Richiami Toyota e Ford

[RS6plus]

TOKYO (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp., the world's biggest carmaker, will recall 1.53 million vehicles globally to fix a brake-related problem that may cause fluid leaks.

Toyota will repair 599,029 cars in Japan and 740,000 units in the United States, the company said Thursday. In some cases, a small amount of brake fluid can leak from the brake master cylinder and as a result, braking performance may gradually decline, Toyota said.

The recall also affects European markets led by the UK, Russia and Germany, Brussels-based Toyota spokesman Etienne Plas said. In the UK, Toyota is recalling 15,408 vehicles affected by the cylinder problem, Plas said by telephone

Models recalled in the United States include the Avalon, Highlander Lexus GS300, Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350. Toyota will also recall vehicles at joint ventures in China, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said on its Web site.

Thursday's announcements come as the world's biggest carmaker is seeking to regain customer trust and market share after recalling more than 8 million vehicles globally for defects linked to unintended acceleration. The Japanese company has added 40 engineers and created teams to scrutinize the designs of components, according to the company and an outside consultant.

“They seem to know they must be very open about this to restore customer confidence,” said Ian Fletcher, an auto analyst at IHS Automotive in London. “They can't afford anymore to have the massive political trial they had in the U.S.”

No accidents were reported from the defects, Toyota said. Toyota does not disclose estimates for recall costs, and had no comment on whether the repairs would have any effect on its earnings.

Toyota has blamed at least part of the quality slip over the past year on its rapid expansion during the past decade, when it overtook General Motors Co. as the world's top-selling automaker.

Toyota's shares, which have grown largely immune to recall news, ended up 0.4 percent at 2,900 yen in Tokyo. Other Japanese automakers' shares and the broader market fell on Thursday.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101021/COPY/310219976/1292#ixzz1358qNdG0

WASHINGTON -- About 8.4 million Ford vehicles that can possibly catch fire remain on the road because of lack of owner information even after the largest U.S. safety recall ever, regulators said today.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urged owners of the 14 million vehicles recalled between 1999 and 2009 for leaky cruise-control switches to take their unrepaired vehicles in to dealers. The switches on those vehicles may leak into the antilock brake system, Ford has said.

“If not repaired, the vehicles can catch fire, even if they are turned off, parked and unattended,” NHTSA's statement today said.

A NHTSA spokeswoman said that about 60 percent of the 14 million recalled vehicles -- or 8.4 million – have not been brought in for repair by owners.

Typically, about 30 percent of recalled vehicles are not returned for repair within a year-and-a-half of the announcement, said the spokeswoman, who asked not to be named.

Today's statement singled out used-car owners who may not know whether the vehicles they bought had ever been returned to dealers for needed repairs.

It also urged owners “to watch for potential warning signs of an imminent fire.”

Those signs include a cruise-control system or brake lights that stop working, low brake fluid and the illumination of brake warning lights on the dashboard.

Ford has notified owners about the recalls a number of times, company spokesman Wesley Sherwood said.

The repair rate for the Ford models has been “likely lower than typical” because of their age, he added.

NHTSA praised the automaker's notification efforts as “diligent.”

Among the models that have been recalled over the years are 1992-2003 E series, 1993-2003 F series, 1995-2003 Windstars, 1995-2002 Explorers and 1995-2003 Rangers.

Ford's series of eight recalls for the same defect amounted to the largest-ever U.S. recall, according to NHTSA data. The 14 million vehicles recalled are nearly double the size of the next biggest.

Ford's most recent recall of 4.5 million vehicles for leaky cruise-control switches was in October 2009 after customer complaints of 72 fires.

A Ford owner can check whether a vehicle has been recalled and repaired by entering the vehicle identification number (VIN) on the following site: www.myford.com.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101021/RETAIL05/101029958/1254#ixzz1359PnNFs

Toyota si impegna a riparare automobili in Giappone 599,029 e 740,000 unità negli Stati Uniti, per un totale di 1.530.000 veicoli, risolvendo un problema ai freni che possono causare la perdita di liquido.

I modelli richiamati negli Stati Uniti sono l'Avalon, Highlander Lexus GS300, Lexus IS250 e Lexus IS350.

Non si è registrato nessun ferito per questo problema.

Degli 8,4milioni di vetture richiamate da ford dal 1999 al 2009 per un possibile incendio dovuto al cruise control, innescabile anche avettura spenta, il 60% non si è presentato nelle officine per la riparazione, anche a fronte di più comunicati

Tra i modelli che sono stati richiamati nel corso degli anni 1992-2003 Serie E, 1993-2003 della serie F, Windstars 1995-2003, 1995-2002 e 1995-2003 Esploratori Rangers.

Nell'ultimo richiamo di 4.5ml, si erano verificati 72 casi d'incendio

[J-Gian]

Degli 8,4milioni di vetture richiamate da ford dal 1999 al 2009 per un possibile incendio dovuto al cruise control, innescabile anche avettura spenta, il 60% non si è presentato nelle officine per la riparazione, anche a fronte di più comunicati

Probabilmente i casi sono stati più di 72...