Toyota Recalls and Safety Alerts

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 3,533 model year 2022 Rav4s, Rav4 Hybrids, and Rav4 Primes.

The front passenger seat may have been assembled with interference between internal parts that may cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor to incorrectly detect an occupant.

Incorrect detection of an occupant may result in improper air bag deployment in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and repair the front passenger seat -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on September 2, 2022.

Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA08.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 31,428 model year 2022 Tundras and Tundra Hybrids equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor system.

Incorrect programming of the parking-assist electronic control unit (ECU) software may cause the front camera image to appear on the multimedia display instead of the rear camera image when the shifter is placed into reverse.

A rearview camera that fails to display the correct image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will reprogram the parking assist ECU free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on July 27, 2022.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA07.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 661 model year 2023 Subaru Solterra and Toyota BZ4X vehicles.

The hub bolts on the wheels may loosen, causing a wheel to detach from the vehicle after low-mileage use.

A wheel detaching from a moving vehicle can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they are repaired. A remedy for the issue is currently under development.

Letters notifying owners of the safety risk were expected to be mailed in June, and a second letter will be sent once the remedy is available.

Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at (800) 331-4331 for more information.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 46,176 model year 2022 Tundras and Tundra Hybrids.

The flange nuts on the axle shaft sub-assemblies can loosen over time and potentially cause one or both axle shaft sub-assemblies to separate from the axle housing.

Axle shaft separation can cause a loss of vehicle stability and brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect the rear axle assembly, tighten the axle flange nuts, and replace any damaged axle-related components -- if necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on July 15, 2022.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA05.

Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling 661 model year 2022 4Runners, Tacomas, Highlanders and Highlander Hybrids.

The load carrying capacity modification labels may not be permanent and can fade, becoming illegible.

An illegible label may allow the vehicle to be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

GST will notify owners by mail, including a replacement load carrying capacity modification label for their vehicle and detailed replacement instructions free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 27, 2022.

Owners may contact GST customer service at (713) 744-3465. GST's number for this recall is 22R1.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 18,101 model year 2022 Tundra pickup trucks with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system.

The parking assist electronic control unit (ECU) software may prevent transmission of the rearview camera signal during cold weather, preventing the rearview image from displaying.

A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will reprogram the parking assist ECU software free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 30, 2022.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA04.

Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 458,054 of the following vehicles:

• Model year 2022 Lexus LX, Lexus NX HEV, Lexus NX PHEV, & Toyota RAV4 HEV, and
• Model year 2021-2022 Lexus LS HEV, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna & Venza, and model year 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander HEV vehicles.

The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system.

Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 16, 2022.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03; Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 36,558 model year 2021 C-HRs.

The radar sensor may not have been activated during production, making the pre-collision system (PCS) inoperative.

An inoperative PCS that does not provide a malfunction indicator to the driver, or braking assist as expected, can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and activate the radar sensor -- as necessary-- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on April 11, 2022.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA02.

Honda and Toyota have emerged as favorites in U.S. News & World Report’s annual list of best family cars. This year, the publication evaluated 96 vehicles and named winners across nine categories.

Honda picked up the most awards this year with four, while Toyota was not far behind with two. The Honda Odyssey took the category of Best Minivan for Families for the 12th straight year, the longest streak in the history of the awards. 

The Honda Passport won Best 2-Row SUV for Families for the third time in a row, and the Honda Accord notched a third win as the Best Midsize Sedan for Families. The Honda Accord Hybrid was named the Best Hybrid Car for Families.

Sajid, of Spring, Texas, told us he owns four Hondas, including an Accord and an Odyssey. He says the brand has provided reliable rides for his family. 

“Engine design for power to haul 8 people for family members with kids for school rides, soccer, playground, and other various track and field events, as well for going to the beach and family vacations to Florida Disney Land, etc.,” Sajid wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review.

Toyota makes a strong showing

Toyota also made a strong showing in the rankings, with the Toyota Highlander Hybrid winning Best Hybrid SUV for Families for the ninth time. Meanwhile, the Toyota Avalon was named the Best Large Car for Families for the fourth year in a row.

The Chevrolet, Hyundai, and Kia brands each earned one spot in the rankings. The Chevrolet Suburban won Best Large SUV for Families for the fourth time overall and the second year in a row. 

The Hyundai Tucson won the Best Compact SUV for Families category, while the Kia Telluride received the Best 3-Row SUV for Families for the third consecutive year.

"With winners from nine different vehicle classes, the Best Cars for Families awards offer choices that will work for every family," said Jim Sharifi, managing editor of U.S. News Best Cars. "The 2022 award winners offer the features, safety, and space that will appeal to new parents, as well as parents with teen drivers or households that include grandparents."

The criteria for the judging focused on a combination of safety and reliability ratings, excellent reviews from the automotive press, passenger and cargo space, and features that keep the entire family safe, connected, and entertained. 

The judges also considered vehicle technology, such as in-car wireless internet, teen driver controls, automatic braking, surround-view parking camera systems, and hands-free cargo doors. They were given equal weight to more traditional criteria, such as passenger and cargo space.

With the price of new and used vehicles at all-time highs, it pays to choose a car or truck that will last for years beyond the end of monthly payments. A study by iSeeCars.com found that certain brands and certain types of vehicles last longer than the competition.

Toyota earns the top spot among automotive brands, with 2.3% of its vehicles reaching 200,000 miles. That's almost double the average for all vehicles. In second place is Honda, with 1.9% of its fleet reaching the 200,000 milestone.

If the average motorist drives 15,000 miles a year, then it would take around 13 years to put 200,000 miles on a car or truck.

“Toyotas have a reputation for lasting a long time, so if you’ve already got a Toyota you’re in good shape,” Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars.com told ConsumerAffairs. “If you’re looking to buy a car and want it to last as long as possible, Toyota is a good option.”

SUVs also go the distance

Among types of vehicles, full-size SUVs have the best chance of delivering at least 200,000 miles. If it happens to be a Toyota SUV, the odds are even better.

The Toyota Land Cruiser has the best chance of getting past 200,000 miles, according to the study, which found that 18% of Land Cruisers have reached that mark. The Toyota Sequoia is in second place. 

These truck-based, body-on-frame SUVs occupy the top spots by a wide margin, with the Sequoia being twice as likely to reach 200,000 miles as the next ranked car on the list. 

“The body on frame construction of something like a Land Cruiser or Chevy Suburban generally makes it a very durable design,” Brauer said. “Also, you get the functionality of a truck with the practicality of a three-row SUV.”

In fact, Toyota places five additional models – seven in all – within the top 15. The study shows that at least 3.2% of all 4Runner, Tundra, Avalon, Prius, and Sienna vehicles make it to 200,000 miles or further. Among the auto industry as a whole, the average is only 1.2%.

Strong showing from U.S. manufacturers

Five American, full-size SUVs make the list, including the third-ranked Chevrolet Suburban, the fourth-ranked GMC Yukon XL, the sixth-ranked Ford Expedition, the seventh-ranked Chevrolet Tahoe, and the twelfth-ranked GMC Yukon. 

What these vehicles have in common is that they are all manufactured by General Motors. Brauer says the Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, and Chevrolet Tahoe share a platform and many common parts, which helps explain their durability.

Toyota also leads in pickup trucks making it past 200,000 miles. The Tundra is in first place and the Tacoma is in third, with the Honda Ridgeline sandwiched in between in second place. The Ford F-150, America’s best-selling vehicle, ranks 5th.

Car and truck prices, both new and used, continue to move higher because of vehicle shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For that reason, automotive experts suggest that consumers pay close attention to how well a vehicle holds its value.

When it comes to brands, the experts at Kelley Blue Book (KBB) say it’s hard to go wrong with a Toyota or its luxury brand Lexus.

You may know that a new car is worth thousands less the moment you purchase it, but some brands and models lose more money over time than others. In its analysis of the 2022 model year, KBB puts Toyota on top in this metric. To reach that conclusion, it projected retained value through the first five years of ownership.

"Toyota and Lexus, respectively, are the best vehicle brand and luxury brand for 2022 in terms of the highest average projected resale value across their full lineups,” said Janice Yoell, senior manager of valuations for Kelley Blue Book. 

Consumers tend to agree

Consumers posting reviews of Toyota at ConsumerAffairs tend to agree. The brand earns 4.2 stars in our 5-star rating system. Lawrence, of Florence, Ariz., told us that he’s driven Chevys, Fords, and Nissans but always comes back to Toyota for its value and reliability.

“Toyota is incredible for what you pay, as long as you take care of it maintenance-wise,” Lawrence wrote in his review.

“You can very easily run it for 300,000 to 500,000 miles, which is why I buy them, I got 350,000 miles out of my last Corolla and now I have a Tacoma that has 130,000 miles and still runs great and along with that everything still works on the truck.”

Trucks and SUVs retain more value

When it comes to individual models, Honda and Subaru also make a strong showing. When judged on its ability to retain value, the Honda Civic leads the compact category, while the Honda Accord is the top midsize sedan.

The Subaru Crosstrek leads the subcompact SUV category, with the Forrester leading the compact SUVs and the Outback holding the most value in the mid-size SUV group.

“Trucks and SUVs continue to dominate among the top 10 vehicles, including a brand-new Best Resale Value Award winner this year with the Ford Maverick compact pickup – which also was named Best New Model for 2022 by Kelley Blue Book,” Yoell said. “It's also notable that an electrified vehicle – the Tesla Model X – is among the top 10, another indication of how electrified vehicles are becoming more mainstream in today's marketplace."

Even though used car prices have risen in the last year, KBB says that trend may end with the pandemic. It says the average 2022 model year vehicle will only retain about 43% of its original value after a five-year ownership period. If you do the math, that means a $45,000 new car today will only be worth somewhere close to $19,350 after five years. 

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 41,544 model year 2021 Venza Hybrids.

Water may enter the rear turn signal LED lights, allowing condensation to form on the circuit board. That additional condensation may cause a short circuit.

A short circuit can cause dimming or failure of the rear turn signals and hazard lights, reducing the vehicle's visibility to other drivers and increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace both rear turn signal LED bulbs and replace the rear turn signal light assembly -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 19, 2022.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TB01/22TA01.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 151 JTEKT power steering gear assembly service parts for model year 2007-2021 Tundras and model year 2008-2022 Sequoias, part numbers 44250-0C160, 44250-0C131, 44250-0C170, and 11250-0C121.

The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak.

An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on February 21, 2022.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 21TH01.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 78 model year 2022 Toyota 4Runners.

The driver's side high beam may be inoperable after the installation of accessory fog lights.

An inoperable driver's side high beam may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will install an updated wiring harness free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on February 10, 2022.

Owners may contact SET customer service at (866) 405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET21A.

On the heels of capturing first place in electric vehicle sales for the 22nd year in a row, Toyota has announced that it will bring 30 new EVs to market by 2030. The company is committing $70 billion to the project. 

Half of that – $35 billion – is earmarked for the development of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) line-up. That investment alone is a major shift for Toyota. Only months ago, it was a hold-out when 30 countries and six automakers made a commitment to phase out gas-powered vehicles by 2040.

All-electric appears to be the future

Toyota may have been slow to respond when compared to its peers, but its timing is still good. A recent report from BloombergNEF shows that electric vehicle sales keep trending upward: around 5.6 million units in 2021, up from 2.1m in 2019 and 3.1m in 2020. 

Consumers are getting more choices as the field expands. The report said there are now more than 500 zero-emission vehicle models available to buy around the world, up 37% since 2019. However, those who still prefer gas-powered vehicles will still get what they want from Toyota.

"We want to leave all people with a choice, and rather than where or what we will focus on, we will wait a little longer until we understand where the market is going," Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda said at a press conference announcing its BEV initiative. Toyoda said his company was still pursuing a diverse strategy towards carbon-reduction, which will include hybrids and hydrogen-powered vehicles as well.

Toyota starts strong with first all-electric option

The first all-electric vehicle Toyota will present to consumers is the bZ4X – “bz” being short for “beyond zero.” Scheduled to go on sale in mid-2022, the bZ will have a manufacturer-estimated range of up to 250 miles for XLE (executive luxury edition) front-wheel-drive models. 

