, consequently, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota’s Response

Owners of the recalled trucks can expect to receive notification through the mail by late April. Toyota dealers will inspect the rear axle assembly and tighten the axle retaining nuts at no cost to the owners. If any axle components are found to be damaged as a result of the issue, they will be repaired or replaced by Toyota.

How to Check If Your Vehicle Is Affected

For Tacoma owners concerned about whether their vehicle is involved in this safety recall, Toyota advises visiting Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or license plate information. Additionally, motorists with questions can reach out to Toyota customer support at 1-800-331-4331.

A String of Recalls

This latest recall comes on the heels of three separate recalls last week, collectively involving 303,000 vehicles. One of the issues addressed in those recalls was a software glitch that delays the rearview image from displaying quickly after the driver shifts into reverse.

Final Thoughts

As Toyota navigates through this series of recalls, it’s crucial for Tacoma owners to stay informed and take the necessary steps to ensure their vehicle’s safety. If you’re affected by this recall, don’t hesitate to contact Toyota customer support or visit their website for more information. The safety of you and your passengers should always be a top priority.

Posted on

CFPB Cracks Down On Toyota: $60M For Misleading Finance Deals

Toyota Motor Credit, the financing arm of Toyota Motor Corporation, faces a hefty fine and a directive to amend its business practices. This decision comes after an investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which revealed a series of violations in the company’s handling of bundled product sales in its auto-financing operations. The details of this development were reported by Autoblog.

The Allegations and Findings

Toyota Motor Credit was found to have engaged in several deceptive practices:

  1. Deceptive Sales of Bundled Products: The company sold additional products like GAP and CLAH as part of car loan contracts, often misleading customers about their necessity and making it difficult to cancel these services. These practices led to inflated loan amounts and monthly payments for consumers.
  2. Hindering Cancellation and Refunding: Toyota created significant barriers for customers attempting to cancel these services. Additionally, it frequently failed to issue proper refunds for those who managed to cancel, and in some cases, provided inaccurate refund amounts.
  3. Misreporting to Credit Agencies: The company falsely reported customer delinquencies to credit reporting companies, damaging customers’ credit scores and failing to rectify known errors in reporting.

CFPB’s Response and Directive

The CFPB has ordered Toyota Motor Credit to:

  • Compensate nearly $48 million to affected consumers.
  • Pay a $12 million fine into the CFPB’s victims relief fund.
  • Cease its unlawful practices and streamline the process for canceling these added services.
  • Implement measures to prevent deceptive imposition of these products in the future.

Broader Implications

This case underscores the critical need for ethical practices in auto financing and the importance of consumer protection in the industry. The order against Toyota Motor Credit, a significant player in the U.S. auto-financing market, signals a stern warning to other lenders about engaging in similar practices. For Toyota, this situation poses a challenge to its reputation and emphasizes the importance of maintaining transparency and consumer trust in all aspects of its business operations.

Posted on

Air Bag Peril: Toyota Announces Major Recall on Popular Models

The relentless series of recalls plaguing the automobile industry continues unabated, with Toyota being the latest victim. In what seems to be a recurrent trend, Toyota has been compelled to initiate another broad recall, this time centered around a critical safety feature – the airbag. An article on The Scioto Post released on July 25th, 2023, highlights the issue in detail.

Faulty Air Bag Connection Prompts Recall

According to the report, Toyota is conducting a non-compliance safety recall involving a staggering 110,000 vehicles in the U.S. Models included in this recall are 2023 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross hybrid, Highlander, Highlander hybrid, Tacoma, as well as Lexus RX and RX hybrid and 2024 model year NX and NX hybrid.

The concern is that the spiral cable assembly in the steering column, which controls the driver’s airbag, could lose its electrical connection. If this occurs, the driver’s airbag may not deploy in a crash. The issue not only fails to meet certain federal motor vehicle safety requirements, but also significantly heightens the risk of injury to the driver in the event of a crash.

Toyota’s Response

Toyota is notifying affected owners about this airbag issue by early September 2023. For all involved vehicles, Toyota and Lexus dealers will inspect the serial number of the spiral cable and, if necessary, replace it with a new cable at no cost to customers.

This is yet another blow to the auto giant’s reputation, which has been battered by a series of recalls in recent times. It also underscores the need for stringent quality control measures and extensive pre-launch testing of vehicles to avert such issues.

If you own any of the listed models, it’s important to confirm if your vehicle is included in the recall. You can do this by visiting Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or license plate information. Should you have any additional questions, you can reach out to the Toyota Brand Engagement Center (1-800-331-4331) for Toyota vehicles, or the Lexus Brand Engagement Center (1-800-255-3987) for Lexus vehicles.

