Toyota Recall Lawyer
By Anna Henningsgaard
Toyota has been known to avoid issuing recalls at all cost, preferring to issue safety warnings and avoid covering repair costs on vehicles that are beyond warranty. This should put this year’s massive Toyota truck recall into perspective.
Toyota is recalling more than 750,000 pickup trucks and SUV’s because of problems with the front suspension that could make the vehicles difficult to steer. The recall covers 775,000 vehicles in the United States alone, including 2001-2004 model years of the Toyota Tacoma, the 2001-2002 models of Toyota 4Runner and the 2002-2004 model Tundra and Sequoia.
Wear and tear on this ball joint creates friction that makes the vehicles difficult to control. At speeds as low as 20 mph, Toyota drivers have reported ball joints collapsing, causing the front wheels to fold under the truck.
In 2004, Toyota conducted nine recalls affecting 1,060,000 vehicles, according to the NHTSA. This year, Toyota has also recalled:
- 92,577 Celica coupes from 2000-2001 models to adjust daytime running lights that blind oncoming drivers
- 23,000 model year 2005 Tacoma pickups to tighten a lock nut on the parking brake pedal
This ball-joint recall was the second time in the same week that Toyota issued a high-profile safety warning. If a Toyota truck that has since been recalled has injured you or a loved one, consult a lawyer about collecting damages.
Toyota Tundra models have serious break problems, many of which Toyota is refusing to take responsibility for. Toyota recently issued a recall notice for its 2004-2005 model Toyota Tundra equipped with dual exhaust because one of the exhaust pipes was found to rub against the brake line. Toyota states that this will “possibly cause brake fluid leakage and raise the risk of a crash”.
Toyota has recently been grievously irresponsible about issuing warnings and recall notices on its Toyota Tundra trucks. Toyota even issued a technical service bulletin, but Toyota dealers have not alerted consumers to the problem. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Toyota owners have been told there isn’t a problem or blamed for “driving too hard”, that is until their 36,000-mile warranty expires. At this point the Toyota dealerships acknowledge the brake problem and offer assistance –- at full price.
The Toyota Tundra is breaking down because the rear brakes do not self-adjust properly. This transfers the entire braking load to the front wheels. Toyota has had dozens of other problems with the Tundra model, but they only issue technical service bulletins online and make no attempt to inform customers. The shaking also damages other systems and components in the truck, including transmission and stereo systems.
Independent mechanics will be very open about the problems with Toyota Tundra, but Toyota dealerships feign ignorance about the problems. It is safe to say that Toyota is brushing off its customers, denying their claims and endangering their lives. What if a small child runs into the road in front of Toyota Tundra? Toyota is a huge company and they are merely individuals. Maybe the warranty does not cover normal wear and tear beyond a certain mileage, but Toyota designed, marketed, and shipped a vehicle with a fundamental flaw that endangers the lives of people on the road. Toyota is acting in bad faith with its customers, and this is against the law.
As recently as July 15, 2005 Toyota announced a recall in their Tacoma series of trucks. This most recent recall addresses a manufacturing flaw in the front suspension lower ball joint. In extreme cases, the lower ball joint may separate from the knuckle, causing the Toyota truck or SUV to veer out of control. If a driver loses control of his truck on a road or highway, a crash is almost inevitable. Toyota will pay for dealers to replace these defective joints. This is just the most recent in a long line of recalls involving Toyota Tacoma and other Toyota trucks and SUV’s.
In February of 2005, Toyota announced that a recall of at least 22,228 Toyota Tacoma trucks equipped with automatic transmission. Toyota declares that this defect will “reduce the effectiveness of the parking brake”, but what they mean is that the parking brake will stop working. If the transmission is not placed into park or should the car start to slide down a hill, the parking brake will be ineffective and the vehicle will roll freely down the hill. If you own a Toyota Tacoma with automatic transmission, remember not to leave your child in the back seat while the car is parked, at least until you have the parking break checked out.
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