Toyota Recall
Toyota Motor Corp. is the latest auto manufacturer to announce a major recall. On April 9, Toyota recalled nearly 6.4 million vehicles around the world, including more than two million vehicles in the United States.
The latest Toyota recall involves five different defects affecting 27 models including the RAV4, Corolla, Matrix/Vibe, Trezia/Viz, Yaris, Highlander, Tacoma and Hilux pickups, Reiz, Fortuner, Innova, Land Cruiser Prado and Camry. All vehicles were manufactured between 2004 and 2013.
Issues include steering problems that could prevent the airbag from deploying, an engine starter risk that has been linked to two vehicle fires and a driver’s seat defect that could cause the seat to slide forward in a crash.
The largest of the recalls, affecting 3.5 million vehicles, focuses on replacing a spiral cable that could be damaged when the steering wheel is turned, causing the airbag to fail to deploy in an accident. Toyota recalled 2.1 million vehicles earlier this year and 7.4 million vehicles in 2012 due to a power window problem that posed a fire hazard.
“The move by Toyota to announce five different recalls on a single day… comes as major automakers face increasing scrutiny in the United States on how quickly they take preventive safety action and how quickly they share information with regulators and the public,” Reuters reports.
Just last month, the Japanese automaker reached a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department, agreeing to pay a $1.2 billion penalty for hiding information about design defects. In the past, the company paid fines exceeding $66 million for significant delays in reporting sudden acceleration problems in Toyota vehicles.
Toyota is one of several automobile manufacturers announcing major recalls in the U.S. in recent months. GM has recalled 4.8 million vehicles for a variety of problems, ranging from faulty ignition switches to issues with seat-mounted side airbag wiring. In addition, Mazda recently announced a recall for Mazda 6 vehicles produced between 2010 and 2012 due to a fuel tank design flaw that makes the tank vulnerable to yellow sac spider nests.
Harris Lowry Manton can help if you suspect an automobile defect caused injury to a loved one. We have successfully secured multi-million dollar verdicts on behalf of our clients in plaintiff cases against major car manufacturers.
Our experienced attorneys can investigate accidents related to any of the latest vehicle recalls. Contact us today to discuss your legal options. All information is kept strictly confidential, and the consultation is free.
RELATED MEDIA:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/04/09/toyota-recalls/7497031/
http://time.com/55164/toyota-recall-6-39mn-cars/
https://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/09/us-toyota-motor-recall-idUSBREA380AR20140409
Harris Lowry Manton LLP is a dedicated full-service trial law firm. Our Georgia personal injury lawyers fight for the injured throughout every step of the legal process. We explain how litigation works from the moment you come into one of our offices in Atlanta or Savannah until your case is solved. Our legal team has achieved remarkable success because we leave no stone unturned when investigating our client’ claims and what should have been done to prevent their injuries. We file claims against all responsible parties — not just the most obvious one.
Read more about Harris Lowry Manton LLP.