Faulty power switch forces Toyota car recall

Toyota said it would recall more than 7.4 million vehicles worldwide as a faulty power window switch was a potential fire hazard, the latest in a series of setbacks that have dented the reputation of Japan’s biggest automaker.

By The Newsroom

Published 11th Oct 2012, 09:50 BST

The voluntary move is the biggest single recall since Ford pulled eight million vehicles off the road in 1996 to replace defective ignition switches that could have caused engine fires.

Toyota has battled its way back from multiple difficulties since 2008, including a series of recalls involving more than 10 million of its vehicles in 2009-11, and crippled supply chains from last year’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan and floods in Thailand.

The recall, intended to fix a malfunctioning power window switch on the driver’s side, primarily affects cars in the United States, China and Europe.

The recall will include some Yaris and Corolla models.

“The process to repair (the power window switch) is not an extensive one,” spokeswoman Monika Saito said.

Toyota declined to say how much the recall would cost, or what impact it may have on future earnings.