Cars

Troubled Toyota to recall 270,000 cars globally

By SHINO YUASA (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-03 10:44

Mark Templin，Lexus General Manager

TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp will recall 270,000 Lexus and other vehicles worldwide to fix faulty engines in the latest quality lapse at the world's No 1 automaker.

Flaws in valve springs, a crucial engine component, could make the vehicle stall while it's moving, Toyota spokesman Hideaki Homma said on Friday in announcing the recall.

Lexus General Manager Mark Templin said contaminated materials had been used for valve springs during manufacturing.

Toyota has received about 200 complaints over faulty engines in Japan but no accidents were reported there or abroad, Homma said.

Some drivers told Toyota that engines made a strange noise.

The global recall that starts on Monday affects seven luxury Lexus sedan models as well as the popular Crown, Toyota spokesman Paul Nolasco said.

Of the 270,000 recalled cars, some 180,000 were sold overseas, including the United States, and 90,000 in Japan.

The automaker was already scrambling to repair its reputation after 8.5 million vehicles were recalled beginning in October because of problems with sticking accelerator pedals and other issues.

Toyota was slapped with a record $16.4 million fine in the US for acting too slowly to recall vehicles with defects.

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Japan's major daily Asahi said Friday the latest recall of 270,000 vehicles could cost Toyota around 20 billion yen ($227 million).

Toyota could not confirm the report, which gave no sources.

Toyota will inform Japan's transport ministry of a recall of 90,000 vehicles on Monday. Nolasco said it was unclear how many vehicles would be recalled in the US, and Toyota will take action for overseas markets as soon as next week.

Lexus said on Thursday about 137,000 vehicles could be affected by the engine problem in the US.

Ryoichi Saito, an auto analyst from Mizuho Investors Securities Co Ltd, said the latest recall was unlikely to hurt Toyota.

"It is clear that Toyota has learned a lesson from the recall disaster. The company has acted very swiftly to deal with problems," Saito said.

Associated Press