KelleyBlueBook (KBB) said it expects the 2023 Toyota bZ4X electric SUV to have a starting price of around $36,000; that price could extend to around $43,000 depending on what add-ons buyers purchase. Consumers might be able to get a break on those prices if the U.S. government or individual states toss in EV tax rebates.

In his review of the bZ4X, KBB’s Nick Kurczewski said the vehicle sports a crossover-meets-wagon look that’s similar to the Kia EV6, another electric crossover that consumers will see popping up in showrooms soon.

Gadget lovers will no doubt like the interior of the bZ4X. Kurczewski said the cabin is dominated by a large central touchscreen, plus all the tech needed to power Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless device charging, Amazon Alexa, and a Wi-Fi hot spot.

“Safety is taken into consideration, too,” Kurczewski said. “The 2023 bZ4x is the first Toyota vehicle to come standard with the automaker’s Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite of active driver aids. This includes upgraded versions of existing systems (like pre-collision warning), along with features like low-light cyclist detection, guardrail detection, and daytime motorcyclist detection.”

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 22,462 model year 2021-2022 Sequoias and model year 2021 Tundras.

The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak.

An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on January 22, 2022.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 21TB10 and 21TA10.

With new cars being hard to come by, and with prices at record highs, you don’t want to make a mistake when you buy one. Considering the recognition and praise that a particular make and model has received from the industry might help you make a good choice.

In 2021, Kelley Blue Book singled out cars and trucks as the best in breed in certain categories. This month, the editors boiled down their list and named the 10 Most Awarded Cars of 2021 and 10 Most Awarded Brands of 2021.

Automotive experts reviewed this year’s various awards programs and looked for vehicles that tended to land on multiple lists across a range of categories. They factored in the vehicles and brands featured most on lists like the Best Family Cars, Best Luxury Cars Under $35,000, and Best Hybrid Cars Under $40,000, to name a few.

"There are many noteworthy automotive brands and vehicles in the marketplace, but ultimately Toyota and its RAV4 won the most Kelley Blue Book awards and accolades in 2021," said Jason Allan, director of editorial for Kelley Blue Book. 

Premium price

If a RAV4 is on your holiday shopping list, be prepared to pay a premium. Not surprisingly, the SUV is highly popular with consumers. Last month, automotive publisher Torque News reported that a 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE was being sold at one specific Toyota dealership with a $40,000 “Dealer Added Markup.”

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 is KBB’s most awarded car of the year. The 5-passenger compact SUV won points for being spacious and comfortable, with a wide range of trims and engine options. 

“The RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid earned a 2021 Best Buy Award and a spot on the 14 Best New and Redesigned SUVs list. The RAV4 also was a 2021 Best Buy Award winner and one of the 12 Best Family Cars of 2021,” KBB stated in a news release.

Toyota was also KBB’s most awarded brand of 2021, with a total of 41 accolades. Hyundai was second with 22, and Ford was third with 18.

"Our team works year-round testing and reviewing vehicles, along with examining all kinds of relevant data, to compile our recommendations for the best cars in a wide range of categories – all with the ultimate goal to help car shoppers as they navigate their journey,” Allan said. “The standout vehicles are strong enough that they often appear on multiple lists, and the top brands boast lineups full of award winners."

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 2,259 model year 2022 Siennas with seating for eight passengers.

An incorrect seat belt webbing guide may have been installed on the outboard second-row seat belt assemblies.

During seat belt pre-tensioner deployment, the incorrect webbing guide may damage the seat belt webbing, causing it to tear and increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the outboard second-row seat belt assemblies free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on January 13, 2022.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 21TB08 and 21TA08.

Toyota has decided it wants to be in the electric vehicle market conversation and is prepared to spend $35 billion to make its voice heard.

At a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday, Toyota President Akio Toyoda said the company plans to build as many as 30 new models in the next eight years, with a goal of putting 3.5 million a year in the hands of car buyers by 2030. If Toyota can pull that off, its EVs would equal slightly more than a third of the company's total sales last year.

That $35 billion investment and timeframe match efforts made by General Motors, Tesla, Volkswagen, Ford, and others. VW may not be too happy about the news because Toyota overtook it as the largest carmaker in 2020. Earlier this year, Toyota announced that it was planning to invest $13.5 billion toward developing electric vehicle battery tech. VW responded by saying it would also increase its investment in electric vehicles.

Consumers praise Toyota's vehicles

Although Toyota has lost ground in recent customer satisfaction surveys, many Toyota owners continue to praise the company’s vehicles for their durability and long-term value.

“In my life I've had Chevys, Fords, AMC and Nissan along with Toyota. Today's cars and trucks are not made to last. You would be lucky to get 75,000 to 100,000 miles of trouble free use out of America[n] cars. Very sad. Seem we made them for the masses,” Lawrence of Florence, Ariz., wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review.

Lawrence said he found that as long as you take care of your Toyota, your Toyota will take care of you. “You can very easily run it for 300,000 to 500,000 miles. Which is why I buy them. I got 350,000 mile out of my last Corolla and now I have a Tacoma that has 130,000 miles and still runs great and along with that everything still works on the truck.”

If you never thought you’d see the day when you would have to pay to start your car, then brace yourself. Toyota has announced that car owners will have to sign up for a subscription service if they want to start their car with a key fob. 

The news – originally reported by The Drive and confirmed by a Toyota spokesperson – reveals that if a consumer has a 2018 model year or later Toyota vehicle equipped with Toyota's Remote Connect functions, then the vehicle must be enrolled in a subscription program if the owner wants to use the key fob to start their car remotely. The subscription rate is $8 per month or $80 per year.

“To be clear, what we're talking about is the proximity-based RF remote start system, where you press a button on the fob to start the car while outside of it within a certain distance—say, from your front door to warm up your vehicle in the driveway on a cold morning before you get in,” The Drive reported. “Your fob uses radio waves to communicate with the car, and no connection back to Toyota's servers is needed. But the function will not work without a larger Remote Connect subscription.”

Subscription is needed after trial ends

Anytime someone buys a new Toyota, they’re offered the option of signing up for a trial of Toyota's Connected Services. Those services include emergency assistance, hot spot connectivity, and a feature that allows owners to unlock and start the vehicle from a phone app. 

The catch is that owners who want to continue having access to those services will need to sign up for a subscription after their trial ends. The trial periods reportedly vary based on what features and packages the car owner purchased when they got their vehicle. 

Toyota isn’t the only company that is turning to a subscription model. Car and Driver reports that Cadillac requires a subscription if someone wants to use its hands-free Super Cruise driver assistance. Audi also requires a subscription for its Wi-Fi-enabled navigation system, and Tesla drivers must pay $200 per month for access to the company’s Full Self-Driving option. 

Subscriptions – no matter what they’re for – are here to stay, and they will likely continue to move from one product category to another. 

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 227,490 model year 2018-2019 Camrys.

The vane cap inside the vacuum pump may break, causing the pump to fail. This could result in a sudden loss of braking assist.

A sudden loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will repair or replace the vacuum pump -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on December 16, 2021.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 8,411 model year 2022 Prius and Prius Prime vehicles.

The Engine Control Unit (ECU) software may falsely detect an error and shut down the hybrid system, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will update the ECU software free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on November 20, 2021.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 21TB07/21TA07.

Tesla, General Motors, and Ford have grabbed all the electric vehicle (EV) headlines lately, but Toyota is staking out its claim to a piece of the action.

The Japanese automaker has announced an investment of approximately $3.4 billion in U.S. production of EV batteries between now and 2030. The funds will be used to develop and localize the production of batteries to power EVs.

One component of the plan is the establishment of a new company that will partner with Toyota Tsusho to build a new plant in the U.S. that will employ about 1,750 people. Production could start in 2025.

"Toyota's commitment to electrification is about achieving long-term sustainability for the environment, American jobs, and consumers," said Ted Ogawa, the CEO of Toyota Motor North America. "This investment will help usher in more affordable electrified vehicles for U.S. consumers, significantly reduce carbon emissions, and importantly, create even more American jobs tied to the future of mobility."

Toyota continues to invest in electric vehicles

Toyota is no newcomer to EVs. To date, the automaker has turned out 18.7 million EVs worldwide and 4.5 million in the U.S. While electrified vehicles already account for nearly 25% of Toyota's U.S. sales volume, that number is expected to rise to nearly 70% by 2030.

Toyota produced an EV version of its popular SUV, the RAV4, until it was discontinued in 2014. The first generation of the RAV4 EV was sold to consumers in California. The second generation was limited to fleet sales within the U.S.

Toyota also pioneered the hybrid engine, introducing the Toyota Prius in 1997. The electric motor that is recharged by a small gasoline engine while being driven circumvents the range limitations of all-electric vehicles and has proven popular with consumers.

Jolanda, of Sioux Falls, S.D., bought her Prius because of Toyota’s reputation and believes the car has saved her money over the last five years.

“The amount of money that you save on gas alone definitely justifies the slightly higher price point,” Jolanda wrote in a ConsumerAffairs post. “And for me, that was really important. Although it can obviously fluctuate a bit on driving habits, amount of miles driven, etc., the fuel efficiency is really good.”

Toyota isn’t the only carmaker investing in EV technology. Stellantis -- the parent company of Jeep, Dodge, and Ram -- is partnering with LG to produce lithium-ion battery cells and modules. The plant will be in the U.S. at a yet-to-be-determined location. It will produce batteries to power U.S-built EVs beginning in 2024.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 158,489 model year 2018-2021 Tundras.

The headlight electrical circuits may power the high and low beams simultaneously, which could overheat the electrical connector.

An overheated electrical connector can increase the risk of a fire.

What to do

Dealers will modify the engine wire harness assembly and replace any damaged bulb, bulb connector, and/or headlight assembly -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 4, 2021.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 21TB06 and 21TA06.

Ford has gotten a lot of attention lately by previewing its all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup, but Toyota is reminding consumers it has no intention of bowing out of the pickup competition.

The company this week introduced the 2022 Toyota Tundra pickup with a major redesign — the third generation of Tundra pickups. It debuted its TV commercial for the truck during NBC’s Sunday Night Football telecast.

Toyota says its engineers focused on enhancing the performance, capability, multimedia, and creature comforts for drivers and passengers.

New features include a high-strength boxed, steel-ladder frame, aluminum-reinforced composite bed, and fully redesigned multi-link rear suspension. The result gives the new Tundra a maximum towing capacity of up to 12,000 pounds and a maximum payload capacity of 1,940 pounds.

“Our design goal from the beginning was to create the most powerful, rugged and sophisticated looking full-size pickup that will take Tundra to a whole new level,” said Kevin Hunter, president of Calty Design Research. “Because recreation and an outdoor lifestyle are at the core of Toyota truck identity, we set out to create a muscular, chiseled and athletic design that also looks like it could handle the toughest towing demands.”

Consumers like its durability

The Tundra is a popular model with ConsumerAffairs reviewers, who give the model a 4-star review. Many have commented on the vehicle’s durability.

“Great truck. minimal care,” wrote Will of Massena, New York, in a ConsumerAffairs review. “It is a workhorse, going through snow like a hot knife through butter. Overall I love this truck. Only drawback is parts can be a bit high but if you shop around you can keep that cost down.”

The new Tundra has a bolder look than previous models and offers upgraded technologies and additional power. But in a change from the past, the 2022 Tundra will offer two versions of a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine as well as a V-8. One of the V-6 engines is a hybrid producing up to 437 horsepower.

Interior changes

Past Tundra owners will also notice some changes in the cab. Designers chose a horizontal layout theme instead of the vertical layout on most other trucks in the market. Part of the goal was to integrate the instrument panel and center stack to flow with the interior layout. 

Toyota says the Tundra boasts some upgraded interior materials as well. High-contact areas like armrests and pads across the dash feature highly durable materials designed to keep the truck looking new.

Toyota has yet to release fuel economy ratings for the 2022 Tundra. When the truck goes on sale before the end of the year, it’s expected to carry a sticker price of between $34,000 and $50,000.

