2004 Japan-Only Recall
In 2004, the driver of a Toyota Hilux Surf lost steering control when a relay rod snapped while they were driving on a highway in Kumamoto, Japan. The truck careened over a median, striking another vehicle in oncoming traffic and injuring five people. Japanese police investigators determined that the cause of the accident was a defective steering relay rod on the Toyota. The defective relay rod fractured before the accident, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle’s steering. The police asked local prosecutors to conduct a criminal investigation of three executives from Toyota's head office for professional negligence in their decision not to issue a recall or to take other safety measures on the affected Toyota vehicles.
The results of the Japanese investigation and the intense public outcry were deeply embarrassing for Toyota. In response, Toyota issued a recall of the affected vehicles, but only in Japan. Company executives refused to issue a recall in the United States for trucks with the same defective part.
The Japan-only recall was poorly implemented, and the Japanese government issued the company a rare reproof when it reprimanded Toyota for deficient recall practices. According to
news reports, Toyota admitted that the recall was inadequate.
2005 United States Recall
On September 6, 2005, Toyota finally issued a recall to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of approximately 978,000 Toyota trucks in the United States.
The recall encompassed 1989-1995 Toyota 4Runners, 1989-1995 Toyota Pickups, and 1993-1998 Toyota T100s.
Toyota's steering rod recall in the United States was reminiscent of the Japanese recall. In its final quarterly report to NHTSA, Toyota acknowledged repairs to only
32% of the trucks identified in the recall. The NHTSA average pass/fail rate for recall repairs is approximately
70% and NHTSA has indicated their goal is closer to 79%.
Toyota has failed to disclose publicly to NHTSA whether the other estimated 538,000 vehicles have been repaired. Many, if not all, of these vehicles continue to drive on American streets every day.
The delay caused by Toyota's reluctance to acknowledge the existence of the defective part for more than 15 years, compounded by Toyota's decision to wait a year to issue a recall in the United States after it had issued one in Japan for the same defective part, prevented the company from reaching many of the trucks' current owners, some of which bought the vehicles used. In addition, many who were involved in accidents prior to the recall - sometimes years before - cannot prove that the defective rod was the cause of the accident because the truck was totally destroyed in the accident and then salvaged. Still others cannot seek compensation for their claims because they are outside the statute of limitations for filing suit against Toyota.
