The Vietnam Automobile Transport Association has recommended that the Vietnam Register Agency check 8,830 vans made by Toyota Motors Vietnam (TMV) for manufacturing errors.

The inspections should be done promptly, Nguyen Manh Hung, chairman of the association, was quoted as saying in the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on April 6.

Deputy Minister of Transport Le Manh Hung said he had urged the agency to carry out checks.

Nguyen Manh Hung said if the Innova and Fortuner vans had production errors that had earlier been identified by TMV engineer Le Van Tach, Toyota must recall the vans for repair.

Tach, who works on the installation section of the TMV, late last month said 60,000 Innova and Fortuner vans produced by the company had a defective rear-wheel brake and bolts in the back seat.

Since 2006, Tach and his colleagues said they had found errors in Innova vans, and that some of these same faults were on Innova and Fortuner vans produced in 2010.

Tadashi Yoshida, speaking at a press conference early this month, said only 8,830 vans had defects. He said there was no need to recall all of the vans because the defects were not serious.

According to Nguyen Manh Hung, the defects in the Innova J van used widely for taxi services should be repaired.

Taxi drivers said they had brought their vans to a private maintenance workshop for brake system repairs.

Nguyen Van Nam, a taxi driver with Hanoi Group, said he found it difficult to control the brake when the van was operating at 40-50kmph.

Taxi driver Ho Dang Luan of VINASUN in HCM City and his colleagues said their vans became unbalanced when taking a turn or operating at 50kmph.

Nguyen Manh Hung suggested that transport companies and individuals check their Toyota vans for safety before the TMV and the agency carry out their inspections.

Experts said the defects could lead to accidents if drivers had to brake suddenly . /.