Toyota Conducts Another Recall
TORRANCE, Calif. — The challenges continue to mount for Toyota. This time, the automaker is recalling about 50,000 Toyota Seqouia vehicles from early model-year 2003.
The voluntary safety recall is to give the Vehicle Stability Control system a program logic upgrade.
"The VSC system can help control a loss of traction in turns as a result of front or rear tire slippage during cornering," officials explained.
"In vehicles without the upgrade, the VSC system could, in limited situations, activate at low speed (approximately 9 miles per hour) for a few seconds after acceleration from a stopped position and, as a result, the vehicle may not accelerate as quickly as the driver expects," they added.
The automaker emphasizes that no accidents or injuries due to this issue have been reported.
The issue was first discovered in the fall of 2003, and Toyota responded with a running production change and by sending out a technical service bulletin.
In the almost seven years since, the automaker has been replacing the Skid Control Engine Control Unit in affected Sequoias to address the concerns of individual owners.
Toyota said about half of the 50,000 units included in Wednesday's recall have already been serviced under warranty.
"Toyota is committed to investigating customer complaints more aggressively and to responding quickly to issues we identify in our vehicles," shared Steve St. Angelo, Toyota's chief quality officer for North America.
"As a result, we are voluntarily launching this recall to ensure that as many 2003 Sequoias as possible are serviced to the full satisfaction of our customers," he added.
Late next month, Toyota will start mailing letters to owners of 2003 Sequoias impacted the recall, even if their rides have already been serviced.
Toyota is asking owners who have already paid to replace the Skid Control ECU for this specific issue to send a copy of their repair order to the following address for reimbursement consideration:
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.,
Toyota Customer Experience, WC 10
19001 South Western Avenue, Torrance, CA 90509