Toyota recalls hundreds of Raize SUVs over bad weld
Toyota is recalling 191 Raize SUVs in Vietnam to fix poor welding in front shock absorbers, which could even cause the undercarriage to fall apart.
The units were made in Indonesia between March 29 and October 8 last year and all of them have been sold, according to the Vietnam Register.
The recall was issued after problems were found in front fender apron connections, which caused rattling sounds when the car drove over bumps and potholes.
In the worst case, the welded part can detach and potentially cause a major accident, though no mishaps have been reported so far.
The automaker has also recalled nearly 15,000 Raize SUVs in Indonesia, and Lexus, its luxury division, recalled 4,200 NX SUVs in the U.S. for the same defects.
Toyota topped auto sales in the first quarter with 18,615 units, according to data from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association. It sold 1,671 Raize SUVs in Q1, marginally more than its closest competitor Kia Sonet (1,651 units).