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Toyota Recalling Millions Of Cars Over Multiple Concerns

Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling nearly 1.8 million vehicles in the U.S. for various safety problems, including air bags that may fail to deploy. The Japanese automaker announced the U.S. recall Wednesday as part of a broader recall of 6.39 million vehicles - and 27 Toyota models - globally. In the U.S., the recall includes: - 1.3 million vehicles with faulty electrical connections that could cause the air bags to deactivate. Included are the 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2008-2010 Highlander, 2009-2010 Tacoma, 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe. If the air bags deactivate, they could fail to deploy after a crash. - 472,500 small cars with defective springs in the front seat rails, which could prevent the seats from locking in place. Included are the 2006-2010 Yaris hatchback, 2007-2010 Yaris sedan and the 2008-2010 Scion XD. Toyota said it is currently working on remedies for the problems. Dealers will replace the defective parts for free when replacement parts are available. The Pontiac Vibe, which is made by General Motors Co., is included in the recall because Toyota designed and engineered it for GM when the two companies shared a factory in California. GM says 40,500 Vibes will be recalled, and says GM dealers will make repairs when Toyota sends them the parts. The air bag issue is unrelated to a separate GM recall of 2.6 million vehicles for an ignition switch defect that can also deactivate the air bags. The Vibe isn't included in that recall. Toyota said no injuries or crashes have been reported related to the recalls. By region, the recall affects 2.3 million vehicles in North America, 1.09 million vehicles in Japan and 810,000 vehicles in Europe. Other regions affected by the recall include Africa, South America and the Middle East. The recall is one of Toyota's largest since 2009 and 2010, when the company issued a series of recalls totaling more than 10 million vehicles for various problems including faulty brakes, sticky gas pedals and ill-fitting floor mats. Toyota is under pressure to announce recalls quickly after a U.S. government investigation found it hid information about past defects. Last month, the company agreed to pay $1.2 billion to settle that investigation. It also paid fines totaling $66 million to the U.S. government for delays in reporting unintended acceleration problems.

In Jamaica, it's not easy to sell or buy hybrid cars

Jamaica's mellow reputation and Rasta vibe contributes to an international reputation of an island nation that moves at a leisurely pace. And the term "leisurely" certainly applies to the rate of sales of hybrids there. And we thought Mitsubishi i sales in the US have been slow. The country's Toyota dealership is still in the process of explaining hybrid technology to many of its prospective customers, with the widespread perception remains that a standard Toyota Prius needs to be plugged in for electrical charging, the Jamaica Gleaner reports. Because of such slow exposure, Toyota has only sold about 10 hybrids in Jamaica since the Japanese automaker started selling them there in 2010. And we thought Mitsubishi i sales in the US have been slow. Toyota dealers in Jamaica continue to tout hybrid technology that can boost fuel economy by about 30 percent but are going up against the fact that Toyota's hybrids now need to be pre-ordered and aren't kept in stock because of sluggish demand. There's also the fact that Toyota's Japanese operations insist on an approval process that ensures the hybrids sent there can handle Jamaica's road conditions, and it typically takes three to four months for a Prius to get to Jamaica once ordered. Island locales provide a curious dichotomy for advanced-powertrain vehicles. On one hand, the driving distances tend to be relatively small, lengthening the amount of time it takes to pay back the original cost premium. On the flip side, importing fuel to islands makes gas prices skyrocket and can prove costly for the economy in island nations. Late last year, for instance, the government of another Caribbean nation, Barbados, estimated it spends about $250 million a year on gas used for personal vehicles. That's why the government there is pushing for more electric-vehicle adoption, though the number of EVs on the island was in the low double-digits as of mid-2013.

NHTSA investigating 30,000 Toyota Camry Hybrids for brake assist problems

Older model Toyota Camry Hybrids are under investigation by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for potential braking problems. Enough complaints have poured into the NHTSA website that the agency is now taking a look at the problem, which could affect around 30,000 vehicles from the 2007 and 2008 model years. According to Reuters, 59 complaints have been submitted revolving around an "intermittent loss of assisted braking" which means the car takes longer to stop. Interestingly, the rate of complaints is increasing. Toyota is reportedly cooperating with NHTSA and there has not yet been an official recall on the Camry Hybrids. In 2006, Toyota said Brake Assist was "an electronic function that senses an emergency stop and applies increased braking power once the driver touches the brake pedal." When Toyota unveiled the 2007 Camry Hybrid, it proudly stated that the new Brake Assist function would be standard. Other Toyota hybrids have had problems with their brakes in the past, including the 2010 Prius and Lexus HS 250h hybrid. You can read some of the complaints about Brake Assist in the Camry Hybrids to the NHTSA here. People are saying that the "Check VSC" lights can come on before the brakes loose some of their power and a lot of them are being quoted repair costs of over $3,000 by Toyota dealers. Featured Gallery 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid View 38 Photos News Source: Reuters Green Toyota Hybrid brakes