Juratoys US of Millersburg, Pa., is recalling about 13,600 Janod Children’s Shaving Kits.

The brown trim of the shaving kit bags contains levels of a regulated phthalate that exceed the prohibition of specific phthalates.

Banned phthalates are toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health issues.

No incidents or injuries are reported.

This recall involves Janod Shaving Kit toys.

The kit’s blue fabric zippered bag with brown trim and imitation leather handle holds the following wood components: mustache-shaped scissors, mirror, mustache-shaped comb, cologne bottle, shaving brush, shaving cream bottle and shaver.

The batch number is found on the bottom of the cologne bottle and on the packaging wrap.

The following six batches are included in this recall:

• 10084/ J06548/ 052020
• 10024/ J06548/ 062020
• 10166/ J06548/ 072020
• 10279/ J06548/ 092020
• 10460/ J06548/ 112020
• 10551/ J06548/ 022021

The shaving kits, manufactured in China, were sold at Nordstrom, Crate and Barrel, and Barnes and Noble stores nationwide; online at Amazon.com, Maisonnette.com, Nordstrom.com, CrateandBarrel.com, and Bn.com; both in store and online at other specialty toy, gift and books stores nationwide; and in select catalogs from July 2020, through July 2021, for about $30.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled children’s shaving kit and return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers may contact Juratoys US toll-free at (855) 665-9287 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday, by email recall@juratoysus.com, or online at www.janod.us and click on “Recall Information – Shaving Set” at the bottom of the page for more information.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 31,307 model year 2019-2020 Yaris, Yaris Hatchback and Yaris Sedan vehicles.

An impeller within the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.

A fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump assembly free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 30, 2021.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 21TB05 and 21TA05.

Toyota has long been a leader in the development of hybrid vehicles, dating back to 1997 when it first introduced the Prius. Now, it looks like it's trying to continue leading the way when it comes to these technologies.

On Tuesday, the automaker said it intends to invest more than $13.5 billion by the year 2030 to develop electric and hybrid vehicle batteries for its vehicles.

Toyota’s push for electric vehicle supremacy couldn’t come at a better time. Electric and hybrid vehicle sales jumped 81% in the first quarter of 2021. In 2022, the company plans to deliver its first all-electric line-up. 

What we can expect from Toyota

The first thing Toyota plans on doing is slashing the cost of its batteries. It said it plans on making that happen by reexamining the materials used in the batteries and the structure of the power cells -- most likely an effort to extend the service life of the batteries. The company may also eventually choose to replace liquid lithium-ion batteries.

"Then, for the vehicle, we aim to improve power consumption, which is an indicator of the amount of electricity used per kilometer, by 30%, starting with the Toyota bZ4X," Chief Technology Officer Masahiko Maeda told a press briefing. "We are still searching for the best materials to use," he said.

VW says it’s in it to win it, too

If successful, Toyota’s investment in electric vehicle batteries could put it ahead of the competition. The competitor that most industry watchers pit against Toyota is Volkswagen (VW). Not to be outdone by Toyota’s announcement, the world's second-largest automaker also said on Tuesday that it’s possible it will also increase its investment in electric vehicles.

Rather than try to go head-to-head with the bigger EV wannabes like Ford and GM to try and win an entire continent, VW’s battle plan seems to be set on conquering the EV market starting with smaller countries. The company’s first conquests? Sweden and Switzerland. 

“The short story in both markets is that Volkswagen Group is now king of the market,” said CleanTechnica’s Zachary Shahan.

“Its various fully electric offerings across several brands -- several of the models built electric from the ground up -- have quickly shot the automaker into a strong leadership position, as many Volkswagen fans and staff have long said would happen, and as many Tesla fans and overall Volkswagen skeptics have questioned or said would not happen.”

The pandemic-induced computer chip shortage is continuing to wreak havoc on the automotive industry. After taking a bite out of Ford and GM’s plans, it’s now laying waste to Toyota’s production.

The world’s largest automaker says it is being forced to reduce its global production by 40% in September -- meaning it will produce 360,000 fewer vehicles than it planned. While Toyota says the rise in COVID-19 cases in Vietnam and Malaysia made the semiconductor shortage worse, the effect is being felt across almost all of its plants, including ones in Japan, North America, China, and Europe.

“It became difficult to secure the necessary volume for several parts, which led to this sudden and large-scale production cut,” said Kazunari Kumakura, Toyota’s global procurement chief. 

Being felt on the bottom line

Until now, Toyota has been able to withstand the pandemic’s impact in areas where many of its peers haven’t; in fact, it was able to record profits. But this news is already taking a toll. By midday on Thursday, shares of Toyota stock had fallen by 7.44 points (-4.24%).

“The new cuts could mean rougher seas ahead for all global automakers -- and their shareholders,” said The Motley Fool’s John Rosevear, suggesting that the global shortage of new vehicles won't end anytime soon or possibly by the end of 2021.

“I think this Toyota news suggests that we should expect automakers' shipments and revenue to remain well below pre-pandemic levels for a while longer -- certainly beyond the end of 2021.”

Impact on consumers

The chip shortage is causing a yin and yang effect that’s comparable to what we’re seeing in the housing market. It’s a good time to be a seller, but it’s not great if you’re a buyer. 

“In short, waiting lists are getting longer, and some vehicles are being built with different electronic systems in order to keep production lines running. If you're looking to jump waiting lists by buying used, prices are on the rise as the used car market becomes stronger,” said automobile valuation analyst Curtis Moldrich.

Prices are on the rise for used cars as the chip shortage rages on, especially for low-mileage, recent model cars in good condition. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of used cars and trucks rose 41% from July 2020, to July 2021.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 279,040 model year 2009-2015 Venzas.

The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) wiring may become damaged with regular use of the driver-side door.

Damaged wires may cause the airbag sensor to become inoperable, preventing the deployment of the side and curtain airbags on the driver side and increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and -- if necessary -- replace the driver-side front door wire harness free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin May 31, 2021.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 21TB01/21TA01.

The average transaction price (ATP) of a new car or truck is near an all-time high, hitting more than $41,000 in February, according to Kelley Blue Book. So families in the market for a new vehicle should choose carefully.

To help with that, U.S. News and World Report has just issued its annual list of Best New Cars for Families in 2021. The cars, SUVs, and vans were judged on a combination of safety, reliability, space, convenience, and connectivity.

Judges evaluated a total of 86 vehicles and named winners across nine categories.

Toyota was the biggest winner for the 2021 model year, driving off with four awards. Honda was close behind with three.

Eight-time winner

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid was named Best Hybrid SUV for Families for the eighth time. The gas-only RAV4 won Best Compact SUV for Families, and the Avalon Hybrid won Best Hybrid and Electric Car for Families for the second straight year. The gas-only Avalon won Best Large Car for Families, its third award in that category. 

The Honda Passport placed first in the category of 2-Row SUV for Families, the second time it has earned that distinction. The Honda Accord was also a second-time winner in the category of Best Midsize Sedan for Families. The Honda Odyssey won Best Minivan for Families for the 11th consecutive year – marking the longest winning streak in the history of the awards.

Kia and Chevrolet each collected an award. The Kia Telluride was named the Best 3-Row SUV for Families, the second straight year for that honor. The Chevrolet Suburban was named Best Large SUV for Families, finding its way back to the winner’s circle for the first time since 2015.

"Families come in many forms, and with nine different categories to choose from, there's a Best Cars for Families award winner that will work for any family," said Jamie Page Deaton, executive editor of U.S. News Best Cars. "The award winners have the space, safety, and features to satisfy any family, from new parents to parents with new drivers to households that may be welcoming grandparents."

Used vehicles may be a lot less

Families that don’t have a budget for one of these 2021 models might find good value if they consider a recent model of the same brand from the used car lot. The Honda Accord, for example, has a four out of five-star rating from ConsumerAffairs readers.

“Very good overall family sedan,” Ralph, of Pittsburgh wrote in a December 2019 post. “A few defects but overall quality is good except seats are not exactly designed for comfort. Ride is fair but road noise heard. Could be better by adding more insulation. Honda engines last forever.”

Previously-owned Toyota Highlanders also get a four-star rating from our readers. David, of Randolph, Mass., purchased a 2019 Highlander last year and is pretty pleased with his ride.

“No defects or mechanical issues,” David wrote in his post. “Very smooth ride. I find the seats comfortable. They do not hurt as others say after long rides. Maybe because everyone's body is different. I have no rattle or wind noises in the cabin.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced Monday that it has launched an investigation into Toyota’s RAV4 vehicles. Regulators said there have been 11 reports of fires in 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. 

Toyota said it’s aware of the investigation and is cooperating with the NHTSA’s probe, which involves more than 1.86 million vehicles.

In a filing, the NHTSA alleged that “a non-crash thermal event” originated in the left side of the SUVs engine compartment. The auto safety agency said the vehicle’s 12-volt battery appears to be the “area of origin” in a majority of incidents reviewed. 

Investigators suspect that the issue may be caused by improper battery installation. Specifically, they say it involves a short on the battery’s hold-down frame by the positive terminal of the 12-volt battery. The agency said the problem “may result in the sudden loss of electrical power, vehicle stalling, and/or a fire originating in the engine compartment.” 

Stalling reported before fires

Most drivers said the incidents happened while they were driving their RAV4, but four fires started while the ignition was off. Investigators said “stalling” was reported in the run up to several incidents. 

"Drivers experienced stalling prior to the thermal event in half of the instances where the vehicle was in motion," the NHTSA said. 

The agency said it’s opened the investigation to “better understand the contributing factors and frequency of vehicle fires originating from the battery region of the subject vehicles.” So far, no injuries or accidents have occured in connection to the issue. 

The vehicles under investigation haven't been recalled, but they eventually could be depending on what the investigation reveals. 

Toyota is once again the world’s largest automaker, having sold 9.5 million vehicles globally last year. 

For five consecutive years, the Japanese automaker lost the title of best-selling automaker to its German rival Volkswagen. But the company said Thursday that it topped Volkswagen’s sales in 2020 in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The pandemic had a major impact on the auto industry as a whole, but Toyota ended up coming out ahead. The Toyota group, which owns Daihatsu and Hino subsidiaries, said it sold 9.5 million vehicles last year -- slightly more than Volkwagen, which sold 9.3 million. 

Volkswagen -- which owns brands that include Audi, Skoda and Porsche -- was hit harder by pandemic-related disruptions in sales. The company’s passenger car sales in Europe fell 24 percent last year to fewer than 10 million units, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. Last week, however, Volkswagen said that profits for 2020 hit $12 billion, suggesting a recovery in the second half of the year. 

Strong sales

Toyota has a larger U.S. presence compared to Volkswagen, and U.S. residents weren’t on lockdown as often as consumers in Europe. Toyota spokeswoman Chisato Yoshifuji said the company was able to stave off pandemic-related financial losses due to virus-control measures. 

“Naturally the number of units sold was lower than in the previous year because of the spread of coronavirus,” Yoshifuji told Bloomberg. “But because Toyota and its partners were able to thoroughly implement measures to combat the spread of the virus, we were able to continue our corporate activities and keep yearly declines at the level they were.” 

Although it fared well in 2020, industry analysts say Toyota will have to continue dealing with a global chip shortage that has prompted automakers to close factories and furlough workers. Analyst Yoshiaki Kawano expects Toyota to “put up a good fight” in the coming year by putting out more electric vehicles and SUVs. 

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 161 model year 2020-2021 Toyota Avalons, model year 2020 Avalon Hybrids, RAV4s and RAV4 Hybrids.

Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's airbag in a crash.

An air bag that does not deploy as designed can increase the risk of injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin January 18, 2021.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB17/20TA17.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 413 model year 2021 RAV4 Prime vehicles.

The headlight aiming caps may have been improperly closed, allowing for horizontal adjustment of the headlight beam.

