Ford, Toyota Recall Nearly 5M Trucks, SUVs - Yahoo! News

By KEN THOMAS, Associated Press Writer

Toyota Motor Corp., meanwhile, recalled 978,000 sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks over complaints that a rod linking the steering wheel and the wheels could fracture when the steering wheel is turned while the vehicle is stopped. The affected vehicles include the 1990-1995 4Runner SUV, 1989-1995 truck 4WD and 1993-1998 T-100 pickup.

Toyota said its recall would begin in mid-September and was based on seven confirmed cases of the power-steering problem in T100 vehicles. No crashes have been tied to the issue.

Toyota's profits were down 7 percent to $2.4 billion in the April-June period but the company is generally healthier than its U.S. rivals.

Toyota's U.S. sales were up 11.4 percent in the first eight months of this year, compared with an average increase of 3.5 percent for the Big Three. Car sales made up most of that increase. Sales of light trucks — including the 4Runner — were up only 2 percent.

Ford, Toyota Recall Nearly 5M Trucks, SUVs - Yahoo! NewsFord, Toyota Recall Nearly 5M Trucks, SUVs - Yahoo! News