Toyota Vietnam to recall 320 Camry 3.0 cars to check defect

Toyota Vietnam announced Nov 21 that it will recall 320 Toyota Camry 3.0 cars, for free checking and replacement of crankshaft pulleys that were found to create problems like noise and have   steering defects.

The company wants to recall 320 Toyota Camry 3.0 cars produced from July 8, 2004 to April 7, 2005.

Toyota said the recall was due to the possibility that the outer ring of the crankshaft pulley may have become misaligned with the damper, causing noise or illumination of an electric system warning light.

If this condition is not corrected, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley and the driver may notice a sudden pressure in steering, said a company representative.

Previously lauded for its safety standards, Toyota became mired in crisis when it recalled nearly nine million vehicles between late 2009 and February 2010 due to brake and accelerator defects, prompting it to recall millions of vehicles globally.

By 2008 Toyota overtook General Motors as the world's largest automaker but since then the Japanese giant has faced obstacles, suffered setbacks during the economic crisis, a series of recalls, and the impact on its production units during the natural disasters in Japan and Thailand.