Newest Toyota Recall Covers More Than 750K Units

More than three quarters of a million units are associated with the newest recall by Toyota Motor Sales USA, a campaign mostly for the automaker’s compact SUV, the RAV4.
Officials said this week they will conduct a voluntary safety recall involving 2006 to early 2011 model-year RAV4 and 2010 model-year Lexus HS 250h vehicles sold in the U.S.
They emphasized no other Toyota or Lexus vehicles are involved. The campaign includes approximately 760,000 Toyota RAV4 units and approximately 18,000 Lexus HS 250h models
Toyota determined that if the nuts on the rear suspension arm are not tightened following the proper procedure and torque specification during a rear wheel alignment service, excessive play may occur at the threaded portion of the arm, followed by rust formation.
If this were to occur, the automaker acknowledged the threaded portion of the rear suspension arm may wear and cause the arm to separate.
Toyota said it is currently developing a remedy.
“Once the remedy is available, we will send a notification letter by first class mail advising owners to make an appointment with an authorized Toyota or Lexus dealer to have the remedy performed at no charge,” OEM officials said.
Detailed information and answers to questions are available to owners at www.toyota.com/recall and the Toyota Customer Experience Center at (800) 331-4331 or www.lexus.com/recall and Lexus Customer Satisfaction at (800) 255-3987.
Back in June, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation began to take a close look at some of the RAV4 models included in this recall, mainly from the 2006 through 2008 model years.
“ODI has received seven complaints alleging corrosion-related failure of the left or right rear suspension arm assembly No.1, often referred to as a rear ‘tie rod’ in consumer complaints and repair records,” agency officials noted in a report on its website.
“Four of these complaints allege the failure occurred while driving at speeds of 35 mph or greater causing a temporary loss of vehicle control,” they continued. “Pictures provided by some complainants show the wheel adjacent to the failed component severely out of wheel alignment with respect to toe and camber.
“Early Warning Reporting data submitted by Toyota include field reports describing failure of rear suspension arm assembly No. 1 in the subject vehicles,” ODI added.