Adjusting the horizontal headlight beam can increase glare, reducing the visibility of an oncoming driver or the vehicle operator, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will close the aiming caps on the headlights free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin January 4, 2021.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA15.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is expanding an earlier recall to include another 1,517,721 of the following vehicles:

• Model year 2018-2019 4Runners,
• Model year 2019-2020 Avalons,
• Model year 2019 Corolla Hatchbacks,
• Model year 2017-2019 Highlanders,
• Model year 2018-2020 Camrys,
• Model year 2020 Corollas,
• Model year 2018-2019 Land Cruisers,
• Model year 2017-2020 Tacomas,
• Model year 2019-2020 RAV4s,
• Model year 2019-2020 Sequoias,
• Model year 2017-2020 Siennas,
• Model year 2019-2020 Tundras,
• Model year 2018-2020 Lexus ES350s,
• Model year 2017 Lexus GS200t's,
• Model year 2017-2019 Lexus GS350s,
• Model year 2019 Lexus GS300s,
• Model year 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h's,
• Model year 2019-2020 Lexus LS500s,
• Model year 2018-2019 Lexus GX460s,
• Model year 2017 Lexus IS200t's,
• Model year 2019 Lexus IS300s, 2019 Lexus IS350,
• Model year 2018-2020 Lexus LC500s,
• Model year 2018 Lexus LS500s,
• Model year2019 Lexus LS500h's,
• Model year 2018-2019 Lexus LX570s,
• Model year 2017 Lexus RC200t's,
• Model year 2019 Lexus RC300s & RC350s,
• Model year 2017 & 2019-2020 Lexus RX350s,
• Model year 2018-2020 RX350Ls,
• Model year 2019 Lexus UX200, and
• Model year2018-2019 Lexus NX300s.

The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

If the fuel pump fails while the vehicle is being driven, the engine can stall increasing the risk of a crash

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 23, 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 442-8696. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 3,121 model year 2020 Highlanders and Highlander hybrids.

Incorrect seat trim covers on one or both of the front seats can prevent the seat-mounted side airbag from deploying properly.

Improper deployment of the seat-mounted side airbag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats and replace the seat trim covers -- as necessary -- free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 13, 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 442-8696. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB14 / 20TA14.

Toyota is recalling about 183,000 model year 2018-2020 Tundra pickup trucks.

The wire harness connected to the front turn signal bulbs was assembled incorrectly, causing them not to illuminate as brightly as intended.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will modify the wire harness connected to the front turn signal bulbs free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin in mid-September 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 46 model year 2019-2020 RAV4s and model year 2020 RAV4 Hybrids with electric power steering (EPS).

Water may enter through the steering gear box cover and cause a loss of electric power steering assist.

A loss of power steering assist could increase steering effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear box free of charge.

This recall is expected to begin August 10, 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (888) 270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB11 / 20TA11.

Toyota is recalling about 267,000 model year 2013-2015 Prius and model year 2014-2017 Prius vehicles.

The vehicles were designed to enter a failsafe driving mode in response to certain hybrid system faults, but in rare situations, the vehicle may fail to do so.

If this occurs, the vehicle could lose power and stall. While power steering and braking would remain operational, a vehicle stall while driving at higher speeds could increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the hybrid system software at no charge. Additionally, if the vehicle has experienced an inverter failure with certain hybrid system faults related to this condition, the inverter will be repaired or replaced at no charge.

The recall is expected to begin in late August 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331.

Toyota is recalling about 9,500 model year 2019-2020 RAV4s and RAV4 Hybrids.

The front lower suspension arms, which connect to the front wheels, on the subject vehicles may have been manufactured with improperly produced material.

If the vehicle is driven frequently with rapid acceleration and deceleration over its lifetime, an involved front lower suspension arm can eventually separate, resulting in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower suspension arms with new ones free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin in mid-July 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331.4331.

Toyota is recalling about 1,000 model year 2020 Corolla Hatchbacks.

A connector in the rear hatch of the vehicle may have been damaged during production, resulting in the backup lamps possibly becoming inoperative over time.

If backup lamps do not illuminate when the vehicle is operated in reverse, there can be an increased risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear hatch wire harness with a new one free of charge

The recall is expected to begin in early June 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 38,810 model year 2020 Highlanders with a 3.5 L, V6 (2GR-FKS) gasoline engine.

Due to an Engine Control Unit (ECU) programming error, fuel may not be correctly supplied to the engine while using the stop and restart feature.

Improper fuel supply programming can result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECU free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin April 24, 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (888) 270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA06.

Toyota is recalling approximately 39,000 model year 2020 Highlanders.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with a feature that stops and restarts the engine. Under certain driving patterns and vehicle conditions, this feature may not operate correctly resulting in a vehicle stall.

If a vehicle stall occurs, an audible chime will sound and multiple warning indicators will illuminate. If a vehicle stall occurs while being driven at higher speeds, this could increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the engine control unit (ECU) at no cost.

The recall is expected to begin by mid-May 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331.

Toyota is expanding an earlier recall involving fuel pumps for a total of 1.8 million vehicles.

The flowing model year and models are included:

• 2013-2015 Lexus LS 460;
• 2013-2014 Lexus GS 350;
• 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser, Lexus IS-F;
• 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner, Land Cruiser; Lexus GX 460, IS 350, LX 570;
• 2015 Lexus NX 200t, RC 350;
• 2017 Lexus IS 200t, RC 200t;
• 2017-2019 Toyota Sienna; Lexus RX 350;
• 2018 Lexus GS 300;
• 2018-2019 Toyota Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Highlander, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra; Lexus ES 350, GS 350, IS 300, IS 350, LC 500, LC 500h, LS 500, LS 500h, RC 300, RC 350, RX 350L.

The fuel pumps in these vehicles stop operating, displaying warning lights and messages on the instrument panel, and causing the the engine to run rough.

This can result in a vehicle stall, and the vehicle may be unable to be restarted. If a vehicle stall occurs while being driven at higher speeds, this could increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota and Lexus will notify owners, and dealers will replace the involved fuel pump with an improved one at no cost to customers.

Owners of vehicles not included in the original recall will be notified by early May.

Owners with questions may contact Toyota at (800 331 4331 or Lexus at (800) 255-3987.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 44,191 model year 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrids, Camrys, Camry Hybrids & Lexus ES300h vehicles, and model year 2019-2020 RAV4s and RAV4 Hybrids equipped with 2.5L 4-Cylinder engines.

Porosity in the engine castings may result in cracks than can allow coolant to leak internally and/or externally.

A coolant leak can cause the engine to overheat and cause a vehicle stall in conventional gasoline vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.

Additionally, for all involved vehicles, the engine may suffer damage mechanically, possibly resulting in an engine oil leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine including the engine block -- as necessary -- free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 6, 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (888) 270-9371 or Lexus at (800) 255-3987. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA04. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA02.

Toyota is recalling about 44,00 model year 2020 Avalon Hybrids, Camrys, Camry Hybrids; model year 2019-2020 RAV4s, RAV4 Hybrids and model year 2020 Lexus ES 300h vehicles.

Some of the vehicles may be equipped with an engine block that was manufactured incorrectly, which may cause coolant to leak internally and/or externally during normal engine operation.

This can lead to engine noise, engine smoke, warning lights/malfunction indicator illumination, an audible chime sounding, and/or, in some cases, engine overheating and possible internal mechanical engine damage.

In a conventional gasoline vehicle, the vehicle could stall while being driven at higher speeds without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

For both hybrid and conventional gasoline vehicles, the mechanical engine damage could cause engine oil to leak which, in the presence of an ignition source, can lead to an increased risk of fire.

What to do

Toyota and Lexus will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine block casting serial number to determine if it is involved. In the cases where an involved engine block is identified, dealers will replace the engine including the engine block with a new one free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin by early April.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331 or Lexus customer service at (800) 255-3987.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 138,842 model year 1998-2000 RAV4s, model year 1998-1999 RAV4 EVs & Celicas and model year 1997-1998 Supras.

The vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver Airbag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant.

Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the airbag cushion to underinflate.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant, and increases the risk of serious injury or death.

What to do

The remedy for this recall is still under development.

The recall is expected to begin March 22, 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (888) 270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB01 and 20TA01.

Toyota is recalling about 139,000 model year 1998–2000 RAV4s, model year 1998–1999 RAV4 EVs, model year 1998–1999 Celicas and model year 1997–1998 Supras with a potentially affected Takata-produced single-stage non-azide front driver airbag inflator.

The airbag may not deploy properly resulting in abnormal deployment of the airbag or the chance of an inflator rupture, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

A remedy is currently under development.

Toyota will notify owners by first class mail by late-March.

Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 695,541 of the following vehicles: Model year 2018-2019 Toyota:

• 4Runners,
• Highlanders,
• Camrys,
• Land Cruisers,
• Sequoias,
• Siennas,
• Tacomas,
• Tundras,
• Lexus RC 300s,
• RC 350s,
• GS 350s,
• GX 460s,
• IS 300s,
• LC 500s,
• LS 500s,
• LX 570s, RX 350s
• Model Year 2019 Toyota:
• Avalons & Corollas, and
• Lexus:
• NX 300s, ES 350s and GS 200Ts.

The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

The remedy for this recall is still under development.

The recall is expected to begin March 13, 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (888) 270-9371 or Lexus customer service at (800) 255-3987.

Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 & 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles, and 20LB01 & 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.

Toyota is recalling nearly 2.9 million vehicles to address an airbag issue. However, it has nothing to do with the ongoing Takata airbag recalls to replace exploding inflators.

The safety recall involves:

• 2011-2019 Model Year Corolla

• 2011-2013 Model Year Matrix

• 2012-2018 Model Year Avalon

• 2013-2018 Model Year Avalon Hybrid vehicles

Toyota says the recalled vehicles may be equipped with an electronic control unit (ECU) from a specific supplier. The device is designed to receive signals from crash sensors and deploy the airbags and seat belt pretensioners.  

The issue lies in the ECU. It may not have adequate protection against certain electrical noise that can occur in certain crashes, such as severe underride crashes. If that should happen, the airbags might not deploy and the seatbelts might not retain adequate tension. Needless to say, that could pose a risk to vehicle occupants.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating to determine if the defect is responsible for any deaths.

Toyota says dealers can fix the issue by installing a noise filter between the airbag control module and its wire harness. The company says dealers may also inspect the ECU to determine if the noise filter is necessary before installing it.

If your vehicle is subject to the recall, you will receive a letter from Toyota by mid-March. Consumers may also visit Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or license plate information.  

Honda recall

Honda is recalling about 2.7 million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada that are equipped with Takata airbag inflators, but they are not the same ones that have killed vehicle occupants by exploding. 

The Honda recall mostly affects Acuras. The company says older models from 1996 through 2003 might have defective Takata airbag inflators that could have been produced without the "appropriate seals" needed to deploy properly.

Honda owners can enter their vehicle information here to see if they are affected by the recall.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 3,751 model year 2019 Prius vehicles.

An electrical short circuit in the combination meter could occur, causing the speedometer, odometer and fuel gauge to go blank.

A blank main display will not show important information like vehicle speed or fuel level. Driving with an inoperative display can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the flash memory chip (ROM) production date, and if necessary, replace it along with the combination meter circuit board free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin February 3, 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (888) 270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 19TA21 and 19TB21.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 9,468 model year 2019-2020 C-HRs, and model year 2020 Corollas & Corolla Hybrids with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism.

The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.

In the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seat belt assembly production dates, and replace the assemblies, as necessary, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin February 3, 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (888) 270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 19TB22 and 19TA22.

Toyota is recalling about 696, 0000 of the following vehicles:

• Model year 2018-2019 Lexus LS 500s, LC 500s, RC 350s, RC 300s, GS 350s, IS 300s, ES 350s, LX 570s, GX 460s, & RX 350s
• Model year 2019 Lexus NX 300s, RX 350Ls, & GS 300s
• Model year 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runners, Camrys, Highlanders, Land Cruisers, Sequoias, Siennas, Tacomas, & Tundras, and
• Model year 2019 Toyota Avalons and Corollas.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with a fuel pump that may stop operating.

