Toyota Motor Corp. on June 29, 2011, stated that it would voluntarily recall around 82,200 hybrid SUVs in the U.S. which includes about 45,500 Highlander hybrid and 36,700 Lexus Rx 400h models from its 2007 and 2007 lines. The company clarified that no other Toyota or Lexus vehicles are involved in the recall. According to Toyota the affected vehicles’ hybrid system has a computer board which has faulty wiring due to inadequate soldering. The faulty transistors in the control boards during high-load driving could either force the vehicle to operate at reduced power or stop suddenly.
Toyota is currently trying to obtain the necessary replacement parts and would notify the owners of the recalled vehicles around the mid of July 2011 once parts are available.
Apart from recovering from the repercussions of the natural disaster namely the earthquake and tsunami which disrupted the company’s production in Japan in March,2011, the current recall is another set back to the Japanese automaker which has already recalled 14 million vehicles worldwide due to safety concerns.
