In a move that will affect some Ohio car owners, Toyota has announced a recall of nearly 300,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles around the world because of problems with anti-lock brakes and stability control. These safety systems in the vehicles could stop working and lead to car accidents, although none have been reported to date. The specific part is a component in the braking system that might not perform proper pressure adjustments, which could affect other safety measures in the vehicle and result in a wreck.
Of the 295,000 vehicles, 261,114 were sold in the U.S. Others were exported although the specific locations were not immediately available. Affected model years were 2012 and 2013, and the vehicles included Lexus RX350s, Toyota Tacoma trucks and Toyota RAV4 SUVS. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that the problem should be repaired by the dealer, and Toyota and Lexus will correct the defect free of charge.
In another recall just days before, the giant car company announced that 1.9 million Prius vehicles around the globe had a software problem that caused the vehicle to shut down completely when being driven. The recall affects 713,000 vehicles in North America dating from the present back to March 2009. Toyota made a proactive decision in the voluntary recall before any car accidents were blamed on the glitch.
A product defect in a car could result in accidents, serious injuries and even death. A personal injury lawyer might be able to request a settlement on the behalf of clients who were the victims of defective vehicle parts.
Source: USA Today, “Toyota recalling 1.9 million Prius cars” Kim Hjelmgaard, Feb. 12, 2014
Source: Reuters, “Toyota recalls about 295,000 vehicles globally for electrical fault”, February 14, 2014
