FILE - In this April 25, 2005 file photo, workers at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant in Princeton Ind., inspect a Toyota Tundra truck as it comes off the final inspection line. Princeton plant spokeswoman Kelly Dillon said Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010, the production lines will be shut down for a week beginning Monday, Feb. 1, 2010, but that all employees will do training and plant improvement work.(AP Photo/Indianpolis Star, Matt Kryger, file)
Photograph by: MATT KRYGER
Credit: AP

Related Articles

• Brilliance China in talks with Toyota on possible JV
• Toyota broadens US safety recall
• Probe finds jump in runaway Toyota complaints
• Toyota in surprise Q2 profit, outlook bumpy

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the recall involves 2000-2003 models in 20 cold-climate states mainly in the East and Midwest where road salts are used.

The salts can cause a rear portion of the frame to fail and allow the spare tire to fall onto the roadway, the safety agency said.

In addition, safety and company officials said in separate statements that corrosion may damage rear brake lines, increasing crash risk.

The government launched an investigation in October after receiving 20 complaints, most over spare tire separation and a few involving braking.

Toyota is also negotiating final details of its biggest recall, 3,8 million vehicles, over loose floor mats that are suspected of jamming down the accelerator in certain cars.

The twin safety issues buffet Toyota’s hard-earned reputation for quality and safety as it battles US automakers and other overseas manufacturers for business in the struggling North American sales market.

Toyota will contact owners in the specified areas to fix or replace corroded framing. Owners of the same Tundra models in other states can bring their vehicles in on their own for an inspection, and possible remedy.

NHTSA urged owners of Tundras included in the recall to remove the spare tire from the frame.