If this were to occur, warning lights and messages may be displayed on the instrument panel, and the engine may run rough.

This can result in a vehicle stall, and the vehicle may be unable to be restarted. If a vehicle stall occurs while driving at higher speeds, this could increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

A remedy is currently under development.

Owners will be notified by first class mail by mid-March and work will be done free of charge.

Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331 or Lexus at (800) 255-3987.

Toyota is recalling about 3,800 model year 2019 Prius vehicles.

An electrical short circuit in the combination meter could occur, causing the speedometer, the odometer, and the fuel gauge to become inoperative.

If the speedometer and the fuel gauge are inoperative, this condition may not meet certain safety regulations and could increase the safety risk by diverting the driver’s attention from the driving task.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will check a component within the combination meter and -- if necessary -- replace the combination meter circuit board free of charge

The recall is expected to begin in early February 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331.

Toyota is recalling about 9,000 model year 2019- 2020 C-HRs, Corollas, and model year 2020 Corolla Hybrids.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with rear seat belt assemblies that have two types of locking mechanisms. One of the locking mechanisms in certain seat belts may not have been assembled correctly, causing an occupant to not be restrained properly in certain crashes -- increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seat belt assemblies and replace any affected seat belt assembly with a new one free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin in early February 2020.

Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 34 model year 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runners. Certain steering and suspension components may not have been tightened properly during installation.

Loose fasteners may cause a loss of vehicle control, or cause an accessory to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

What to do

SET will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and re-tighten the steering and suspension fasteners as necessary free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin November 19, 2019.

Owners may contact SET customer service at (866) 405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET19B.

BMW of North America is recalling seven model year 2020 Toyota Supras.

The driver's seat belt guide loop mount may have been improperly welded.

In the event of a crash, the mount could become damaged and the seat belt may not properly restrain the driver, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Owners have been notified, and Toyota dealers will inspect the seat belt guide loop mount. If the mount is defective, the vehicle will be replaced free of charge.

The recall began September 13, 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota at (888) 270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K0R.

Toyota is recalling 135,000 model year 2003-2008 Corollas and model year 2005-2008 Matrix vehicles.

The front passenger airbag in these vehicles was repaired under a prior recall. If one of them deploys, there is a possibility that it could be damaged.

Such damage could cause the airbag to not properly inflate, increasing the risk of occupant injury in a crash.

What to do

Dealers will notify owners by the end of October and replace the front passenger airbag assembly with an improved one at no cost.

Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 680 model year 2019 Camrys.

The Occupant Classification System (OCS) may have been improperly calibrated, which may prevent the proper deployment of the front passenger airbag and knee airbag in the event of a crash.

In the event of a crash, if

Failure of the airbags to deploy as designed can increase the risk of an injury to the front seat passenger.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the OCS free of charge.

The recall was expected to begin August 15, 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K0M.

Braun Corporation is recalling 595 model year 2017-2020 Toyota Siennas.

The steering shaft extensions may have been improperly manufactured, possibly causing the extensions to fracture.

If the steering shaft extension completely fractures, it can cause a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Braun has notified owners, and dealers will replace the steering shaft extensions free of charge.

The recall began July 25, 2019.

Owners may contact Braun customer service at (800) 488-0359.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 6,925 model year 2019 Lexus LS500, LC500, ES300h, UX250h, LS500h, Toyota Prius, RAV4 HV, model year 2019-2020 Toyota Prius Prime, and model year 2020 Corolla HV vehicles.

The brake booster pump may fail causing a deactivation of the Vehicle Stability Control system and a loss of braking assist.

Deactivation of the vehicle stability control system or a loss of braking assist increases the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the brake booster pump free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin September 9, 2019.

Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at (888) 270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are K1L/K0L.

Lexus owners may contact Lexus customer service at (800) 255-3987. Lexus' numbers for this recall are K2F/KLF.

Toyota is recalling about 18,000 model year 2019 RAV4s and RAV4 hybrids.

There is a possibility that a damaged connector in the back-up camera system's audio display unit is causing the system not to activate.

If the driver reverses the vehicle without checking his or her surroundings when the vehicle has this condition, there can be an increased risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace any inoperative system with a new one at no cost to customers.

The recall is expected to begin early October 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331.4331.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 1,325 model year 2017-2019 Toyota Camrys, Corollas, Rav4s, Siennas and Yaris iAs equipped with factory-installed floor mats.

The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect, which may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin August 27, 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (888) 270-9371. SET's number for this recall is SET19A.

Toyota is recalling about 6,900 model year 2019 Prius, RAV4 Hybrid, model year 2019-2020 Prius Prime, model year 2020 Corolla Hybrid and Lexus, and model year 2019 UX 250h, ES300h, LC 500 & LS 500/500h vehicles.

There is a possibility the brake booster pump may have been manufactured improperly and -- in some cases -- may stop operating.

If the brake booster pump stops operating, multiple warning lights and messages will illuminate, and/or audible chimes will sound.

In this condition, braking assist could be lost completely after several brake pedal applications, resulting in increased stopping distance.

In addition, the Vehicle Stability Control will become deactivated, and other vehicle features could be affected.

A deactivated Vehicle Stability Control or a sudden and complete loss of braking assist while driving could increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Owners will be notified by first class mail by the middle of September.

Toyota/Lexus dealers will replace the brake booster pump, if necessary, with a new one at no cost to customers.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331 or the Lexus customer service at (800) 255-3987.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 464 model year 2018-2019 Prius Cs.

The DC-DC converter may fail resulting in the battery no longer receiving power from the converter, which may cause a loss of drive.

A loss of drive increases the risk of crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the DC-DC converter with a new one, as necessary, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin August 12, 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (888) 270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K0K.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 274 model year 2019 Siennas.

The passenger front door may have incorrect welds inside, possibly affecting the airbag sensor readings for the passenger side front seat and curtain shield airbags.

The incorrect sensor readings could cause the airbags to unintentionally deploy or not deploy when intended, increasing the risk of a crash and/or injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side front door sub assembly with a new one free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin June 10, 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K1G /K0G.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 43,221 model year 2015-2017 Yaris vehicles.

The wire harnesses for the side airbag sensors located within the front doors may crack and corrode, possibly causing the non-deployment or improper deployment of the front seat side airbags and the curtain shield airbags.

Failure of airbags to deploy in the event of a crash can increase the risk of injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wire harness assembly in the front doors as necessary free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin June 10, 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K1F/K0F.

Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling 3,634 model year 2019 C-HRs, 4Runners, Avalons, Avalon Hybrids, Camrys, Camry Hybrids, Highlanders, Land Cruisers, Prius vehicles, RAV4s, Sequoias, Tacomas, Siennas, Tundras and Yaris vehicles.

The text on the load capacity label may become illegible. If drivers cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

GST will notify owners, and dealers will provide corrected load carrying capacity modification labels free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin on May 13, 2019.

Owners may contact GST customer service at (800) 444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 19R1.

Toyota is recalling about 43,000 model year 2015-2017 Yaris Liftbacks & Hatchbacks in the U.S.

The vehicles have side airbag sensors installed in each of the front doors and wire harnesses that connect these sensors to the airbag control unit. The harnesses could corrode over time, which could cause the airbag warning light to come on.

In addition, the front seat side airbags and curtain shield airbags could be deactivated or not deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wire harnesses in one or both doors, as necessary at no cost to customers.

The recall is expected to begin in mid-June.

Owners may contact Toyota (800) 331-4331.

Toyota is recalling 270 model year 2019 Siennas.

During the manufacturing process of the passenger side front doors, a component may not have been welded properly.

This could affect an airbag system sensor and could lead to nondeployment or inadvertent deployment of the passenger side front seat and curtain shield airbags, increasing the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners and dealers replace the passenger side front door sub-assembly with a new one at no cost to customers.

The recall is expected to begin by mid-June.

Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331

They were on busy thoroughfares, returning home from work or running errands, about to turn left, pulling into traffic or passing cars in the fast lane, when they remember seeing the same vague message flashing across the dashboard.

“CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM” it said, according to over two dozen drivers who submitted grievances to federal regulators since January 2018. The clock on Toyota’s “limp-home” mode, something that Toyota itself has billed as a safety feature in the Prius, had begun to tick. Drivers had just a few moments to get off the road.

One person in Florida said they were trying to cross railroad tracks in their Prius when the car awkwardly jerked forward at the press of the gas pedal. The driver then noticed a “CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM” message on the screen.

“The car did drive on the gas engine a short distance to make it over the railroad tracks,” the driver recounted, in a report that they submitted to federal regulators in March. “This seems to be an issue that Toyota is ignoring.”

In the past five years, Toyota Prius cars have been plagued with a problem causing the vehicles to suddenly die while in motion. Toyota has twice recalled 800,000 Priuses to address the issue, mostly recently in October 2018. But mounting evidence suggests that Toyota has botched the recalls, giving credence to a Southern California dealer’s claim that Toyota is both refusing to pay for the correct repairs and is downplaying the dangers of its “limp-home” mode to save money.

“Somehow, this has been twisted where they want people to believe that that portion of it is safe,” the dealer Roger Hogan told ConsumerAffairs in an interview last year. Toyota has responded to Hogan’s claims by characterizing him as a disgruntled salesman.

Going limp vs. dying

Both Toyota and Hogan agree that the problem is linked to the hybrid system malfunctioning or overheating. Toyota’s latest recall addresses the manner in which the car responds when that happens; the car is supposed to go into something called “limp-home” mode or “fail safe” mode, Toyota says, to allow people time to safely pull off the road. The company is instructing dealers to adjust the software in affected cars to ensure that the car goes “limp” rather than immediately dying on the road.

But Hogan says the Hybrid system itself -- or more specifically, a part powering it called the inverter -- is what needs to be replaced. Essentially, he argues that the car shouldn’t be malfunctioning or overheating at all.

In an ongoing $100 million lawsuit, he charges that Toyota has a pattern of refusing to properly address safety issues. Hogan has been outspoken about the issue for nearly two years, and the trial is scheduled for next month.

Database shows repeated problems

A ConsumerAffairs search of the phrase “CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM” in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database, a voluntary system in which consumers report problems with their cars, turned up 25 reports since January 2018 describing frightening or inconvenient experiences in which Toyota vehicles suddenly died.

In several cases, consumers said that the problem was left unfixed because it was not covered by a recall or because Toyota could not properly diagnose the issue. It wasn’t just the Prius that drivers had grievances with. Two reports describe a hybrid system failure in the Highlander and two others in Lexus vehicles.

“In one instance I was almost rear ended by a semi,” the owner of a 2013 Prius wrote to regulators in August 2018, after being told by Toyota that the problem wouldn’t be covered by a recall or warranty.

Drivers and experts have difficulty distinguishing between a car going “limp,” in accordance with Toyota’s safety standards, and one that is just dying. That's largely because “limp home” mode is not something that is actually regulated by NHTSA or anyone else, Jason Levine of the Center for Auto Safety noted in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. The newspaper recently interviewed more than a dozen Prius owners who described their cars stalling out after they had already undergone software repairs that were supposed to fix the problem.

“I was lucky nobody was behind me because I would have been rear-ended,” one Prius owner told the newspaper. He escaped without a crash, but Toyota later told him he would have to replace the inverter on his own dime.

The consumer whose car nearly died on the railroad tracks this year, meanwhile, wrote in their report to NHTSA that Toyota did agree to cover the cost of a new inverter. But in that case, the driver said Toyota covered it under an extended warranty program, not a government recall.

The problem with warranties, safety advocates say, is that they are also unregulated. And unlike recalls, warranties provide little recourse for drivers should they experience a defect past a given time period. In the case of the Prius, Toyota has said that some cars may be eligible for an inverter replacement under a warranty program that lasts 15 years.

An $11,000 inverter

As the Times report notes, a similar issue appeared to afflict the Highlander Hybrid several years ago. But in that case, Toyota agreed to replace the entire intelligent power model, which holds the transistors for the inverter in place.

