The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is now investigating
a recall by Toyota in 2005. The recall involves steering relay rods on
Toyota trucks that are prone to breaking under stress. Toyota had recalled
the defective relay rods in Japan in October of 2004 but neglected to
recall them in the United States until September of 2005, nearly a year later.
There have been reports of injuries and even deaths as a result of the
steering relay rods breaking causing the
truck to roll. An Idaho teenager was killed in 2007 when his truck rolled from
the steering rod breaking. His family didn't receive the recall notice
until 3 months after his death.
Our firm is deeply involved in the Toyota Sudden Unintended Accelleration litigation and we are following this NHTSA's investigation closely.