The reasons for Toyota's mass recall are multifaceted, the main of which is a defective component. For example, in 2009, Toyota's two joint ventures in China, GAC Toyota and FAW Toyota, announced a recall of 688,314 units of the Camry, Yaris, Vios and Corolla sedans due to defective parts. In addition, there are other recalls, such as manual transmission parts due to out-of-size manufacturing, which can lead to insufficient gear retention and occasional disengagement of 6th gear, which may be a safety hazard in extreme cases. Another time is because the brake control computer program of the adaptive cruise system is not perfect, which does not meet the requirements of the relevant national mandatory technical standards, and in extreme cases, it may cause a rear-end collision with the rear car.
A recent recall involved a total of 168,697 Highlander vehicles manufactured between August 7, 2021 and October 5, 2023, also due to defective components. Specifically, this recall is due to the fact that the internal components of the engine exhaust gas recirculation valve (EGR valve) may be corroded by the high concentration of chlorine in the fuel, resulting in poor operation of the valve body, which may cause the engine to run poorly, and in extreme cases, the vehicle will stall at low speeds, increasing the risk of collisions.
Overall, Toyota's recall revealed the company's problems in product quality control and parts chain selection. These recalls not only affect the company's reputation, but also pose a potential threat to the safety of consumers.