TMV says to fix faulty Innova vehicles

Toyota Motor Vietnam (TMV) worked with Vietnam Register on Saturday to present a free inspection plan for thousands of problem Innova vehicles.

A source reached by the Daily declined to reveal the exact number of Innova cars with defects. The source said Vietnam Register would start working at TMV’s plant in the northern province of Vinh Phuc early this week to check vehicles and assembly lines.

The national vehicle registration agency will have other meetings with the company to sort out the problem. Meanwhile, TMV said it would announce a detailed recall plan and the number of faulty cars.

TMV last week wrote to Vietnam Register saying it would repair the problem cars for free. The Japanese company said it would check and repair the Innova vehicles having technical problems with brakes, screws and seats. This means the company is preparing to recall these vehicles.

Do Huu Duc, deputy head of Vietnam Register, said this was a positive sign on the part of Toyota but the company should announce its recall soon.

Earlier, Le Van Tach, a Vietnamese engineer of TMV, revealed documentation that shows three major technical glitches with the Innova and Fortuner vehicles. He blamed the flaws on the outdated equipment in use at TMV’s factory and said two of them would take a long time to fix and only Toyota could do it using its specialized tools.

TMV said a press briefing in Hanoi on April 1 that 8,830 Innova cars had been affected but those problems would not impact their safety and would not amount to a recall.

Those cars might have sustained one of the three glitches – rear wheel brake cylinder pressure, striker bolt tightening torque reduction, and camber tightening. The company said the Innova was the only model affected by these problems. The Innova is the best selling seven-seat vehicle in the country and widely used by taxi firms.

The Ministry of Transport has instructed Vietnam Register to order Toyota to recall all the problem cars.

* TMV has told Vietnam Register that it will recall all Camry 3.5 and Camry 2.4 cars produced between January 28 and March 23 this year for checks in what is yet another blow to the automaker already embroiled in a public relations quagmire.

There are 278 Camry 3.5 and Camry 2.4 cars having had their bolts on the front tightened beyond standard, so they will be recalled. Camry 3.5 susceptible to recall bear Vehicle Identification Number lying between XXB 6001801 and XXB 6001810 while Camry 2.4 from XXB 6008875 to XX 6009175.

According to the company, in the worst case scenario, the bolts could be broken due to too much screwing. Toyota said it would replace the bolts with new ones free of charge.

The company said it was making final preparations to announce a detailed recall plan. – Saigon Times

Tags: Innova