The 2010 Toyota recalls gained no small amount of attention, but here’s something you may have missed: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was paying close attention to nearly a billion 2009 and 2010 Toyota Matrix and Toyota Corolla cars. A steering issue was the culprit. Auto Blog reports that Toyota has gone on record as saying that the potential safety defect is not actually a defect. Toyota wants to deal with the matter by fixing the issue for free, but only if people complain.
Toyota Matrix power steering can suffer locking or drift
One of the most amazing aspect of this issue is that Toyota isn’t saying that frozen or drifting power steering units in Toyota Matrix and Corollas aren’t safety defects. The automaker has 437 complaints (11 of those related to injury and 18 to crashes), but their term for the issue is that it is a “customer satisfaction” problem, rather than a safety defect. That did warrant a Technical Service Bulletin from the brain trust to Toyota dealers, says AutoBlog. If that does not fix the steering issue, then a new unit that has been tuned with a different feel should be inserted to the Matrix or Corolla in question.
It should be noted that General Motor’s has a Matrix twin call the Pontiac Vibe, and that may have the exact same power steering troubles, as outlined by AutoBlog.
No recall means more money in Toyota’s pocket
If Toyota is allowed to go with not recalling the 2009 and 2010 Toyota Matrix or Corolla, they will conserve money and keep away from having to report to regulators. But the NHTSA will have to sign off on the “non-defect” idea first. The investigation is nevertheless in progress. Toyota has had enough PR trouble with their previous recalls. A new forced recall would tear down any gains the embattled automaker has made since early 2010.
Discover more details
AutoBlog
autoblog.com/2010/07/13/report-toyota-says-corolla-matrix-steering-issue-not-a-defect/
