Some owners of Toyota vehicles in Nova Scotia could soon find themselves affected by the company’s recently announced recall. Toyota Canada has announced that 513,401 cars spanning a variety of models will be recalled due to potential problems with their seat rails, steering columns and engine starters, among other issues. One of the models involved is a General Motors Corp. Pontiac Vibe, which was built at a factory in California that GM shares with Toyota.
Although no car accidents were reported by the time of the recall, Toyota is still recovering from the massive recalls that were announced in 2009. In March 2014, the manufacturer agreed to pay a $1.2 billion penalty in a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department that was made in connection to that event.
Sources report that the present recall has affected 6.39 vehicles globally, with 2.3 million of these located across North America and nearly 2 million more in Europe and Japan. Affected Toyota models are said to include the RAV4, Matrix, Highlander, Tacoma, Corolla and 22 others. This is believed to be the automaker’s second-largest recall of all time, the largest being the 2009-10 recall for unexpected acceleration, defective brakes and floor mat issues.
In order to distribute their products in Canada, automobile companies are required to ensure that their products are safe for consumer operation. When automakers are deemed to have lapsed in this regard, they may be held accountable for any injuries or damages that have resulted. A victim of an accident attributed to a vehicle defect may examine his or her options for filing a personal injury claim in pursuit of compensation.
Source: CBC, “Toyota recalls 6.4 million vehicles globally“, April 09, 2014