The latest in damage control: Toyota must attempt to recover its plummeting image after yet another recall. This time: Nearly 400,000 vehicles with faulty (and crash-causing) steering wheels.
The Japanese auto company announced Thursday that it would recall 373,000 of its Avalon sedans manufactured between 2000 and 2004 due to a dangerous defect that could cause the steering wheel to lock up while the car is in motion. The frightening possibility was due to an improper casting in the Avalon’s steering interlock system, Toyota said in a statement. Apparently, the company has been investigating the issue since 2007 after a series of complaints.
The 14th since 2007, the recall definitely doesn’t bode well for Toyota, who has pulled 8.5 million of its vehicles off the market since October 2009, according to the AP. With consumer trust already in serious jeopardy, it’s impossible not to question the company’s ability to come back from yet another serious kick to the PR area.