Toyota Recalling 870,000 Sienna Minivans in US and Canada

Toyota Motor Corp said on Friday it would recall 870,000 Sienna minivans sold in the United States and Canada since the 1998 model year because of a risk that the spare tire could drop into the road.

Photo: Toyota Recalling 870,000 Sienna Minivans in US and Canada

The recalls cover minivans sold in several cold weather US states and Canada due to potential corrosion from long term exposure to road salt that could in the worst case, cause the spare tire to separate from the vehicle, Toyota said.

All told, the recalls cover some 600,000 two-wheel drive Sienna minivans from the 1998 to 2010 model years sold or registered in certain cold weather US states and 270,000 of the same vehicles in Canada, Moneycontrol.com reports.

Separately, Toyota said its engineers in Japan had duplicated the same results of tests that led Consumer Reports to issue a rare "don't buy" warning on the 2010 Lexus GX 460 over rollover concerns. Toyota responded by halting sales of new GX 460s and conducting tests on all of its SUVs.

Lexus spokesman Bill Kwong said the company was evaluating potential remedies for the GX 460 but it was "too early to speculate (on) the details of the remedy and its timing."

Toyota said its latest recall covered the 1998-2010 model year Siennas with two-wheel-drive that have been sold or registered in 20 cold-climate states and the District of Columbia. Toyota said rust from road salt could cause the carrier cable that holds the spare tire to rust and break, allowing the tire to tumble into the road. The problem could threaten the safety of other drivers, The Associated Press informs.