DETROIT – You may be sick and tired of hearing about all these recalls at Toyota, but here’s another one. The company is voluntarily calling back some 8,000 Tacoma pickups. A small number of 2010 models with four-wheel drive may have tiny cracks on part of the front driveshaft that could cause the shaft to separate from its joint. But this one is a supplier problem. This part was manufactured by supplier Dana, which also ships the part for some Ford and Nissan models.
And amid a lot of speculation that electronic throttle controls may be at the heart of its unintended acceleration problems, Toyota submitted a letter to the U.S. Congress denying there was a fault with the electronics that led to its massive recall. According to the AFP, in the letter sent to the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which is investigating the recalls, the automaker said it “is convinced that there is no problem” with the electronics in its vehicles.
Reuters reports that Mercury will get a new small car based off the company’s c-segment platform. Our guess is that it will probably be based on the new Focus. Rumor has it the company will show a redesigned Milan at the New York Auto Show. So maybe that will be it. This could finally signal that Ford truly is going to keep the Mercury brand.
To view this video podcast, or read the transcript, click on AutoLineDetroit.TV
a>>
