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NEWS
Toyota recalls second-gen Prius
Three local instances reported of premature wear in steering shaft splinesToyota is contacting owners of the second-generation (NHW20R) Prius built between May 2003 and April 2009 to bring their cars in for an inspection.
Nearly 13,000 vehicles sold in Australia are subject to the recall and as many as 2.76 million vehicles sold in other markets are affected. Toyota has recalled the Prius to check for premature wear in an extension shaft to the car's steering box. According to the manufacturer, the shaft may not have been properly hardened during the manufacturing process, which may lead to premature wear of the splines at the end of the shaft.
Vehicles "frequently and forcefully turned into full lock while driving at a slow speed" are the ones most likely subject to this early deformation. Toyota has received reports of three vehicles sold in Australia exhibiting symptoms of the steering system's intermediate extension shaft being improperly hardened, but no accidents have resulted from the defect.
Subsequent to an inspection finding the car has a defective shaft, the dealer will replace the part at not cost to the vehicle owner. Toyota advises that the work to be undertaken will require the car be left with the dealer for about an hour. The company will from December contact owners by mail at their last known address, but owners concerned about the vehicle's steering can contact Toyota to discuss the matter by phone, on 1800 987 366.
As a volume-selling mainstream manufacturer that rivals GM and Toyota for global sales, Toyota is reliant on the same parts and the same model designs across a worldwide manufacturing network, and is more likely to announce large-scale recalls than most other manufacturers. This particular program, affecting nearly three million vehicles, is on the lower end of the scale when compared with a recent recall for window switches (7.4 million vehicles) and the infamous unintended acceleration recall, involving over eight million vehicles around the world.
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Written byCarsales Staff
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