It’s an issue that Philip Barton knows all to too well. The Vancouver-based attorney purchased a Highlander Hybrid brand new in 2010. In the years since, the car was recalled by Toyota twice over the inverter issue. He underwent repairs as instructed, he tells ConsumerAffairs, and otherwise the car ran well. But then it unexpectedly died while his wife was driving home from work on icy roads earlier this year.

A Toyota dealership emailed him explaining that the inverter needed to be replaced entirely. And because the car was past its warranty, Barton would have to pay for it himself.

“As discussed, we cannot make a direct connection as to how or why the inverter assembly failed,” says an email that the dealership sent Barton, which he saved and forwarded to ConsumerAffairs. The email quotes Barton a total of $11,000 to replace the part.

Barton appealed to the corporate headquarters of Toyota Canada. He was mailed a letter stating that the company couldn’t help because his warranty policy had run out.

“Toyota Canada has very liberal warranty policies and a mandate to assist customers whenever possible,” the letter says. “Even with this mandate, your situation is one in which we cannot assist due to the length of time your vehicle has been in service.”

Left with the bill

Unable to sell the vehicle, Barton is now letting it gather dust while he prepares to take the automaker to small claims court. He has since purchased a new car to use for the time being.

For drivers who can’t afford an extra car, the situation is even worse. A San Diego resident told NHTSA that he got the “CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM” notice on his 2010 Prius one last time in November. The car hasn’t started since, he wrote. But the driver said that Toyota still would not pay for the inverter to be replaced.

“I currently use my vehicle for my livelihood doing independent delivery services such as Instacart, Doordash, Postmates, etc.,” the consumer said.

In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, Toyota said that it is “committed to the safety and security of our customers.”

“We monitor the available information on this issue and would continue to investigate any new information that emerges and take any appropriate action,” the statement said.

Toyota is recalling approximately 560 model 2019 Model Year Lexus ES vehicles in the U.S.

The driver knee airbag may have not been fastened properly to the instrument panel, which could affect knee airbag deployment, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

What to do

Lexus dealers will inspect the driver knee airbag assembly and replace it with a new one, if necessary, at no cost to customers.

The recall is expected to begin in by late April 2019.

Owners may contact Lexus customer service at (800) 255-3987

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 205 model year 2019 Camry and Avalon Hybrids.

The fuel filler pipe may not have been properly reconnected to the fuel tank during an inspection after vehicle assembly

The improperly connected filler pipe may leak fuel, which, in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel filler pipe, replacing it if necessary, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin in March 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K0I.

Toyota is recalling about 6,300 model year 2018 Lexus LS 500/500h vehicles with run-flat tires.

Because the tires were assembled to the wheels improperly, a crack could develop on the sidewall reinforcement layer of the tires.

Under certain driving conditions, portions of the tire tread layer could separate, causing a reduction of vehicle stability and increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace all four tires with new ones at no charge to customers if one or more tire(s) are run-flat tire(s) manufactured by a specific tire supplier.

The recall is expected to begin in late April.

Owners may contact Lexus at (800) 255-3987.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 3,424 model year 2019 Toyota Corolla hatchbacks equipped with Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT).

The pump impeller blades within the torque converter may detach, especially when driven under high load, potentially causing a vehicle stall.

A vehicle stall, especially when driving a high rate of speed, can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota has notified owners, and dealers will replace the CVT and torque converter, free of charge.

An interim letter was mailed on January 28, 2019, to notify owners about the issue. A second letter will be sent when the remedy is available.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J17/J07.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling certain 280 model year 2019 Toyota Tundra standard and long bed trucks equipped with a spray-in bed liner.

The load carrying capacity modification label may have been incorrectly calculated. If the label is followed, the vehicle may be overloaded, increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota has notified owners, and provided corrected load carrying capacity labels, free of charge.

The recall began on January 24, 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. The recall number is J08.

Toyota is recalling about 3,400 model year 2019 Corolla Hatchbacks.

The torque converter in the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) could fail, resulting in a loss of motive power increasing the risk of crash.

What to do

Toyota is currently obtaining parts to replace the Direct Shift-CVT with a new one containing a new torque converter not affected by this issue at no cost to customers. Owners of all recalled vehicles will will be notified by first-class mail.

The recall is expected to begin in mid-February.

Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 89,740 model year 2008-2019 Toyota Land Cruisers and Lexus LX 570.

Over time, the seat belt tension sensor wire harness may break and deactivate the front passenger airbag, knee airbag, and passenger seat-mounted side airbag.

In the event of a crash, deactivated air bags can increase the risk of injury .

What to do

The remedy for this recall is still under development.

Interim notification letters are expected to be mailed on February 11, 2019. A second notification will be mailed once remedy parts are available.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (888)270-9371 or Lexus customer service at (800)255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are Lexus Interim J2L and Remedy JLL, Toyota Interim J15 and Remedy J05.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 44,121 model year 2018-2019 Toyota Tacomas.

Improper machining of the brake master cylinder may result in internal damage of one of the seals, affecting brake performance.

Reduced brake performance can lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin January 21, 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J16/J06.

Shortly before 1 a.m. that night, the sensors on the couple’s motion-activated surveillance camera also detected that something was happening. The camera system began to record.

The site outside was bizarre, to say the least. A plume of fire was rising from the interior of the couple’s SUV and venting through the sunroof, as if their brand new Toyota had turned into a chimney.

Heap, a computer engineer who runs a photography business on the side, says the couple had long dreamed of owning a car equipped for off-roading and camping adventures.

The Hans decided that the Toyota RAV4, a compact SUV, was the best car for that in their budget. The 2018 version can tow up to 3,500 pounds, more than enough to carry their inflatable motor boat to campgrounds and lakes.

The Hans saved enough so that they could pay for the car in full. They bought it with cash this past May.  Shortly after the purchase, they went to a popular local towing mechanic to get a hitch installed.

“Nobody buys their hitches from the manufacturer because it’s so expensive,” Heap tells ConsumerAffairs.

Up in flames

Just three weeks later, in the middle of the night, the new purchase now appeared to be spontaneously combusting. The car wasn’t even turned on; the Hans last used it for an errand the previous morning. Surveillance footage from twenty minutes prior to the fire shows Hayling with the family dog on the front lawn. The SUV is behind them, parked, turned off, and empty.

This model comes with smart keys and a push-button start, but still, it  won’t turn on unless the brakes are depressed. "I had the original keys, both of them, inside my house,” Heap adds.

The Minneapolis Fire Department responded to the couple’s 911 call shortly after. Crews were laying down a hose line when, with little warning, an explosion suddenly rippled through the street. It came from the rear driver’s side door, where a firefighter was preparing to put out the blaze. The explosion knocked him to the ground.  

A fire detective can’t determine the cause

By the time Minneapolis Fire Department Lieutenant Larry Oker arrived on the scene later that night, crews had taken control and put out the fire, though not without significant damage. The firefighter who was knocked over by the blast suffered burn injuries on his face and hands.

And the explosion sent flaming debris in all directions. Across the street, the debris landed on and ignited the hull of the Hans’ boat, destroying its motor. Nearby, the company truck that Hayling, a sales representative for the Clorox Company, used for work had also caught on fire. And a neighbor’s Jeep was damaged by what Oker described as “radiant heat” from the blast.    

“The farthest piece of blast debris was located approximately fifty-one feet from the vehicle,” wrote Oker in the subsequent investigative report he prepared. ConsumerAffairs obtained a copy of the report. 

Oker noted that the rear passenger door of the Toyota was open, even though firefighters said all the doors were closed when they had arrived. The blast had forced the door open, he determined. It also lifted the rear of the vehicle up onto the curb,  “approximately one foot from its original position.”

His report concludes that the fire ignited in the rear interior of the vehicle. The explosion was the result of the fire and heat coming into contact with the fuel tank.

Oker wrote that he found no indication that the fire had been set intentionally by anyone. He also noted that the car had been modified via the aftermarket tow hitch. But he said in his report that identifying the cause of the fire would be impossible, especially because the car was later in the possession of the Hans’ insurance company. The cause of the car fire, he concluded, was “undetermined.”  

“This was an extremely strange occurrence that I have never observed or documented,” Oker’s report says.

The injured firefighter at least recovered relatively quickly, according to the fire department’s press team. “He was checked out, but he got back to work in short order,” Minneapolis Fire Department Lt. Bryan Tyner, a department spokesman, tells ConsumerAffairs.

Tyner confirms that the fire defied easy explanation. It’s not unheard of for cars to catch fire, even when they haven’t been in accidents. But those fires usually have something to do with an engine failure.

“This one is a little bit different,” Tyner says. “Normally, the fires you come across, the engine is running or has been running.”

Not the first Toyota fire

As far as absurd car problems go, randomly catching fire and exploding is probably the worst thing that could happen, but safety groups say there’s a small but inherent risk that any vehicle could catch fire, even without a prior collision.

Car safety groups are currently focusing on Kia and Hyundai vehicles, from the years 2010 through 2014, that they say have shown a pattern of catching fire while drivers are behind the wheel. One death has been linked to the alleged defect, but Kia and Hyundai executives have so far successfully dodged Congressional inquiries into the matter.

Complaints of random fires in Toyota cars, by comparison, are more rare, but the Hans aren’t the first to warn of a Toyota fire that didn’t even originate in the engine. In fact, concerns that fires are igniting in the doors and windows of Toyota cars, including RAV4 vehicles, date back years.

In 2012, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began investigating complaints that fires were igniting on the driver’s side door in RAV4 cars and other Toyotas. At that time, ConsumerAffairs found 32 complaints submitted to officials describing fires that ignited from the driver’s side doors.

One of the older complaints is strikingly similar to the complaint that the Han family filed with NHTSA more recently.

“In one case, a Toyota RAV4 caught fire while parked and unattended,” NHTSA’s 2012 case file reportedly said.

Toyota eventually responded with a recall of  7.5 million cars and an announcement that a defect in the door switch could ignite fires in the affected vehicles. The announcement gave credence to drivers’ stories of finding their sleeves suddenly catching fire or their cars filling with smoke while they were driving.

The recall at the time was the automaker’s largest since its previous sudden acceleration scandal, and Toyota was praised by experts for tackling this safety defect in a more timely manner.

But three years later, a similar problem appeared to return, this time in the windows. In October 2015, Toyota announced it was recalling a total of 6.5 million cars over a defect in the window switches. The switches had the potential to short circuit and catch fire, Toyota’s announcement said.   

More recently, in late June of this year, Toyota’s Lexus brand announced a recall on 121,000 cars over a defect that it said could cause the fuel tank to leak and set the car on fire.

Another blaze in October

In October, four months after the Hans’ RAV4 exploded, footage of another Toyota RAV4 burning and suddenly exploding made its way online.

The footage, taken in Kenner, Louisiana, shows fire crews hosing down a RAV4 that is engulfed in flames on a highway. They are caught off guard when the car appears to explode, doubling the fire in size and nearly engulfing the two firefighters with it.

But in that case, the driver told investigators that he believed that the fire was ignited by an object on the highway that he had driven over, not from the car itself, according to a police report obtained by ConsumerAffairs.

After the Han family reported their own bizarre case in Minneapolis to their insurer and to the automaker, Toyota sent down an investigator to look into the issue.  

Toyota’s press team declined to discuss the case and said a letter that the company sent directly to the Hans speaks for itself. The Hans subsequently agreed to share that letter with ConsumerAffairs.  

Toyota’s response

Over five months later, the Hans’ boat is still unusable and their front lawn is still covered in glass. Their car insurer agreed to replace the damaged SUV, but it said the other damage wasn’t covered under the policy. It didn’t help the Hans’ case that Toyota claimed to find nothing defective in the manufacturing of its own vehicle.

Several weeks after the explosion, Toyota sent an investigator down as promised. The following month, Toyota mailed the Hans a letter stating that the cause of the fire could not be determined because of the extent of the damage. But the letter also says that the aftermarket tow hitch had been installed incorrectly.

“The [tow hitch] wiring was improperly routed along the vehicle’s undercarriage,” a Toyota claims specialist said in a letter to the Hans.

