Toyota to recall 20,069 Crown sedans due to defect

Toyota Motor Corp. will recall 20,069 Crown sedans made in China because of defective rubber strips that seal the windshields, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China said Friday.

Photo: Toyota to recall 20,069 Crown sedans due to defect

According to an AP report Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Co., a joint venture between Toyota and China's FAW Group, will recall Crown sedans produced between Feb. 21 and Sept. 20, 2005, beginning Monday, the government agency said in a statement on its Web site.

The rubber strip may fall off when the car is traveling at high speeds because of a weak adhesive, and this could be a hazard to other cars or pedestrians, the statement said.

The venture hasn't received any reports about accidents or injuries related to the problem, it said.

Yale Zhang, an auto analyst with CSM Worldwide, said the number of sedans involved isn't big compared with recalls internationally. The defect is also a small problem and is unlikely to hurt Toyota's sales in China, he said.

Toyota is one of the fastest growing foreign carmakers in China. It sold 125,000 autos in the first half of this year.

The company expects its auto sales in China, including imports, to rise 52 percent to 278,000 units this year from 183,000 units last year, Executive Vice President Yoshi Inaba said in July.