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Toyota Tells Dealers To Stop Selling Six Models

Toyota has told North American dealers to stop selling six popular models with heated seats because the fabric doesn't meet flammability standards. One soft material beneath the seat covers does not comply with U.S. safety standards, company spokesman John Hanson said. No fires or injuries have been reported, but Toyota can't legally sell cars that don't comply with U.S. safety codes, Hanson said. The company is still totaling how many vehicles are affected, but it will be in the thousands, according to the spokesman. The stop-sale order could mean trouble for Toyota and its dealers because it covers the company's top-selling vehicles. Dealers can no longer sell certain Camry, Avalon, Sienna and Tacoma models from the 2013 and 2014 model years, as well as Corollas and Tundras from 2014. The Camry, for instance, is the top-selling car in the U.S. with more than 408,000 sales last year. It depends on how long the repairs will take. Hanson said the company already has a new material that's being installed at factories and will be put in cars that are on dealer lots. "We don't think it will take long to get the parts and make the changes," Hanson said, without getting more specific. As for vehicles already on the road, Hanson says Toyota has reported the problem to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which will decide if the sold vehicles should be recalled. A NHTSA spokesman said he would check into the matter. "We don't believe that there is a safety issue here because there have been no reports of any problems," Hanson said. The stop-sale order affects cars and trucks distributed to dealers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. In addition, some vehicles were exported outside North America, Hanson said. The problem was discovered by safety regulators in South Korea, who disassembled seats and tested individual fabrics, Hanson said. U.S. safety standards require fabrics to resist flames at a certain rate, but the one fabric didn't meet the standard, Hanson said. Toyota spokesman Naoki Sumino in Japan said the affected vehicles were sold since August of 2012, when the fabric supplier was changed. Toyota has been struggling to regain its once sterling reputation for quality after announcing massive recalls over several years, starting in 2009, for a variety of defects including braking, accelerators and floor mats. The company was fined for being slow on recalls, which affected more than 14 million vehicles, and faces lawsuits.

Toyota World's Top-Selling Carmaker For Second Year

Toyota remained the top-selling automaker for a second year in a row, beating U.S. rival General Motors by some 270,000 vehicles in 2013, and set an ambitious target to sell more than 10 million vehicles this year. That would mark a milestone as no automaker has ever topped annual worldwide sales of 10 million. Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it sold a record 9.98 million vehicles worldwide last year, up 2 percent from the previous year. The Japanese automaker has made an impressive comeback from an earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan in 2011, damaging auto suppliers and hobbling production. Toyota also outlined plans to sell 10.32 million vehicles and produce 10.43 million vehicles in 2014. General Motors Co. sold 9.71 million cars and trucks worldwide last year, outselling Volkswagen AG of Germany at 9.5 million. Toyota recaptured the global sales crown in 2012 from GM, which had been the top-selling carmaker for more than seven decades until being surpassed by Toyota in 2008. Toyota, which makes the Camry sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models, had strong sales growth last year in overseas markets, although sales fell in long stagnant Japan. Toyota's U.S. sales totaled nearly 2.24 million vehicles, up 7 percent from the previous year. Its China sales were also strong, surging 9 percent to 917,000. Toyota remained optimistic about prospects this year for both regions, expecting sales to grow 3 percent in the U.S. to 2.3 million vehicles, while adding 20 percent in China sales to 1.1 million. The company was typically low-key about the bragging rights for being No. 1, reiterating its comments from previous years that it was merely making one car at a time to appeal to global consumers. GM has also expressed similar sentiments, but being the top seller is a key morale booster for the employees and related companies. The healthy results at the three rivals reflect the momentum of growth in the auto industry. Toyota has undergone tough times in recent years, such as a massive recall fiasco in the U.S. involving more than 14 million vehicles for sticky gas pedals, faulty floor mats, problematic brakes and many other defects, spanning several years from 2009. Related Gallery AOL Autos Test Drive: 2014 Toyota Highlander Toyota Ownership sales selling

The 2022 Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR 86 aftermarket upgrader's guide

When you own an enthusiast car, there are few events more nerve-wracking than the introduction of its successor. Should you upgrade? Is it worthwhile? What will it cost you to part out your mods and trade up? Well, there's good news for owners of the outgoing Scion FR-S, Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ who are considering an upgrade: You might not have to start with a clean slate.  If you’re an owner (or even a casual fan) of the Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 family of sports coupes, youÂ’re probably already aware that the 2022 models are more like aggressive overhauls than true, ground-up redesigns. Neither company really wants to put a spotlight on the fact that their coupes are a little less "all-new" and a little more "back and better than ever," but in our opinion, this is something Subaru and Toyota should embrace.  Why? In a word: continuity. Look no further than the NA (1989-1997) and NB (1999-2005) Mazda Miata. While they are regarded as distinct generations (the NA defined by its pop-up headlights and simpler lines; the NB by its fixed lamps and swoopier styling) and were offered with different equipment packages, the fundamental underlying chassis remained relatively unchanged. This meant that, in many cases at least, buyers could trade up to a new model but bring along some of their factory and aftermarket accessories because theyÂ’d still fit. The BRZ and GR 86 are meant to be fairly bare-bones vehicles, the idea being that they appeal to those who want limited frills at a low cost and those who prefer to view cars as canvases rather than finished masterpieces. A long-running platform makes an excellent candidate for the latter type of car buyer. So, what does that mean for the 2022 BRZ and GR 86? Well, let's break it down by whatÂ’s truly new, whatÂ’s kind-of-new, and whatÂ’s essentially carry-over, with some guidance from Subaru and Toyota engineers.  2022 Subaru BRZ blue action profile View 22 Photos Spankin' new LetÂ’s start with the obvious: the styling. Even if you can find older aftermarket appearance kits that will fit the new BRZ and GR 86 on paper, they probably wonÂ’t bolt up nicely to the new cars due to their sleek new exterior designs. Wings and spoilers might still bolt up, but donÂ’t count on it, and theyÂ’ll probably look disjointed at best anyway.