“While the specific cause could not be determined, the modifications to the original electrical system could not be ruled out as a cause of the fire,” Toyota's letter concludes.

"In all the years of installing trailer hitches I have never heard of such a thing happening, no I do not believe a trailer hitch could cause a vehicle to explode," Hank Scafer, the owner of the local towing company, says via email. 

Toyota’s letter to the Hans also downplays the explosion and the resulting damage and injuries that were documented by the Minneapolis Fire Department.

“At 12:50 a.m., you heard popping sounds and found the vehicle was on fire. The fire department was called and responded to extinguish the fire,” is Toyota’s full account of what happened.

Heap and Hayling don’t buy Toyota's suggestion that a tow hitch could have ignited the fire. Heap says he is planning to take Toyota to small claims court in an attempt to get money to fix his boat and grass-strewn front lawn.  

Still, the Hans opted to use what insurance money they did receive to buy the exact same car, a brand new RAV4 from 2018. Heap says he initially thought that Toyota would take more responsibility for what the couple believes was a car defect. The Hans even took their new RAV4 to the same tow hitch installer to show how confident they were that the towing mechanic wasn’t to blame.  

“My biggest regret was to give Toyota business again,” Heap now says.

At the same time, even if it was a manufacturing defect that caused the couple’s first RAV4 to ignite, they figure that the chances of such a freak defect repeating itself are slim.  

“We felt that it was such a weird incident,” Heap says. "If this happens again, I should play the lottery."

But they’re not ready to park the new RAV4 in front of their house. Instead, they park the new car down the street, near a man-made lake in the neighborhood, just to stay on the safe side.

"We park it on the side where the boat used to be,” Heap says.  

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 1,295 model year 2017-2019 Toyota 4Runners that it modified to be equipped with a TRD wheel package.

The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) on the certification label may be incorrect, possibly resulting in the vehicle being overloaded.

An overloaded vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

SET will notify owners and mail them corrected certification labels, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 24, 2018.

Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET18A.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 508 model year 2018-2019 Tundras.

The accessory all-weather floormats may have been counted twice when creating the load carrying capacity modification label, resulting in the capacity modification label incorrectly overstating the additional weight by 10 pounds.

Since the incorrect label is not within 1% of the additional weight, the vehicles are not compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110.

What to do

All vehicle owners will be sent a corrected label.

The recall is expected to begin November 9, 2018.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0Z.

Toyota is recalling about 17,000 model year 2004 –2006 Scion xAs in the U.S.

The vehicle's airbag system could experience electrical shorting that could damage the circuits in the system.

This could cause the airbag warning lights to illuminate and the airbag and seatbelt pretensioners to become deactivated. Or it could cause those systems to deploy inadvertently.

Either condition could increase the risk of injury or crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace the airbag control unit with an improved one at no cost to customers.

The recall is expected to begin in late December.

Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 168,187 model year 2018-2019 Toyota Tundras and Sequoias, and model year 2019 Toyota Avalons and Avalon Hybrids.

The airbag electronic control unit (ECU) may erroneously detect a fault during the vehicle start-up self check. If this occurs, the ECU may not deploy the airbags as intended, in the event of a crash.

Failure of the air bags to can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the air bag ECU, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin October 22, 2018.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0X.

Toyota is recalling approximately 700 model year 2019 C-HRs in the U.S.

One or more rear axle bearing bolts on some vehicles may not have been tightened sufficiently during the manufacturing process.

If bolts become loose or detach during vehicle operation, they could damage the rear brake components or cause the rear wheels to detach, resulting in reduced brake performance or a potential loss of vehicle stability, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota dealers will notify owners and check the rear axle hub bearing bolts and, if a bolt loose or detached, the dealer will replace the rear axle hub bearing assembly and rear axle carrier sub-assembly with new ones at no cost.

The recall is scheduled to begin in early November 2018.

Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331.

For the second time in four years, Toyota is recalling 800,000 Priuses in the United States, from model years 2010 through 2014, over concerns that they may suddenly lose power on the road. But a Toyota dealer says that the company is skimping on the correct fix to save money.  

Roger Hogan, the longtime owner of two dealerships in southern California, started seeing dozens of Priuses that had inexplicably died getting towed back to his dealership several years ago.

In the initial recall, back in 2014, Toyota said that the Priuses were losing power due to a software problem. The company instructed dealers like Hogan to install a software update in the car’s computer. The fix was free for consumers because it was part of a government recall. It cost Toyota about $80 per car, Hogan estimates.

The defect, which Hogan has dubbed “sudden deceleration” in a nod to Toyota’s earlier sudden acceleration scandal, didn’t seem to go away. About 100 Priuses that had supposedly been fixed returned to his dealership with the same problem, he says. The drivers reported frightening experiences in which their cars lost power while they were traveling on highways or other busy roads.

Hogan became convinced that the defect was not software-related like Toyota claimed, but mechanical. A part called the inverter, responsible for powering the car’s battery and its electric motor, appeared to be overheating in the cars he examined. In one car, the inverter had even melted. A software update would not fix hardware that was already damaged. The car’s entire intelligent power module needed to be replaced, Hogan determined, a fix that would cost Toyota at least $2,000 per vehicle.

In an ongoing $100 million lawsuit that Hogan filed against Toyota, he says that the company has a history of failing to warn consumers about safety defects in their cars in order to avoid the expense of fixing them. And when it comes to the stalling Prius issue, Hogan says that Toyota is continuing to avoid the correct but more costly fix of replacing the inverter. Approximately 100 Priuses that he says are unsafe to drive are currently stored on the roof of his dealership while he pressures Toyota to replace the inverters.

A “separate phenomenon”

In recent months, both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan) have agreed to meet with Hogan and look into the issue. At least two Prius drivers have reported getting rear-ended after their cars lost power on the highway.

On Friday, Toyota seemed to finally crack under the pressure, with an announcement that the same 800,000 Priuses under the earlier recall, from model years 2010 through 2014, are facing a new problem that “could cause the hybrid system to shut down.” Worldwide, a total of 2.4 million Priuses are under the recall.

Toyota spokespeople deny that they didn’t properly address the problem the first time around four years ago. Instead, they say that a “separate phenomenon” is causing the cars to die and that the fix is yet another software adjustment.

“The update to the software in this new recall addresses a separate, newly identified condition where the vehicle may not enter a fail-safe driving mode as intended due to a specific component failure, coupled with hard acceleration,” Toyota spokesman Tania Saldaña says via email.

The fail-safe mode, according to Toyota, is a safety feature in which a Prius driver is warned--via lamps on the instrument panel--that their vehicle is malfunctioning. The car then slows down before dying so that drivers have enough time to pull over safely. With the new recall, the carmaker is acknowledging that some cars “may not enter a fail-safe driving mode” and instead simply lose power without any warning.  

What is Fail-Safe mode?

Regardless, Hogan argues that the Priuses shouldn’t be malfunctioning like that at all, whether or not drivers get an advanced warning shortly before.

“Somehow, this has been twisted where they want people to believe that that portion of it is safe,” Hogan told ConsumerAffairs in an earlier interview. “Fail-safe is not safe and that seems to be some misnomer that's floating around there all of a sudden.”

Toyota’s own description of fail-safe mode is somewhat vague. “In most cases the vehicle will enter a fail-safe mode,” Toyota assured drivers affected by the 2014 recall, “resulting in reduced motive power in which the vehicle can still be driven for short distances.”

The recall notice does not specify the exact distance that drivers can travel in fail-safe before their Priuses shut down completely. In December 2015, the owner of a 2012 Prius was traveling on a busy California highway when he saw lights and heard beeping, seemingly because his car was going into fail-safe mode. Realizing that he was losing power, he moved to the right lane and waited for the shoulder to open so he could pull over. But the car died in the travel lane, and soon after, he was rear-ended.

The driver survived with minor injuries and faxed information about the crash to federal regulators afterward. Though the car was totaled, Toyota tested it after the crash and told the owner that “our inspection found no evidence of a manufacturing or design defect in your vehicle.”

Hogan v. Toyota

Consumers can check if their car has been recalled on the NHTSA website, but they typically don’t think to do that unless they get sent a notice directly from their car dealer. Often, it’s only the original car owners who receive those recall notices, Hogan says, resulting in dealerships missing hundreds of people with defective cars in their area.

To better track current owners of defective Toyotas, Hogan created a computer program for his two dealerships. The program worked well until 2015, when Hogan says that Toyota locked him out of the dealership computer system. He filed his lawsuit shortly after, charging that the company was retaliating against him for alerting more consumers that they could get free repairs bankrolled by Toyota.

Asked to comment on Hogan’s lawsuit, Toyota’s press team has responded by sending reporters a lengthy statement slamming his business.

“Ultimately, we believe Mr. Hogan is pursuing his Prius recall remedy allegations to advance his $100 million lawsuit against Toyota, take the focus away from his dealerships’ poor performance and blame Toyota for his son’s failure to meet basic qualifications to serve as a general manager at one of his dealerships,” Toyota’s press teams says.

Toyota leans toward software adjustments

Toyota now says that “certain” Prius owners may be eligible to get their  inverters fixed or replaced, but that most only need a software update.

“We believe that the software update is an appropriate and effective way to directly address the safety defect and deliver the safety benefit quickly to our customers,” Toyota spokesman Saldaña says.

Hogan, the dealer, says that’s simply not true. “A software remedy will not fix it or prevent this from continuing to be a very dangerous driving situation,” he says in a statement to ConsumerAffairs.  

“Once the hardware has sustained damage there is no way a software REFLASH can repair it,” he adds. “The only way to be certain these cars are fixed properly is to replace the inverters with newer models. We’re talking about 2.4 million cars worldwide and over 800,000 in the US. Toyota needs to stand up and do the right thing, replace these inverters.”

Toyota is recalling approximately 807,000 model year 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and model year 2012-2014 Prius v vehicles in the U.S.

The recalled vehicles were designed to enter a failsafe driving mode in response to certain hybrid system faults. In rare situations, the vehicle may not enter that mode as intended, posing the possibility that the vehicle could lose power and stall.

While power steering and braking would remain operational, a vehicle stall while driving at higher speeds could increase the risk of a crash.

The recall is designed to provide a remedy to address a new condition in the vehicles involved in the previous recalls announced in February 2014 and July 2015.

The previous recalls did not anticipate this new condition remedied with this recall.

What to do

Toyota will notify the involved owners once the software update is available, and dealers will update the software for all involved vehicles at no charge.

Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331.

For car companies, announcing bold, fast-approaching deadlines for when self-driving cars will hit the road has been an easy way to garner favorable publicity.

Volvo “plans to offer a true self-driving car by 2021,” the company announced in June. Ford has similarly promised a “fully autonomous vehicle” by 2021. Honda has said that self-driving cars will be ready for highways by 2020, and GM last year was reportedly “rumored” to be ready for full automation by 2018.

And then there’s Tesla, the leader in self-driving promotion. In January 2017, CEO Elon Musk made a particularly absurd promise to -- who else? -- someone on Twitter. The stranger had asked Musk when the “Enhanced Autopilot” feature currently available in Tesla cars would morph into something more closely resembling "Full Self-Driving Capability.”

“3 months maybe, 6 months definitely,” Musk wrote.

Now, just a month after investing half a billion dollars into a self-driving program at Uber, a Toyota executive is acknowledging that the technology is perhaps overhyped.

“Toyota doesn’t necessarily buy the hype about self-driving vehicles quickly taking control of roads in the U.S. and beyond,” Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

Bloomberg made that assessment after visiting Toyota Research Institute, where the company has already invested billions in Artificial Intelligence and other automation technology, in addition to its recent partnership with Uber. The institute's Vice President John Leonard did not sound optimistic about driverless cars taking to the roadways.

“Taking me from Cambridge to Logan Airport with no driver in any Boston weather or traffic condition — that might not be in my lifetime,” he told the publication.

Caught in a “hype-cycle”

Leonard's comments come just a month after Toyota made a $500 million investment in Uber’s self-driving program. But self-driving is a vague term, and for Toyota, it already appears to mean something different than what people may think.

