Toyota Recall for Brake Fluid Leak
Toyota has recalled more than 10 million vehicles in the last year, but still, more recalls are under way. On October 21, it was announced that the car maker will recall 740,000 Avalon, Highlander, Lexus GS300, IS250 and IS350 cars in the United States. The recalled vehicles will have the brake master cylinder seal replaced due to the possibility of a brake fluid leak from the cylinder, causing the brake warning lamp to go on.
At this time, no accidents or injuries have been reported in relation to this most recent Toyota recall, reports Reuters. The car maker has blamed the slip in quality that has lead to the recalls on the rapid expansion of the company. Toyota has replaced GM as the world's largest car maker. However, the company was forced to recall as many as 5.4 million in the United States this year alone. As a comparison, in 2009, the company reportedly sold 1,770,147 in this country.
Bloomberg reports that the problem causing the break fluid to leak from the master cylinder can lead to a gradual decline in the performance of the brakes. “It can cause a ‘spongy’ feeling in the brakes,” said Brian Lyons, a Toyota spokesman. The company has had 14 reports of brake fluid leaks.
The brake fluid leak is leading to Toyota recalls outside the U.S. as well. Reuters reports that in Japan, the company is recalling around 600,000 cars including, the Crown sedan model. The Japanese recall is for the fluid leak as well defective fuel pump wiring or both. Recalls have also been announced in China.
The company is trying to turn around its reputation and its perceived reluctance to admit flaws in car performance. Bloomberg reports that in order to restore the public's confidence in the brand, they must be open about any problems and address them quickly. The company appears to be trying to be proactive, at least on this recall.
Toyota found the brake-fluid flaw on its own, David Strickland, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told Bloomberg.
“Toyota’s action was uninfluenced by NHTSA,” Strickland said today. “They notified the agency as soon as they knew, which is fantastic, and they took affirmative action, which is the right thing to do.”
Related Resources:
- Toyota Recall and Lawsuits (FindLaw)
- New Toyota Recall: 1.1 Million Corollas, Matrixes Recalled (findLaw's Common Law)
- Toyota Crashes: Was Driver Error to Blame? (FindLaw's Common Law)
- Toyota Recalls Millions of Vehicles (provided by The Breslo Law Firm)
- Auto Accident Injuries and Compensation (provided by Silvers, Langsam & Weitzman, P.C.)