Toyota, GM Recall 662,000 Vehicles
Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Corp. warned customers about faulty power-window systems in some of their top-selling vehicles Wednesday, sparking a North American recall involving more than 662,000 cars. Toyota is recalling 539,500 2003-04 model Corolla compact cars and Matrix crossover vehicles because of defective bolts in the window systems, which the automaker said originated from a supplier and have now been redesigned. Toyota said it will be notifying about 50,000 Canadian customers they will need some free repairs offered by the company. The cars involved in the recall were assembled in Canada at a Cambridge, Ontario plant.
GM announced a recall for the same problem, involving some 123,000 Pontiac Vibe hatchbacks, which share the same platform with Toyota's Matrix and are built by GM in a joint venture with the Japanese automaker. In vehicles with power windows, the glass bolts in the front windows may loosen and cause the glass to separate from the window regulator, Toyota said in a statement. Cars with manual windows aren't subject to the recalls.
Toyota will notify vehicle owners by mail, beginning in late April. It advised owners to contact their local Toyota dealer for inspection and repairs. Replacement of the driver and front passenger door glass bolts will be done at no charge, Toyota said.