Toyota, known for making reliable and long-lasting cars, is the last company you expect to recall one million vehicles. No less, it’s not a company you expect to recall vehicles over something as serious as a fuel pump issue. Toyotas are not the worst cars to own; they have a sterling reputation of quality and value. But this recall is a huge blow to the Japanese carmaker’s image.
On Wednesday, Toyota extended an ongoing recall to include a sizable 1.2 million more vehicles. The recall is to fix fuel pump issues. This brings the existing recall’s numbers to an eye-watering 1.8 million vehicles, all of which could experience fuel pump issues that can cause engines to stall.
As the recall rolls on, Toyota has clarified that around 118,000 of the nearly 700,000 vehicles recalled for this issue in January shouldn’t have been included. However, when compared to the nearly 2 million vehicles that have been recalled, this is cold comfort.
Engine stalling is a particularly dangerous mechanical failure; it can cause sudden stops in traffic, greatly increasing the risk of an accident.
Toyota, however, has been resistant to saying whether or not this issue has caused any accidents. At present, it is unclear if any traffic incidents or fatalities have been a result of this fuel pump issue.
Toyota owners should be aware that their vehicles could stall out as a result of this failure, though, and should be prepared to have their vehicles serviced should they be recalled.
Toyota will notify you in May if your vehicle needs to be fixed. In the meantime, if you own a Toyota, or their luxury brand, Lexus, you should exercise caution when driving. This goes double for driving on the highway, where speeds are markedly higher and there are less places to take your car out of traffic to avoid an accident.
Should Toyota recall your vehicle in May, you’ll simply need to make an appointment with your local dealership. Then you just bring your vehicle in to the shop. The automaker has promised to fix the issue for owners free of charge. They will replace the failing fuel pumps with a new, improved pump. Hopefully this one doesn’t suffer the same issues as the original.
This recall has been a surprising black eye for Toyota. They are normally known for reliability and affordable vehicles. Analysts wonder if this recall will result in lower sales for the automaker as public faith is tested.
