According to the report, the Japanese car giants have recalled more than half a million Sienna Minivans in the US over fears that the spare wheel is liable to corrosion! This latest recall of around 600,000 is said to affect models between 1998 and 2010 where the spare tyre carrier suffers corrosion, meaning in the “worst case scenario” the wheel could come detached from the vehicle.
Toyota seem to be plagued with safety concerns lately, with this being another in a line of concerns with their manufacturing. Earlier this week manufacturing of the Lexus GX460 was halted when “safety concerns” where detected in test drives. And of course we can’t forget the accelerator issues which left countless Toyota owners facing recalls over safety concerns.
So what does this mean for Toyota and its customers? Well I can’t imagine it’s helping the already low confidence prospective customers and owners have in the vehicles, but the safety concerns themselves could of course lead to more than just concerns. If say the defect caused an accident – which this latest flaw could in theory cause one – then Toyota could be found liable for any damages.
It can be covered under the Sale of Goods and Services Act 1982 – and it covers the customer for any product they purchase which ends u not being up to standard; or worse, ends up injuring them.
In the majority of road traffic accidents, a pre-requisite for disputes that the driver is at fault for an accident is evidence of a manufacturing error, or some form of service error. Take this case for example, or say for example if a mechanic failed to correctly repair the vehicle, and this caused an accident – the garage or mechanics company would be liable for any damages.
For the best advice on product liability claims, speak to an expert personal injury solicitor today!