US government opens new defect probe into Toyota

• Source: Xinhua
• [08:24 October 09 2009]
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The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened Tuesday a preliminary investigation into corrosion issues on 218,000 Toyota Tundra pickups, the latest safety issue to dog the Japanese automaker.

In an official notice on its Website, NHTSA said its Office of Defects Investigation had opened a preliminary probe into spare tires and brake lines on 2000 and 2001 model year Toyota Tundra pickups.

The government has "received 20 reports on the subject vehicles that relate to spare tire separation and brake system failures as a result of severe frame corrosion.

According to the notice, there have been 15 reports alleging the under body mounted spare tire separated from the rear crossmember and five reports alleging broken brake lines at the proportioning value located on the driver's side of the rear crossmember at upper shock mount.

The investigation comes a day after Toyota formally agreed to recall 3.8 million 2004-09 model year vehicles over reports of sudden acceleration that may have been linked to jammed accelerator pedals under floor mats.

The company's president issued an apology after four people died in an August 28 California crash whose cause is suspected of being linked to a jammed floor mat.

Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons said the company is aware of the new investigation, and was conducting its own evaluation.