USA RECALL #2 - Toyota/Lexus recall Prius and Ct200h models for possible airbag weld cracks.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. today announced that it is conducting a safety recall of approximately 482,000 Model Year 2010 - 2012 Prius; 2010 and 2012 Prius Plug-In Hybrids and 2011 and 2012 Lexus CT 200h vehicles. 

The involved vehicles are equipped with curtain shield air bags (CSA) in the driver and passenger side roof rails that have air bag inflators composed of two chambers welded together. 

 

Some inflators could have a small crack in the weld area joining the chambers, which could grow over time, and lead to the separation of the inflator chambers.  

This has been observed when the vehicle is parked and unoccupied for a period of time.  If an inflator separates, the CSA could partially inflate, and, in limited circumstances, one or both sections of the inflator could enter the interior of the vehicle.  If an occupant is present in the vehicle, there is an increased risk of injury.

All known owners of the involved vehicles will be notified by first class mail.  Toyota and Lexus dealers will install retention brackets on the curtain shield air bag inflators at no cost.  These retention brackets are designed to prevent the inflator chambers from entering the vehicle interior if separation occurs.

Information about automotive recalls, including but not limited to the list of involved vehicles, is subject to change over time.  

For the most up-to-date Safety Recall information on Lexus, Toyota and Scion customers should check their vehicle’s status by visiting 

http://www.toyota.com/recall 

and entering the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).  Safety Recall inquiry by individual VIN is also available at the NHTSA site:

safercar.gov/vin.  

For any additional questions, customer support is also available by calling Lexus Customer Service at 1-800-25-53987.

USA - The Million Mile Toyota Tundra, no issues, no breakdowns and still going strong.

• Learning from a Toyota Truck after Eight Safe Years on the Road

Toyota customer Victor Sheppard was so satisfied with his Toyota Tundra, even after he had safely driven 1 million miles, he continued driving it. When Toyota saw the well-kept truck, they asked: What is a Toyota Tundra with more than a million miles worth?

For Toyota’s production engineers and team members, the truck’s longevity offers invaluable insight for future products. For Sheppard, it was worth a new truck.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. swapped trucks today with Sheppard at Greg Leblanc Toyota in Mr. Sheppard’s hometown, Houma, La., in a brief ceremony.

The million-mile Tundra, a 2007 model year, was one of the first of its kind assembled exclusively at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, in San Antonio. Since purchasing the truck, Sheppard has been the sole owner and has put an average of 125,000 miles a year on the odometer, regularly driving long-haul trips from his home to North Dakota, Wyoming, and Virginia for his job. The truck still has its original engine, transmission and paint job.

“Most people can’t believe how much on his truck is original,” said Ron Weimer, general manager of Greg Leblanc Toyota. “Victor has been loyal to his maintenance and kept it up.”

Sheppard’s truck has drawn attention in the past, leading to it being showcased in Toyota’s outdoor truck display in September 2012 at the Texas State Fair in Dallas. The truck has also been regularly featured on the Facebook page for LeBlanc Toyota. 

The dealership even posted his odometer reading when it hit 999,999 miles. In maintaining his truck to the extraordinary million-mile mark, Sheppard has logged 117 dealership service visits over nine years, ranging from timing belt replacements, oil changes, and the manufacturer’s regularly scheduled check-ups.

“My truck looks great, and, except for a few little dents, it’s almost like new,” said Sheppard. “Even the seats look just as they were when I bought it. They’re not as clean, of course, but they’re not busted or worn out.”

While high-mileage vehicles help validate the quality of the manufacturing processes the company employs, Toyota engineers are interested in how the engine and transmission as well as other components and parts, such as the seats, have held up. And as one of the first Tundra trucks from the San Antonio plant, Toyota’s chief truck engineer from Toyota Technical Center, Mike Sweers, and his team want a chance to get a better look under the hood and everywhere else to learn how the vehicle holds up after so many miles and rigorous use.

“Having a million-mile truck in as pristine condition as this one with original parts is a truly rare find,” said Sweers. “Our team plans to tear down the entire truck, bumper-to-bumper, top-to-bottom to evaluate how the quality and safety we designed, engineered and built into the Tundra has held up to over one-million miles of real-world driving and help us continue providing ever-better vehicles for our customers.”

The disassembly process is expected to take months as engineers examine each part of the engine, chassis, body, and other components. With the knowledge gained, the engineers will apply their findings to future trucks.

As for Sheppard, his million-mile truck has been replaced by a new 2016 Tundra. Ironically, the 2016 Tundra is also his 16^th Tundra.

“Mr. Sheppard says he is a believer in Toyota quality and safety,” said Weimer. “He believes in the brand.”

