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Toyota recalls 209,000 FJ Cruisers over seatbelt issue

Toyota has announced that it will be issuing a substantial recall of the FJ Cruiser for a problem that could cause the front seatbelt retractors to separate from the vehicle body. This recall will apply to all FJ Cruisers - from 2007 through 2013 - totaling around 209,000 units.
The problem stems from the FJ Cruiser's pillarless door opening design that has the front-occupant seatbelts attached to the rear doors. Toyota says that when the rear doors are "repeatedly and forcefully closed," the retractor could completely separate from the door frame.
While there is no information about this recall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration yet, Toyota says that there have been no accidents or injuries associated with this issue. No specific fix or recall date are given, but the official press release is posted below.

Toyota moving US headquarters to Plano, Texas

It's official, Toyota is relocating its US operations to Plano, TX. And it won't be a symbolic 'all ranch and no cattle' gesture - the Japanese automaker, whose headquarters have been in California since 1957, has decided to base nearly all of its operations in the Lone Star State, including much of its engineering, finance and sales and marketing teams.
The move, which will see the establishment of a new headquarters campus in the Dallas suburb will not only affect employees at the company's current Torrance, CA Toyota Motor Sales USA campus, it will also touch the lives of thousands of employees at the company's other operations, including 1,000 workers at Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America in Erlanger, KY and some New York-based staff as well. The Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, MI is not facing relocation, however, and it actually stands to gain responsibilities as Toyota overhauls its US org chart. Toyota says that its reorganization will affect about 4,000 employees in total.
According to Automotive News, while Toyota is adopting an "'everyone is invited' stance for the relocation," some attrition is expected from employees who aren't interested in relocating southward from the Golden State. For its part, the automaker is reportedly making expenses-paid visits to Plano available to full-time staffers and spouses to help them make the relocation decision, as well as a lump-sump payment if they decide to go through with the move.

Toyota mulling Cummins diesel for Tundra?

When Bloomberg spoke to Toyota USA Sales CEO Kazua Ohara recently, we highlighted his comments on the possible return of the Toyota Supra. However, the interview started with Ohara discussing the Tundra, and how it would take time to pinpoint and hone the pickup truck's brand image in the minds of consumers. That effort could get a boost, with a report in Edmunds saying that Toyota is "evaluating" the addition of a Cummins turbodiesel to the Tundra's engine options.
The Cummins powerplant is one of two options for the moment, the other being a hybrid powertrain. If the oil-burner got the thumbs-up, Toyota would follow the recent example of Nissan, which announced it would put a Cummins turbodiesel into its 2015 Titan. While the two Japanese companies make a closer comparison since they're both talking about Cummins applications in light-duty trucks, if it happens, it could be seen as further diluting the once-exclusive tie-up that Ram trucks has had with Cummins even though Ram has used Cummins in its heavy-duty truck.
Toyota hasn't said when it will decide on which direction to take, but either will be a move for the better in the view of segment watchers; PickupTrucks.com said the first of its top-five fixes for the Tundra would be a better engine, perhaps a diesel-electric hybrid from Toyota's Hino unit. Cummins told Edmunds it can supply a second manufacturer with the 5.0-liter diesel that Nissan will be using, so we wouldn't be surprised to see it end up in a Toyota or somewhere else.