Published April 13, 2012
By Huw Evans
Yesterday, Toyota Motor Co. announced that it is initiating a program to voluntarily correct defective exhaust components on its Prius Alpha and v models.
Labeled a “service campaign” by the automaker, the problem revolves around weakened exhaust actuators, which can cause engine coolant leakage resulting in the car switching to limp or “safe” mode. A similar bulletin was issued a few years ago that affected second-generation 2004-07 Prius models.
This time out, the program reportedly affects some 8,000 Prius Alpha models in Japan and some 20,000 Prius Vs in North America. Customers will be notified and asked to bring their vehicles to their nearest dealer, who will replace the weak actuators free of charge.
This service campaign follows a number of Toyota recalls in recent months, including one in North America in March. In this case, more than 680,000 Camry sedans, Tacoma pickups and Venza crossovers were recalled for faulty brake lights and airbag issues.
As Toyota looks to get back on track following last year’s natural disaster in Japan, which severely hampered production and supply, the Prius, given its popularity and halo status within the current Toyota lineup, is likely to play a pivotal role in that recovery.
And, given that a highly publicized spate of recalls in the last few years tarnished the automaker’s reputation for quality, Toyota appears to be doing all it can deal with such issues quickly and effectively.
Wall Street Journal