“I believed [reaching a million miles] wouldn’t be a problem,” said Sheppard. “These trucks are safe and dependable. I think, if you see a Toyota on the side of the road, it might be a scam because they just don’t break down very often.”

USA RECALL - Toyota extends the recall notice on cars for the Takata Airbag issues, Lexus included too.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. today announced that it is expanding two of its recalls involving Takata front passenger airbag inflators.  This will add model years of certain vehicles previously recalled and will cover all remaining dual-stage front passenger inflators of a particular type, as a precautionary measure.

Approximately 198,000 Model Year 2008 Corolla and Corolla Matrix and Model Year 2008-2010 Lexus SC 430 vehicles will be added to the recalls.

The involved vehicles are equipped with a Takata-produced dual-stage front passenger airbag inflator which could potentially be susceptible to rupture when deployed in a crash.

All known owners of the affected Toyota / Lexus vehicles will be notified by first class mail.  Dealers will replace the airbag inflator or the airbag assembly with a newly manufactured one at no cost.   

Information about automotive recalls, including but not limited to the list of involved vehicles, is subject to change over time.  For the most up-do-date Safety Recall information on Toyota, Lexus or Scion vehicles, customers should check their vehicle’s status by visiting toyota.com/recall and entering the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).  Safety Recall inquiry by individual VIN is also available at the NHTSA site:safercar.gov/vin.  For any additional questions, customer support is also available by calling Toyota Customer Service at 1-800-331-4331, or Lexus Customer Service at 1-800-255-3987. 

USA SALES FEBRUARY - Toyota Sales sees a 4% growth in Feb', with some Lexus models up in double digits.

• TMS light trucks set new February record
• RAV4 charges ahead, marks best-ever February
• Lexus LX, RX, and NX see double-digit gains

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. today reported February 2016 sales of 187,954 vehicles, an increase of 4.1 percent from February 2015 on a volume basis. With the same number of selling days in February 2016 and 2015, sales were also up 4.1 percent on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis.

Toyota division February 2016 sales were up 4.7 percent on both a DSR and volume basis with sales of 164.864 units.

“Light trucks continue to drive strong demand in 2016,” said Bill Fay, group vice president and general manager for the Toyota division. “The Toyota division had back-to-back, best-ever light truck monthly records, supported by another best-ever month in February for RAV4.”

Lexus reported February 2016 sales of 23,090 units.

“As leaders in luxury crossover vehicles, it’s no surprise to us that our SUV lineup continues to propel our sales performance,” said Jeff Bracken, group vice president and general manager for the Lexus division. “It wasn’t just a good month for SUVs, however—IS, CT and RC have exceeded our sales expectations for the month of February, validating the appeal of these models to the next generation of luxury consumer.”

February 2016 Highlights:

• Combined TMS light truck sales of 94,864 units, up 9.7 percent
• RAV4 posts best-ever February with sales of 25,523 units; up more than 16 percent
• Highlander reports best-ever February sales with sales of 12,466 units
• 4Runner and Sienna up 32 and 5.5 percent respectively
• Tacoma up 14.5 percent with sales of 14,172 units
• NX up 39.1 percent
• RX up 10.8 percent with sales of 7,192 units
• LX up more than 81 percent

*Note:  Unless otherwise stated, all figures reflect unadjusted sales volume

USA RECALL - SCION - Toyota recalls the FR-S for possible removal of ignition key whilst not in park mode.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. today announced that it is conducting a safety recall of approximately 26,000 Model Year 2013-2016 Scion FR-S vehicles. 

In the involved vehicles, connectors for the automatic transmission key interlock on some vehicles may not have been connected during pre-delivery service prior to sale.  

If this delivery mode connector is not connected, it is possible to remove the key in gear positions other than “Park”, causing the vehicles not to comply with a portion of Federal/Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114.  This could increase the risk of vehicle rollaway and a crash. 

All known owners of the subject vehicles will be notified by first class mail and instructed to return the vehicle to a Toyota dealer to have the ignition key interlock function confirmed, and if necessary, delivery mode connectors connected at no charge.

Information about automotive recalls, including but not limited to the list of involved vehicles, is subject to change over time.  For the most up-to-date Safety Recall information on Lexus, Toyota and Scion customers should check their vehicle’s status by visiting http://www.toyota.com/recall and entering the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).  Safety Recall inquiry by individual VIN is also available at the NHTSA site:safercar.gov/vin.  For any additional questions, customer support is also available by calling Toyota Customer Service at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus Customer Service at 1-800-255-3987.

USA SALES JANUARY - Toyota Motor Sales reports higher sales on few selling days,

• RAV4 continues surge, marks best January
• TMS light trucks set new January record
• Lexus LX, RX, and NX see strong gains

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. today reported January 2016 sales. With two fewer selling days in January of 2016, sales were up 3.3 percent on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. Total sales volume for January was 161,283 units, a decrease of 4.7 percent from January 2015 on a volume basis.

