Toyota Reeling from Record Number of Safety Recalls

So much for Toyota dependability: the Japanese automaker had the most recalled vehicles in 2009.

Of the approximately 4,870,000 vehicles pulled from the road, the vast majority were related to “unintended acceleration.”  The exact cause is unknown, but it was initially claimed to be from poorly designed floor mats, though Toyota did push ahead with gas pedal replacements.  About 110,000 Toyota trucks were also recalled due to prematurely rusting frames, resulting in Toyota extending its warranty coverage to fifteen years.  Before that, Toyota had to settle a case against it over charges of oil sludge buildup within its engines.

Consumer Reports, a longtime supporter of Toyota, was forced to concede its practice of automatically recommending the company’s vehicles would have to cease.  Both the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have placed Toyota vehicles under review. Toyota Tacoma