Toyota to recall 110,000 hybrids

30 June 2011 Last updated at 04:00 GMT Toyota is moving more quickly to resolve its latest setback

The world's biggest carmaker Toyota is to recall more than 110,000 hybrid vehicles over concerns about a problem with the power supply circuit.

The Japanese carmaker said the recall involves the Highlander hybrid and Lexus RX400h models globally.

The vehicles could stop suddenly because of an electrical problem leading to a blown fuse, the company said in a statement.

Toyota has recalled almost 12 million vehicles in the past 18 months.

The latest recalls are taking place mainly in the US, Japan and Europe, with some in Canada, Australia and South Korea, Toyota said.

The company said it was "working on obtaining the necessary replacement parts" and would get in touch with customers to get their vehicles inspected soon.

"The recalls that we announced cover all known problems regarding the component concerned," Toyota spokesperson Paul Nolasco told the BBC.

"We apologise for the inconvenience caused to our customers and hope to be able [to fix the problem] as soon as possible," he added.

'Full blown crisis' While the recall is likely to raise further questions about Toyota's quality controls, analysts said the carmaker is trying to ensure that it nips the problem in the bud.

"The good news is, they are not allowing it to become a full-blown crisis," said Vivek Vaidya at research group Frost & Sullivan.

He said there had been instances in the past of Toyota saying there were no issues with its vehicles when customers and safety regulators were reporting faults.

He said Toyota was trying to avoid getting into a similar situation again.

Reliability vs. localisation

The recall is the latest in a series of setbacks for Toyota, which has recalled more than 12 million vehicles in the past 18 months.

Analysts say the quest for rapid expansion had led to cracks appearing in the company's quality control system.

As Toyota grew from a Japanese brand to the biggest carmaker in the world, it needed to boost its production in order to meet the increased demand for its cars.

Toyota has recalled millions of vehicles globally in the past 18 months due to safety concerns

That resulted in the company setting up factories in various parts of the world to ramp up production - factories analysts say may not have been able to maintain Toyota's high standards.

"There might have been seepages in terms of quality standards," said Mr Vaidya.

As a result, its reputation for quality and reliability has taken a hit, especially in America where it was the only major carmaker to see sales fall in 2010.

"They have lost their reputation. There is no point hiding or denying it," Mr Vaidya added.

Losing steam

The problems for Toyota have been compounded further by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Destruction caused by the twin disasters saw the carmaker suspend production, not only at its domestic plants but also at overseas factories.

As a result, earlier this month Toyota warned that its profits for the current financial year would fall by a third.

Analysts said the carmaker is now in danger of losing its position as the world's biggest carmaker.

"According to the various projections that we have, chances are very high that General Motors may regain its number one slot," Mr Vaidya said.

"They are on the up in the US and are doing very well in China and have revamped their line-up in other key markets like India.

"They are the only company that can challenge Toyota."

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Citroen 'passenger brake' recall

19 May 2011 Last updated at 01:42 GMT A BBC Watchdog investigation showed that although the brake pedal had been switched to the right, it remained connected to a mechanism on the left passenger side.

Citroen is recalling more than 20,000 of its C3 Picasso cars in the UK because of concerns the brakes can be activated from the passenger side.

The problem arises because of the way the car is made in France then modified for right hand drive for UK export.

A BBC Watchdog investigation found the brake could still be engaged through a cable under the passenger footwell.

Citroen said although that was a remote possibility, it is offering customers a free modification to the UK vehicles.

Urgent problem The BBC TV consumer programme was alerted to the problem by a Kent-based commercial cleaning company, Town & Country Cleaners, which has three of the Citroen vehicles in its fleet.

The firm only discovered it when one of their drivers travelling at 70mph (112kmph) on a motorway found his car suddenly screeching to a halt.

The programme has since tested two more C3 Picassos on sale at dealerships in south east England - both of which have the same flaw. The model has been on sale in the UK for the last two years.

Motor engineer expert Mark Brown, who examined the cars, found that the braking mechanism underneath the passenger floor was easy to press - as it was only covered with a thin piece of felt.

"It's potentially very dangerous indeed because the passenger wouldn't know he's the one activating the brake. The driver wouldn't know what's going on, and the people behind wouldn't know what's going on.

"I think Citroen should take a good close look at this and seriously consider recalling the vehicles, and fitting some sort of structural permanent cover to protect the braking mechanism."

Tim Shallcross, Head of Technical Policy for the Institute of Advanced Motorists, added: "Citroen must investigate the problem as a matter of urgency. If the driver's control of the car can be compromised, they must take action to modify all cars, via a recall if necessary."

In a statement to Watchdog, Citroen said there had been no reports of the problem before the Watchdog programme, but because of a "remote possibility" it could happen, it announced a recall.

"The recall will require the fitment of an additional component to isolate the braking mechanism from the front seat passenger," the statement continued.

The company said the modification would be free at Citroen dealers.

"In the meantime, C3 Picasso owners should continue to use their cars as normal. Customers wanting further advice or information are asked to call the Citroen Contact Centre on 01753 475862, or to email cuk_contactcentre@citroen.com."

Watchdog will be on BBC One on Thursday 19 May at 2000BST. Watch online at BBC iPlayer afterwards or catch up on the latest consumer investigations at BBC Watchdog.

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