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Toyota has 200 orders for 2016 Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car

Toyota built 500 Lexus LFA supercars between 2010 and 2012 in what Automotive News has called a "secretive workshop." The automaker has been wondering what to do with that production line since the last LFA rolled off in December 2012 and, like so much else for Toyota these days, the answer is a hydrogen car – and in about the same small numbers. The 200 Mirai orders are "mostly from government and corporate fleets." – Masamoto Maekawa The 2016 Mirai fuel cell vehicle will go into production later this month at the old LFA workshop, which is located behind Toyota's Motomachi assembly plant in Toyota City. The skilled workers there have been doing other things (like building bicycles) since the last LFA was finished and now Automotive News says they will hand-build the Mirai so that the car can get the attention to detail Toyota wants and because there won't be that many of the hydrogen cars made for a while. Toyota has already said it will sell only 3,000 Mirai FCVs in the US by the end of 2017 (it won't arrive here until late 2015, with deliveries in Japan starting earlier). With 200 orders already in and a plan to build only 700 in 2015, Toyota is already talking about delivery delays. Toyota's executive vice president for domestic sales, Masamoto Maekawa, said that, "the 200 orders are mostly from government and corporate fleets." Production could remain at LFA Works for a while. One Toyota exec said that even if the company makes 2,000 Mirais a year, that would still be only 10 each day. Doesn't sound like there's going to be anyone working weekends for a while.

Toyota and Lexus recall models for inadvertent airbag deployment

The Basics: Toyota will recall 320,000 examples in the US of the 2003-2006 Land Cruiser, 2004-2006 4Runner, 2005-2006 Tundra and Sequoia, 2003-2006 Lexus LX470, and 2004-2006 GX470. The Problem: The curtain shield airbags that come down from the roof can inadvertently deploy shortly after vehicle startup. This is due to improper programming of the airbag control module. Injuries/Deaths: "Toyota is not aware of any crashes caused by the condition. We have received reports alleging injuries such as abrasions and ringing in ears," company spokesperson Cindy Knight told Autoblog. The Fix: Toyota and Lexus dealers will replace the airbag control module with a new part, which will have improved programming. If You Own One: Toyota and Lexus will notify affected owners by mail early this month. Related Video: Toyota and Lexus Recall Certain Land Cruiser, 4Runner, Tundra, Sequoia, LX, and GX Vehicles February 02, 2016 TORRANCE, Calif., February 2, 2016 – Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. today announced that it is conducting a safety recall of approximately 320,000 Model Year 2003-2006 Land Cruiser; 2004-2006 4Runner; 2005-2006 Tundra and Sequoia; 2003-2006 LX 470; and 2004-2006 GX 470 vehicles. The involved vehicles are equipped with side Curtain-Shield-Airbags (CSAs) which deploy from the roof in the event of certain types of crashes. Due to improper programming in the airbag control modules, there is a possibility that, under certain specific and limited conditions shortly after startup, the CSAs and seat belt pretensioners could activate when not necessary. Unexpected activation of the CSAs could increase the risk of injury to the occupant. All known owners of the involved vehicles will be notified by first class mail. Toyota and Lexus dealers will replace the airbag control module with one which has an improved programming at no cost to owners. Information about automotive recalls, including but not limited to the list of involved vehicles, is subject to change over time. For the most up-to-date Safety Recall information on Lexus, Toyota and Scion customers should check their vehicle's status by visiting http://www.toyota.com/recall and entering the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Safety Recall inquiry by individual VIN is also available at the NHTSA site: safercar.gov/vin. For any additional questions, customer support is also available by calling Toyota Customer Service at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus Customer Service at 1-800-255-3987.

Toyota recalling 800k Camry, Avalon and Venza models for AC issue

Toyota has announced plans to voluntarily recall 803,000 vehicles from model years 2012 and 2013, over concerns with the air conditioning condenser housing. The recall covers the Camry, Camry Hybrid, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid and Venza, although the exact split between affected models wasn't available.
According to Toyota, the condenser can leak onto an airbag control module, which in turn could cause a short circuit. In most cases, this will just lead to an airbag warning light, but in rarer instances, the airbags could fail to deploy or pop out of their own accord. There's also a concern over a loss of power steering if the airbag control module develops a short.
It's unclear if there have been any injuries or crashes relating to the defects. Toyota will begin informing owners of affected vehicles via first class mail, and will ask them to report to dealerships for recall work, involving the installation of a cover on the condenser housing.