Concluding Thoughts

As Toyota grapples with the impact of this recall, it’s crucial that they swiftly rectify the issue and work to regain consumer trust. The frequency of recalls in recent times underlines the importance of manufacturers investing in rigorous safety checks and maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety.

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing situation, and always remember, safety should be paramount when it comes to driving.

Source: The Scioto Post

Posted on

Safety Fiasco: Tundra & Sequoia Recalls Over Loose Spare Tires Alarm Consumers

Source: Kelly Blue Book

The woes for Toyota Motor Corporation continue to escalate as the brand issues a recall for a worrying problem in their full-size Tundra pickups and Sequoia SUVs. Approximately 1,400 vehicles from the 2023 model year are impacted, as their spare tires may unexpectedly detach while on the move.

A Weak Chain Sparks the Recall

According to Toyota’s report to federal safety officials, the underlying issue is attributed to frail links in the chain that secures the spare tire. An error during the forging process might have led to certain links being susceptible to breakage. Toyota explains, “Should this happen while the vehicle is in motion, the disengaged spare tire could pose a road hazard.”

Dealer Intervention and Recall Repairs

Toyota dealers are prepared to rectify the problem by replacing the entire spare-tire carrier assembly, ensuring that the spare tire remains safely attached to the vehicle. As with all recall repairs, the service will be performed free of charge.

However, it’s critical to note that countless individuals miss recall notifications annually and, as a result, unknowingly operate vehicles that have been recalled. It’s advisable for vehicle owners, particularly those of the affected 2023 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia models, to check whether their vehicle is due for any free safety repairs. You can verify this at our accessible [recall center](Link to the recall center).

Ongoing Challenges for Toyota

This latest recall adds to a series of recent setbacks for Toyota. The renowned automaker is still grappling with the aftermath of previous recalls for potential loose lug nuts and misleading EV charging time claims. With safety at the forefront of consumers’ minds, the brand’s recent recalls might raise concerns about its commitment to delivering secure, reliable vehicles.

It’s yet to be seen how Toyota will navigate these challenges and restore its long-standing reputation for quality and safety.

Posted on

Deception Unveiled: Toyota, Hyundai EV Ads Rebuked by ASA

As per a recent report by Carandbike.com, Toyota and Hyundai are experiencing a significant setback in their marketing endeavors. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK has disallowed the brands’ advertising campaigns due to misleading information regarding their electric vehicle (EV) charging times and the availability of rapid-charging points.

The Ad Campaigns in Question

Toyota’s marketing for its bZ4X model boasted that the vehicle could achieve an 80% charge in about 30 minutes with a 150kW fast-charging system. The company further claimed that rapid-charging points were readily accessible in various public places, notably at significant travel junctions on motorways and arterial roads.

In a similar vein, Hyundai’s campaign for the Ioniq 5 model stated that the vehicle could charge from 10% to 80% in a mere 18 minutes using a 350kW charger. These promotions were found on Hyundai’s website, a digital billboard in London’s Piccadilly Square, and a YouTube film featuring Chelsea footballers, a Premier League club they sponsor.

Complaints and Clarifications

However, these seemingly impressive claims met with criticism, leading to complaints lodged with the ASA. Skeptics questioned the feasibility of the charging times advertised, and both companies confessed these times were derived under ideal factory conditions. Doubts were also raised about the validity of the claims concerning the widespread availability of rapid-charging points in the UK and Ireland.

In their defense, Toyota stated that Zap-Map, a service displaying charging point locations, did not provide exact information about the locations of rapid 150kW chargers during the campaign period. The data displayed a total of 419 charging points at 134 locations across the UK. The numbers were significantly lesser for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with only seven, two, and no rapid-charging points respectively.

Hyundai’s website pointed to 37 ultra-fast 350kW charging locations in Great Britain, six in the Republic of Ireland, and limited availability in Wales and Scotland, with none in Northern Ireland.

Both car manufacturers argued that their claims weren’t misleading. They reasoned that rapid-charging points wouldn’t be necessary for shorter trips, as slower charging points were more widely available, and they emphasized the option of home charging.

ASA’s Verdict

However, the ASA saw things differently. It held that both companies conveyed the impression that accessing rapid-charging points across the UK was relatively straightforward. The ASA further emphasized that real-world charging times could vary significantly due to several factors, such as battery age, condition, ambient temperature, and battery temperature, all of which were regulated by the manufacturers during the tests conducted to support the claims.

Even though the car manufacturers countered by saying that promoting potential EV charge times was crucial to allay consumer concerns like range anxiety and lack of awareness about the charging infrastructure, the ASA ruled the ads to be misleading and lacking substantiation, leading to the ban on such claims in electric car advertising. Toyota and Hyundai have been instructed not to mislead consumers about battery charging times in future campaigns.