The Toyota motor company announced on April 16, 2010, that it is planning to voluntarily recall over half a million minivans that has been sold across the United States. This recall follows the recall of numerous Toyota Motor Company vehicles, including the Toyota Prius, Corolla, Highlander, Camry and Avalon.
Affected Models
According to Toyota, the affected models include both first and second-generation Toyota Sienna 2WD minivans. The recall will be for select models produced in 1998 through 2010. The 2010 Toyota Sienna minivan is a seven passenger vehicle that has a vast array of modern features. The widely popular minivan sports an affordable price tag and offers an estimated gas mileage of 19 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.
Reason for Sienna Recall
The majority of vehicles that will be involved in the recall are those that have been used in areas where road salt is commonly used in colder climate regions. According to Toyota, the excessive salt exposure may lead to the corrosion of the spare tire carrier cable.
If the carrier cable becomes corroded, it could fail and cause the spare tire to be subject to falling off the vehicle, which in turn could be a serious road hazard for the vehicles behind the affected Toyota Sienna. This in turn, could lead to unnecessary crashes and injuries.
The Toyota Chief Quality Officer for North America stated that although only select states are involved in the recall, those who are not included can still receive a free inspection in order to avoid unnecessary problems.
Remedy
Currently, Toyota has not determined an effective remedy for the possibility of corrosion of the spare tire carrier cable. However, the vehicle outfit is still determined to be proactive, sending out notices to customers that may be affected by the potential problem. The customers will be urged to bring the vehicles to a designated dealership to have an initial inspection conducted.
When Toyota has determined an effective remedy, the affected customers will then be notified in order to have the problem fixed.
States in Toyota Sienna Recall
The following states are included in the recall: West Virginia, Wisconsin, Vermont, Virginia, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Michigan, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Delaware and Connecticut. The recall also affects the District of Columbia. The recall will be determined on where the vehicles were originally sold or where they are currently registered.
Those who have questions about the recall are encouraged to contact Toyota Motor Company at 1-800-331-4331.
Sources: Toyota Motor Company
Renee Holmes - Renee Holmes began her writing career when she was invited to join the Young Authors Club in the first grade. From that point on, writing ...
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