Now Toyota recalls 8,000 Tacoma pickup trucks in the US

After having recalled more than 4.45 million vehicles globally late last month, Japanese car maker has issued a recall yesterday for 8,000 of its 2010-model 4WD Tacoma trucks in the US to fix a problem with the front drive shaft.

In a statement issued yesterday, Toyota said the front shaft in approximately 8,000 of these vehicles might include a component that contains cracks that developed during the manufacturing process. As those vehicles are used, the cracks may eventually lead to the separation of the drive shaft at the joint portion.

Toyota said the inspection of the vehicle would take only ten minutes and that the problem was only with two specific front drive shafts installed in certain 2010 model Tacoma 4WD vehicles and that no other Toyota or Lexus vehicles were involved.

Toyota feels that the problem is not critical as in its earlier recalls and that it would notify owners of the Tacoma pickup trucks by first class mail starting mid-March 2010.
Last month, Toyota launched a major recall of 4.45 million vehicles, including recent models of its popular Camry and Corolla sedans, globally on safety concerns related to a mechanical problem involving sticking gas pedals that cause vehicles to accelerate unintentionally. (See: Toyota recalls another 2.3 million vehicles)

Last week, the carmaker recalled 437,000 of its flagship Prius hybrid vehicles and Lexus sedans globally to fix brake related problems, over and above the more than 8 million vehicles it recalled since last year, because of defective accelerator pedals. (See: Toyota recalls 437,000 Prius and Lexus vehicles)