Toyota division January 2016 sales were up 4.1 percent on a DSR basis with sales of 140,350 units, down 3.9 percent in volume.

“The industry is off to a healthy start in 2016,” said Bill Fay, group vice president and general manager for the Toyota division. “For Toyota Division, RAV4 led the way with a record January and pick-up truck sales continued to rise, setting a new January Toyota division light truck record.”

Lexus reported January 2016 sales of 20,933 units, a decrease of 9.5 percent on a volume basis.

“The appetite for crossovers and SUVs in the luxury market has continued to drive customers to Lexus,” commented Jeff Bracken, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “In January, our new vehicle sales were propelled by the all-new RX crossover and the NX, which continue to exceed sales forecasts.” 

January 2016 Highlights:

• Combined TMS light truck sales of 84,841, up 4.4 percent
• RAV4 posts best-ever January with sales of 21,554 units; up 8.7 percent
• Highlander reports best January sales since 2008 of 11,258 vehicles
• 4Runner and Sienna up 7.9 and 23 percent respectively
• Tacoma is up 11.5 percent
• Camry sales up year-over-year
• NX up 11.4 percent
• RX up 5.9 percent at 6,956 units
• LX up 99.7 percent

*Note:  Unless otherwise stated, all figures reflect unadjusted sales volume

USA RECALL - Lexus is recalling 2016 RX 350 & 450h due to possible improper manufacture of Knee Airbags.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. today announced that it is conducting a safety recall of approximately 5,000 Model Year 2016 Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h vehicles. 

The involved vehicles are equipped with a driver’s knee airbag module that may not have been properly manufactured.  This could affect the performance of the airbag and increase the risk of injury in a crash. 

All known owners of the involved Lexus vehicles will be notified by first class mail.   Lexus dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the driver’s knee airbag assembly free of charge.

Information about automotive recalls, including but not limited to the list of involved vehicles, is subject to change over time.  For the most up-to-date Safety Recall information on Lexus, Toyota and Scion customers should check their vehicle’s status by visiting http://www.toyota.com/recall and entering the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).  Safety Recall inquiry by individual VIN is also available at the NHTSA site:safercar.gov/vin.  For any additional questions, customer support is also available by calling Lexus Customer Service at 1-800-255-3987.

CES 2016: Toyota showcases a host of new technologies and Zero Emission vehicles.

Attendees at the International Consumer Electronics Show are getting a first-hand look at the future of mobility, and it is cleaner, safer and more convenient. Toyota is showcasing a host of automated, connected and zero-emission technologies at CES 2016, giving conference-goers a window into a world where vehicles can not only take care of themselves; they also take care of you.

“At Toyota, we see the vehicle of the future as more than just a mode of transportation,” said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. Inc. 

“Instead, it will be something more useful, accessible and exciting than ever before. These next generation connected and automated vehicles will optimize their own operational capabilities and deliver comfort, convenience and joy to passengers – and they’ll be arriving sooner than you think.”

Toyota’s exhibit, located in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, builds on major announcements from the company in the lead up to CES and showcases both the company’s vision for connected vehicles and the potential of artificial intelligence to improve driving safety.

Technologies on display include:

• The TOYOTA Smart Center, the heart of Toyota’s vision for a Smart Mobility Society that connects people, vehicles and communities. The powerful, secure and private cloud-based computing system collects secure vehicle data, analyzes information from millions of vehicles around the globe and provides customers with personalized services that make life easier.
• Next generation connected service systems such as Agent+, which leverages multiple factors including day, time, location and driving history to predict likely destinations and help guide you there quickly and efficiently.  
• The Mobility Teammate Concept, which demonstrates Toyota’s more than 20 years of research and development into automated driving technologies. The vehicle showcases Toyota’s approach to automated driving – building relationships between people and cars to help them team up in pursuit of safe and enjoyable driving. This approach acknowledges the utility of automated driving technologies while maintaining the fun experience of driving itself.
• A deep learning and artificial intelligence display, where scale model Prius connected vehicles learn from and share with each other in real time to create a safe driving environment.  
• Toyota FCV Plus concept vehicle, which demonstrates Toyota’s vision of a connected, sustainable hydrogen society. The concept vehicle showcases the potential of hydrogen fuel cell technology beyond just the automotive industry, and is capable generating electricity directly from hydrogen stored outside the vehicle and thus operating as a stable source of electric power for use at home or on the go.
• The Toyota Kikai, meaning “machine” which brings the machinery of the vehicle out from beneath the body and makes an open display of its beauty. 

While many of the vehicles and technologies on display at the Toyota exhibit are future concepts, some – like telematics systems such as Agent+, may be coming soon to Toyota vehicles.