Toyota NZ moves to reassure drivers

Toyota New Zealand is reassuring drivers that the best-selling car in the country does not have the steering problems being experienced in the United States.

The carmaker is investigating possible power-steering problems after 82 complaints from Corolla users in the US market, where drivers said that their vehicles had suddenly veered to the side.

Toyota New Zealand said it had received no complaints of power-steering faults in Corolla models here.

General manager of after sales Paul Carroll said it was "highly unlikely" the problem would result in the recall of any Corollas in New Zealand.

New Zealand-sold Corollas were built in Japan while those in the US were made in North America.

Toyota New Zealand would wait for the results of investigations by Toyota Japan before advising customers if any steps would be taken.

Mr Carroll said initial complaints by drivers in the US had described the fault as like driving in "severe wind buffeting". He said it was important to establish the exact facts of the fault, and whether there was actually a common problem in the machinery.

He conceded that despite the fault not affecting cars in New Zealand, Toyota's brand had suffered from the publicity surrounding simultaneous recalls worldwide for sticky accelerators, brake pedal problems and floormats fouling accelerator pedals.

More than 8.5 million cars have been recalled worldwide, and sales of eight models put on hold.

Industry experts the Herald spoke to felt Toyota was dealing responsibly with the various complaints.

Motor Industry Association chief executive Perry Kerr said US-built Toyotas were "a totally different vehicle" and even if a problem trickled through to New Zealand, there was a robust recall system in place.

Motor Trade Association spokesman Ian Stronach said the latest complaint would have some impact on local consumers' confidence in the carmaker, but it would not be "disastrous" for the brand.

Machinery investigations and recalls were a reality of the modern motoring age in which cars were becoming more high-tech, he said.

Last week Toyota New Zealand said it would recall all 260 Prius cars to improve brake-pedal "feel". It also recalled 61 Avensis cars in February to repair an accelerator problem.