Further Toyota Recalls

Toyota to recall 870,000 Sienna minivans for rusty spare-tire cables

Automotive News
April 16, 2010 - 5:53 pm EST

UPDATED: 4/16/2010 7:45 p.m. ET

(Reuters) -- Toyota Motor Corp said it would recall 870,000 Sienna minivans sold in the United States and Canada since the 1998 model year because of a risk that the spare tire could drop onto the road.

The recalls cover minivans sold in 20 cold-weather U.S. states and Canada due to potential corrosion from long-term exposure to road salt that could in the worst case cause the spare tire to separate from the vehicle, Toyota said.

All told, the recalls cover some 600,000 two-wheel-drive Sienna minivans from the 1998 to 2010 model years sold or registered in the United States and 270,000 of the same vehicles in Canada.

Friday's action pushes the number of Toyota vehicles recalled since late last year to more than 9.3 million. Most address the risk of unintended acceleration tied to faulty gas pedals and floor mats that can interfere with pedals. The Prius and other hybrids have also been recalled for brake problems.

On Tuesday, Toyota halted sales of its Lexus GX 460 SUV after Consumer Reports said its handling in certain curves posed a "safety risk."

The automaker has not yet decided whether it would have to recall the GX 460, but has said its engineers duplicated the results of Consumer Reports' tests.

For the Sienna recall, Toyota said prolonged exposure to high use of road salt could cause excessive corrosion in the cable. Owners will receive a letter urging them to bring their minivans to a dealership for inspection while Toyota develops a remedy.

The recall covers vehicles sold or registered in the District of Columbia as well as Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

Owners in other states also can choose to have their vehicles inspected, Toyota said.