Text for ABC online below.
What I find interesting is that Australia is not so much affected by these recalls. Now is that because Australia gets only the very best vehicles without faults Toyota make or is it because regulators in Oz are asleep and have no teeth anyway.
Toyota recalls LandCruisers
Posted 2 hours 57 minutes ago
Toyota has recalled its LandCruiser Prado 150 model across the
United States, Canada and Europe as it faces increasing concerns it has sacrificed its legendary quality to become the world's number one carmaker.
It has now recalled 7,500 Prado and GX 460 models in Europe, adding to 9,400 GX four-wheel drives recalled in North America and 446 in Canada.
All production and global sales of the GX 460 have been halted.
It recalled 870,000 Sienna minivans across north America Friday because of corrosion problems that could cause the spare tyre to fall off.
This brings it to roughly 10.5 million vehicle recall notices worldwide in the last seven months, bringing Toyota under intense scrutiny after overtaking General Motors as the world's top carmaker in 2008.
More than 50 deaths in the
United States have been blamed on accelerator pedal defects that allegedly caused the vehicles to speed uncontrollably.
Toyota has agreed to pay the largest civil fine ever sought against a carmaker by US authorities, $16.4 million ($17.8 million).
Toyota said it has implemented a number of measures to respond more rapidly when customers complain of problems with their vehicles and to improve its overall quality standards.
"We are proud of the vehicles that Toyota produces and are confident they are among the safest on the road," the carmaker said in a statement.
Earlier this year, Toyota released a statement saying that accelerator pedals for Australian vehicles are sourced from a different supplier, and the company did not expect any recalls of Australian vehicles.