Hey, I'm new here ... so forgive me if you already know about this.

I live in NZ, and we get lots of Japanese imports here. A local publication (run by a pretty dedicated vehicle safety fella) organised for the translation of all the Japanese vehicle manufacturer recalls. If your vehicle is ex-Japan, and you speak English not Japanese, then you can use this list to see what specific vehicles (by chassis/engine serial) were subject to recall.

Shipping back to Japan for a fix could be expensive, and if your vehicle is an aftermarket import it's probably not covered. But at least you might find out about a problem before it hits you.

http://dogandlemon.com/site/japanese...s/?make=TOYOTA

Might be one for a FAQ if it's valuable info.

Site also has links to vehicle recall sites covering new vehicles in the rest of the world, which you probably already know about.