#ToyotaCamry

An Indiana post office was evacuated Tuesday after a suspicious package was discovered, addressed to a Toyota factory. The package was determined harmless by a local bomb disposal technician, but the scare follows 3 other suspicious packages sent to other plants as well as Toyota USA headquarters.

With Toyota having recently undergone the worst period in its history, the grandson’s founder and man at the helm of the Japanese auto giant looks to be ready to make big changes in order to get the company back on track. More than just an executive, Akio Toyoda is a well-known car buff who loves to get out on the race track, so its no surprise that he wants to instill some passion into Toyota’s lineup of models.

Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru cars, forecasted a 57% increase in quarterly profits, as sales in the United States grew while costs were reduced.

Toyota has again announced another recall. Or should we say another, another recall. Yup, not one, but two recalls, affecting the Tacoma pickup and Camry sedan. Both recalls are minor in number, totaling just around 15,000 units and affect only 2010 model year cars and trucks.

First came the 2010 Tacoma recall for 8,000 trucks where a manufacturing defect may have caused trucks to be equipped with a cracked front drive shaft. This only applies to 4WD trucks. Toyota says it will notify owners starting in mid-March.

As for the Camry recall, it affects 7,314 Camry vehicles built for the 2010 model year. The issue here involves the brakes (surprise, surprise), and the NHTSA says that on some 4-cylinder models the left rear brake tube could puncture because of interference from the power steering tube. A loss of brake fluid could result in reduced braking ability and lead to an accident. Toyota has not yet released when it will contact owners of affected cars.

Those in need of more info can call the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331 or visit www.toyota.com/recall.

Visit the AutoGuide Toyota Recall news Hub Here for more info

[Source: Toyota and NHTSA]

Official release after the jump:

As expected, Toyota has announced a recall for the 2010 Prius hybrid, as well as the 2010 Lexus HS250h model. The recall affects 133,000 Prius models as well as 14,500 HS250 models so that the automaker can update the car’s ABS software. The recall does not affect previous generation Prius models or any other Toyota, Lexus or Scion models.

The recall comes after over 100 complaints were registered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), by Prius owners who commented on a loss of brakes (or at least brake feel) under braking on icy or bumpy roads. The fix has already been made on all models produced since late January.

Toyota has said it will begin mailing recall notification letters to owners next week, with HS250h owners receiving their letter a few weeks after that.

In addition to this recall, Toyota has issues a separate recall on 7,300 Camry 4-cylinder models built for the 2010 model year, due to a steering hose that may touch the front brake tube, leading to a brake fluid leak.

Toyota owners with questions can find detailed information about these recalls and Toyota’s other recalls at www.toyota.com/recall or can contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

For more Toyota recall news visit the AutoGuide Toyota Recall News Hub here

Official release after the jump:

Toyota has now expanded its internal investigation over braking issues to cover all hybrid models says a report by the Wall Street Journal. Toyota has already admitted that there was a braking problem with its 2010 Prius model, and according to Japan’s Nikkei News, Toyota is preparing to issue a recall for 270,000 Prius models from the 2010 model year.

The Prius could surpass the Camry as Toyota’s best selling model in the U.S. in the next ten years says the head of Toyota’s sales department. Toyota Motor Sales boss Jim Lentz made the comments, stating that he sees the Prius gaining ground, rather than the Camry (the top selling passenger car in the U.S. for 11 of the past 12 years) shrinking.

A pair of Honda models hold the top two spots in the top ten most stolen vehicles in 2008.

The 1994 Honda Accord was number one while the 1995 Civic came in second on the list compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) Hot Wheels 2009 report. The report examined data from the National Crime Information Center to determine the make, model and year of the vehicles most reported stolen across the U.S. in 2008.

All of the top ten stolen vehicles were from 2004 and earlier, with the oldest model, the 1989 Toyota Camry, in third. According to the NICB, older cars and trucks are popular with thieves because their parts are more valuable. Thieves would strip cars down at underground chop shops and sell the parts for at least twice the value of the original vehicle on the used car market. The NICB says newer cars are less attractive to thieves because they have more anti-theft features.

For 2008 the most stolen vehicles were:

1.    1994 Honda Accord
2.    1995 Honda Civic
3.    1989 Toyota Camry
4.    1997 Ford F-150 Pickup
5.    2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
6.    2000 Dodge Caravan
7.    1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
8.    1994 Acura Integra
9.    1999 Ford Taurus
10.    2002 Ford Explorer
Overall, vehicle thefts were down 13.1 percent from 2007 figures, according to preliminary findings from the 2008 FBI Uniform Crime Report. That would make 2008 the fifth consecutive year that vehicle thefts had decreased. The report is still collecting information but total thefts may total under a million for the first time in 20 years.

“This is great news for vehicle owners, law enforcement and the insurance industry,” said Joe Wehrle, NICB president and chief executive officer. “It takes years of sustained effort to deliver the kinds of reductions that we are enjoying today. NICB joins with our member companies in acknowledging the great work performed by law enforcement and our investigators in the fight against vehicle theft.

“Comprehensive legislation, aggressive enforcement and rigorous prosecution are the three essential components to a winning crime control program. NICB is proud to contribute to each of those areas through our national legislative affairs program and our network of experienced investigators.”

The NICB urges vehicle owners to follow its “layered approach” to preventing theft:
-Common sense: Lock your car and take the keys with you.
-Warning device: Visible and audible warning devices deter thieves.
-Immobilizing device: Kill switches, fuel cut-offs and smart keys are effective.
-Tracking device: In the event of a theft, tracking devices send signals that help authorities recover stolen vehicles.

Official release after the jump:

With the Cash-for-Clunkers program officially ending last night, the U.S. Department of Transportation has now released its top 10 list of the most purchased vehicles under the program, with the most popular car purchased being the Toyota Corolla.

During President Obama’s press conference last week when he announced that Chrylser would file for Chapter 11, he asked Americans that if they were looking to buy a car, to look at American cars. The “buy American” philosophy drew harsh criticism from the American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA), which pointed out that buying American doesn’t necessarily mean buying a car from an American brand.

Amidst all the excitement about the new Toyota Prius at the North American International Auto Show, no one at Toyota mentioned (and no one else seemed to notice)  that for 2010 the Camry will receive all sorts of updates.