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Toyota recalls 4,000 Tacoma pickups over valve springs

When you build as many cars and trucks as Toyota does, you're bound to run into the occasional recall. In the past month alone, the Japanese auto giant has recalled over 800,000 Camry, Avalon and Venza models over problems with the air-conditioning units, and 10,000 more before that over windshield wiper issues. Now Toyota has issued another recall notice, but this time for far fewer vehicles.
The recall revolves around the engine valve springs in the 2013 and 2014 Tacoma, specifically those fitted with the standard 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine and not the optional 4.0-liter V6. The issue is that the valve springs are prone to cracking and breaking over time, and results from improper maintenance of the manufacturing equipment used by one of the two suppliers that outfit Toyota with the components in question.
All told, some 4,000 vehicles will be subject to the voluntary recall, the owners of which will receive notice by mail. If you think that could be you and want to get a jump on the problem, you can read the announcement below and call Toyota yourself.

Toyota nearing $1B settlement of unintended acceleration criminal probe

According to those all-too-nebulous "people familiar with the matter," Toyota is close to a settlement with the US federal government to end a criminal probe over its long-running unintended acceleration fiasco. Though Toyota has never admitted guilt, the deal could reportedly crest a billion dollars and would likely include a criminal deferred prosecution agreement, and while we're not legal experts, The Wall Street Journal explains that such a deal would "[force Toyota] to accept responsibility while avoiding the potentially crippling consequences of federal criminal convictions."
The report from WSJ also suggests that Toyota is facing charges that it "made false or incomplete disclosures" to various government agencies regarding possible defects to its cars. Such charges may include mail and wire fraud violations. Toyota has already paid out fines totaling $66.2 million to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration because it failed to report safety defects in a timely manner.
This deal with the federal government is not related to the billion-dollar class-action settlement reached with Toyota owners over falling vehicle values, and it's also different from the roughly 400 lawsuits still in courts alleging personal injury of wrongful death due to cases of unintended acceleration. In other words, don't expect to hear the end of such courtroom verdicts and settlements anytime soon...

Toyota recalling FJ Cruiser due to excessively bright headlights

Now, hold on. This recall isn't quite as serious as it sounds. Yes, Toyota is recalling 11,489 FJ Cruiser models from the 2007 to 2013 model years, and yes, it's because the vehicles, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states, "fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, 'Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.'" But read the fine print and you'll see the catch: This recall is only for vehicles fitted with the automaker's auxiliary lighting kit that can be mounted to the front bumper.
Basically, the auxiliary lamp assemblies use 55-watt bulbs, and when these are turned on in conjunction with the upper beam headlamps, it's a pretty blinding sight. NHTSA states that excessively bright lights can blind other drivers, increasing the risk for a crash.
To remedy the situation, Toyota will replace the 55-watt bulbs with cooler 35-watt units. The recall is expected to begin later this month. Scroll down for the full details in the NHTSA report.