Японският концерн Toyota Motor ще извърши поредната си сервизна акция, която ще засегне 550 000 автомобила в световен мащаб. Проблемът този път се крие в механизма за управление на предните колела, който може да дефектира и да откаже работа. Първите симптоми на неизправността са странни шумове от хидроусилвателя и светване на контролната лампа за проблем в двигателния отсек на шофьорското табло. При продължително каране в такъв режим, системата може да откаже напълно, което ще доведе до силно затруднено завъртане на волана. Сервизната операция ще върне в сервизите много модели на японците – Camry, Highlander, Sienna и Solara от 2005 година, 2006 Highlander, като засегнати са и два модела от луксозното подразделение Lexus – ES 350 и RX 330, съответно от 2004 и 2005 година. От компанията уверяват, че до този момент не са регистрирани инциденти в следствие проблемите с кормилната система. Всички разходи по подмяната на дефектиралите части и закупуването на нови такива ще се поемат от сервизите на Toyota по целия свят.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. (TMS), today announced that it will conduct a voluntary safety recall involving approximately 283,200 Toyota and 137,000 Lexus…

Customer FAQs for Toyota/Lexus Crankshaft Pulley Recall
1. Which models are involved in this recall?
In the United States, approximately 420,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles with V6 engines are involved. These include certain of the following models:
2004 Avalon
2004 and 2005 Camry, Highlander, Sienna, and Solara
2006 Highlander HV
2004 and 2005 Lexus ES330 and RX330
2006 Lexus RX400h

2. What prompted Toyota to take this action?
Toyota determined that in certain vehicles equipped with a 1MZ-FE or 3MZ-FE V6 engine, the amount of adhesive agent applied between the outer ring and the inner ring (torsional rubber damper) in the crankshaft pulley may be inadequate.  If the adhesive is insufficient, there is a possibility that the outer ring of the crankshaft pulley may become misaligned with the inner ring, causing noise and/or illumination of the discharge warning light. 
If this condition is not corrected, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley, and the driver may notice a sudden increase in steering effort due to a loss of power steering assistance.
 
3. What is the crankshaft pulley?
The crankshaft pulley is attached to the front end of the engine crankshaft and drives the power steering pump, alternator and air condition compressor through the accessory V-Belts.
 
4. Are there any other Toyota or Lexus vehicles involved?
No other Toyota or Lexus vehicles or these Toyota models with 4 cylinder engines are involved.
 
5. What is Toyota going to do to fix this problem?
Toyota will perform an inspection of the involved vehicles and, if necessary, replace the Engine Crankshaft Pulley.
 
6. Has Toyota received any reports of accidents associated with this condition?
No. Toyota has not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to this condition.
 
7. Are there any warnings this condition has occurred?
The driver may hear an abnormal noise from the engine compartment. If this condition is not corrected, the power steering belt may become detached from the pulley. If this occurs, the driver may notice a sudden increase in steering effort due to a loss of power steering assistance.
In addition, if the alternator belt may slip on the pulley, the amount of power the alternator generates will decrease and the Discharge Warning Light (red shaped battery) will illuminate, indicating there is a charging system malfunction. If this occurs, the vehicle may be driven for a short distance until the remaining battery power is depleted.
 
8. When can I get my vehicle fixed?
Toyota is currently working on obtaining the necessary replacement parts. Once the replacement parts have been produced in sufficient quantities, Toyota will send a notification advising owners to make an appointment with an authorized Toyota or Lexus dealer to have the crankshaft pulley inspected and, if necessary, replaced.  The owner notifications will be sent by first class mail beginning in January 2012.
In the meantime, if an abnormal noise is heard coming from the engine compartment, the owner is asked to make an appointment with any Toyota or Lexus dealer to have the vehicle inspected for this condition.
 
9. How long will it take for a dealer to perform the remedy?
The inspection and replacement of the crankshaft pulley should take approximately two hours, depending on a dealers’ work schedule.
 
10. Is this repair covered by warranty? Will drivers have to pay any money out of pocket for this repair?
This inspection and repair will be at no cost to customers.
 
11. What should I do if I still have questions or concerns?
If you still have questions or concerns that have not been addressed here, please contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus Customer Satisfaction at 1-800-25 LEXUS or 1-800-255-3987.