Manganese Bronze recalls 400 London taxis
Troubled London cab manufacturer Manganese Bronze announced today that it will recall around 400 of its TX4 London taxis and will stop sales of new TX4 models due to a defect in the steering box.
The problem with the steering boxes, which were introduced to its Coventry plant in late February, was identified two weeks ago and affects the power steering of the taxis.
Chief executive John Russell said that the board decided the “risk was sufficient that we should not allow the vehicles to be on the road”.
Two drivers had experienced “peculiar” steering, which locked in one case.
The malfunctioning steering boxes were supplied by an undisclosed third party supplier in China.
Talks are now being held with Geely, a 20 per cent shareholder and component supplier for Manganese, to come up with a solution to the faults, and the company is looking at ways to fill the funding gap from lost revenue.