Have you tried calling the service department at your local car dealership lately? If you’re like millions of other Americans, you have, and have found them unable to pencil you in. The flood of 2014 auto recalls is continuing, and many of those with recalled autos are finding themselves unable to get an appointment with a factory mechanic.
While the GM ignition switch recall probably received the most attention and accounted for a significant proportion of the total number of vehicles recalled in 2014, there have been numerous other recalls. Nearly every major automaker has issued at least one recall in 2014, and many of them have issued multiple recalls, including GM.
GM dodged a bullet in the latest incarnation of the 2014 auto recall wave. But the hammer fell on another major automaker that is also well known for dangerous defects and high profile recalls.
On September 18, Toyota Motor Corp. announced that it is recalling approximately 20,000 vehicles for possible fuel leaks. The problem involves a fuel delivery pipe in vehicles that utilize Toyota’s 2GR-FE engine. The pipes were apparently not welded correctly by a Toyota supplier company, potentially causing leaks and increasing the risk of fires. The recall includes 2014 model year Avalon, Camry, Highlander and Sienna vehicles, as well as the 2015 model year Lexus RX.
This is not the biggest recall of 2014, and it certainly does not concern the most dangerous auto defect out of all 2014 recalls. But it is evidence of yet another failure in the auto industry this year, and a reminder that sometimes automakers are the ones responsible for causing motor vehicle accidents.
Source: MSN, “Toyota recalling 20,000 late-model vehicles on potential fuel leak,” Reuters, Sept. 18, 2014