“Toyota’s self-driving vision isn’t really about getting rid of drivers. Rather, it’s about using autonomous and related technologies to make cars safer and more user-friendly,” the Bloomberg report adds.

This acknowledgement from the automotive industry follows years of similar statements made by experts, safety watchdogs, and other motorists. Dr. Phil Koopman, a world renowned self-driving car and robotics expert, told ConsumerAffairs last year that self-driving technology is “immature.”

“We’re in a hype-cycle,” he said at the time.

Cyclists and motorcyclists across the world have been more skeptical, questioning whether even the autonomous-style, driver-assist technology currently available in cars is ready for public roads.

Cycling activists in San Francisco were instrumental in convincing California regulators to stop an earlier self-driving car project organized by Uber from hitting the public streets. In response to the backlash, Uber took its fleet to Arizona, where a woman trying to cross the street with her bike was later killed by an Uber that was an autonomous mode.

Drivers in Phoenix more recently have complained about sharing the road with what they describe as erratic and slow self-driving cars operated by Waymo.

An “unnerving” development

Tesla owners who have been in accidents, or the loved ones of Tesla motorists who have died, have filed lawsuits accusing Tesla of misleading consumers about the current capabilities of its Autopilot feature--a sentiment that has been shared by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the agency that investigates high-profile transportation crashes.

Chris Hart, the former chair of the NTSB, said two years ago that he found the development of self-driving cars to be “unnerving.”

“Despite several decades of automation in aviation, airliners will have human pilots for the foreseeable future,” he reiterated in a recent interview with Think Progress.

“Streets and highways are much more variable and unpredictable than airways, and predictions that the streets will be filled with large numbers of autonomous vehicles within a few years are ignoring not only the lessons of automation history, but also the numerous additional challenges that will be faced on the ground.”

Toyota is recalling about 192,000 model year 2016-2018 Prius vehicles in the U.S.

The recalled vehicles have an engine wire harness which is connected to the hybrid vehicle Power Control Unit.

A portion of the harness could contact the cover at this connection and wear over time, causing an electrical short circuit, which can generate heat, posing the risk of a vehicle fire.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners and dealers will check the engine wire harness assembly. If a wire core is exposed, the engine wire harness assembly will be replaced with a new one that includes a protective sleeve.

If a wire core is not exposed, protective tape will be installed on the engine wire harness assembly.

The recall is expected to begin in late September.

Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331.

Toyota Motor North America is recalling about 19,400 model year 2012 Avalons.

Because of a service part manufacturing error, some vehicles may have had a front seat belt inner buckle replaced with one that does not correctly identify if the seat belt is buckled.

This could affect how the airbag system determines the appropriate airbag deployment method in a crash, and could increase the risk of injury to the occupant where the front seat belt inner buckle was replaced.

As many as 97 of the recalled vehicles may have had a front seat belt inner buckle replaced by a dealer (or possibly a non-Toyota service provider) with an involved service part.

What to do

Toyota dealers will inspect the front seat belt inner buckle(s) and if necessary, replace it with a new one(s) at no cost to customers.

The recall is set to begin in mid-September.

Owners may call Toyota at (800) 331.4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 114,998 model year 2007-2011 Lexus GS350 & GS450h, model year 2006-2013 IS350, and model year 2010-2014  IS350C vehicles, equipped with 3.5L V6 2GR-FSE gasoline engines.

The diaphragms in the fuel pulsation dampers may harden over time and develop cracks, possibly causing a fuel leak.

A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery pipe with a new pipe that has improved pulsation dampers, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin August 9, 2018.

Owners may contact Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's number for this recall is JLF.

Toyota Motor North America is recalling about 115,000 model year 2006-2013 Lexus IS 350s, model year 2010-2014 IS 350Cs and model year 2007-2011 GS 350s, and GS 450h vehicles.

The diaphragm material in the fuel pulsation dampers in certain 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engines may harden over time and crack, causing fuel to leak.

A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a vehicle fire.

What to do

Lexus notify all known owners and dealers will replace the fuel delivery pipe with a new one containing improved pulsation dampers at no cost.

Owners may contact Lexus at (800) 255-3987.

A police agency in rural North Carolina is asking federal regulators to investigate a driver’s claims that the Lexus he was renting took off by itself before crashing into eight vehicles.

Giles Troy Page Jr, 83, was traveling to his vacation home in Boone, North Carolina, he told local police, when the engine on his rental surged as he approached a red light.

“When I mashed the brake, it wouldn't stop. It wouldn't slow down. And actually, the engine accelerated,” Boone Police Department Lieutenant Danny Houck tells ConsumerAffairs, relating the story that the driver told him.

(Reached by the telephone, Page declined to be interviewed by ConsumerAffairs, saying that he does not talk to people he does not know.)

Page hit eight vehicles until a final impact with a Chevy Truck sent the Lexus on its side. He was reportedly transported to a local hospital and later released without serious injuries.

Boone Police declined to issue him any citations. Johnson Lexus, the dealership who rented out the vehicle, later told police that their review of black box data showed the car did not have anything mechanically wrong with it that would have caused it to accelerate by itself, Houck says.

However, Boone Police were not able to inspect the car’s black box data themselves, even though Houck says his department is capable of doing so.

“Lexus asked us not to,” he tells ConsumerAffairs.

Black box data and computer glitches

Houck says that the Lexus dealership expressed concerns that police could accidentally corrupt or erase the files on the car’s computer.

“If it messed something up, there would be nothing there for them to read.” Houck says. “We said, ‘Okay. we're going to do the right thing.”

Regardless of whether Lexus provided a correct reading of the black box data, Houck says he is concerned that the black box may not have captured Page’s attempts to brake, if the brakes were indeed failing as he claimed to police.

“On a Lexus, your brake pedal isn't attached to a pedal, it’s attached a computer. So if the computer is not reading input from the driver, it's not going to be in the black box,” he adds.

While Lexus claimed that it found nothing wrong with the vehicle (besides it being totaled as a result of the crash), Houck said he wants the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the agency that investigates consumer grievances about vehicle defects, to look into the accident.

Johnson Lexus directed questions from ConsumerAffairs to Toyota headquarters, where a Toyota spokesman stated via email that “we need to review this further and don’t have any comment at this time.”

“My driver is also an airplane pilot,” Houck adds, “who works with controls, has worked with foot pedals and knows the ins and outs of electronics, and especially a car.”

Toyota’s history of unintended acceleration

California Highway Patrol Officer Mark Saylor was also driving a rental Lexus when, in 2009, his brother-in law called 911 from the backseat to report that the vehicle was accelerating unprompted and would not respond to the brakes.

Moments later, the car, going as fast as 120 miles per hour, slammed into a Ford at the dead end of a highway, sending the Lexus flying into the air and into a dry riverbed, where it burst into flames. All of the vehicle’s occupants died at the scene.  

The public release of that 911 tape led to what became known as the Toyota sudden unintended acceleration scandal, which finally ended in 2014 when Toyota paid a record $1.2 billion fine to the Department of Justice.

As part of the investigation, Toyota recalled millions of vehicles for what it described as sticky accelerator pedals and ill-fitting floor mats, problems executives later admitted that they failed to correct in a timely manner.  

The feds were eventually satisfied, determining that Toyota’s massive recall and subsequent Department of Justice settlement had solved its unintended acceleration issues.

But a whistleblower who contracted for Toyota executives as a company translator, as well as numerous engineers and personal injury attorneys who have sued Toyota, alleged that Toyota failed to address the root cause of the problem, which they say could be a defect in the car’s computers, as ConsumerAffairs detailed in a story last year.

Blaming the driver

Drivers who claim that their cars took off unprompted typically do not have the sympathy of law enforcement officers.

Last year, Boston cab driver Lutant Clenord jumped a curb, knocked down a bench, and injured several coworkers with his Toyota Prius. Clenord maintained in interviews with local news and with the local police that his vehicle took off by itself and would not respond to brakes.

Police, though describing the case as a “tragic accident,” later determined that operator error caused the crash and charged Clenord with operating to endanger. This baffled other cab drivers who felt that Clenord should not have to face criminal charges for what was either a vehicle defect or a horrible mistake.  

“In most cases the police have not considered the possibility of the car is at fault. They automatically blame the driver,” Carnegie Mellon engineer Phil Koopman, who has testified in lawsuits against Toyota, told ConsumerAffairs at the time.

“There are a large number of vehicles [with the defect] that Toyota never did anything to,” Koopman added.

Toyota, like other automotive companies hit with reports of sudden acceleration, has maintained that there is nothing defective with its software or computer technology that would cause cars to simply take off on their own.

Seeking a federal investigation

Houck, the police lieutenant, said that he is familiar with Toyota’s previous sudden unintended acceleration controversy that made national news. He says he has no proof that something went haywire in Page’s rental Lexus car -- ”I don’t want to slam Lexus,” he adds -- but he simply wants an independent third-party to investigate further.

Another reason for his concern, he says, is that a former Lexus owner, a woman in Virginia, contacted Boone Police to share her own story about a Lexus that took off by itself, causing her to hit three cars in a Lowe's parking lot last year.

Diana Kegley came across the story from Boone on the internet. She then told Boone Police that her Lexus GX460 took off in March 2017 as she was about to park.

Kegley, who also filed a report with NHTSA describing the crash, tells ConsumerAffairs that she hit two parked cars before a final impact with a third parked car brought her Lexus to a stop. A tow truck driver took the car to a local mechanic, where she says the shop owner was instructed by Toyota not to touch the black box data, citing concerns that he could corrupt the car’s files.

Toyota later determined that she had accidentally pressed the gas pedal at 100 percent, Kegley recalls. She maintains that her foot was on the brake.

Kegley refused to drive the car afterward and traded it in. In the glovebox, she says she left a note warning future owners about the defect she believes she experienced.

"We never want Toyota products again,” she says.

Toyota Motor North America is recalling approximately 6,000 model year 2018 Camrys and Highlanders and model year 2017 Siennas, Tacomas and Lexus RX350s.

A component in the vacuum pump assembly which provides braking assist may have been manufactured incorrectly. This condition could lead to the illumination of a warning light, a warning message, an audible tone, and result in the sudden loss of braking assist.

A sudden loss of braking assist while driving could increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota and Lexus dealers will replace the vacuum pump with a new one at no cost to customers.

All known owners of all the involved vehicles will receive a notification by first class mail by late May.

Owners may contact Toyota at 800-331-4331 or Lexus at 800-255-3987.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 19 model year 2018 Toyota Prius C vehicles sold in Puerto Rico.

The front passenger airbag and recommended child occupant seating positions label may not have been attached during assembly.

If the label is missing, occupants may not follow the proper restraint usage guidelines, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners and will mail the removable labels to all known owners of the vehicles, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin April 15, 2018.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0L.

Toyota Motor North America is recalling 1,730 model year 2018 Camrys.

The vehicle’s engine may be equipped with pistons from a particular production period produced with a diameter larger than the specification. In certain conditions, this may cause the vehicle to run rough, create an abnormal sound, emit smoke from the exhaust, and illuminate warning lights and messages.

In some cases, a reduction of power may occur and the engine could stop running, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota dealers will check the production date code of the pistons in the engine. If involved pistons are found, the engine will be replaced with a new one at no cost to customers.

All known owners will receive a notification by first class mail by late May.

Consumers with questions may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 55 model year 2018 Toyota Siennas built with a specific lot of 10-spoke alloy wheels from one production facility.

These wheels may not have been cooled properly during manufacturing and may crack in the spokes from an impact while the vehicle is being driven.

If the wheels crack at the spokes, the wheel may separate from the hub assembly causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota began notifying owners initially by phone on February 26, 2018 and will mail letters to any unnotified owner starting on April 20, 2018.

Dealers will inspect the wheels and replace them if necessary depending on their production location, free of charge.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0J.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 39,915 model year 2012-2015 Prius Plug-in Hybrids.

The hybrid battery contains an Electric Vehicle (EV) fuse that may fracture after repeated high-load driving conditions such as climbing long hills.

The failed fuse may cause the hybrid system to shut down resulting in the loss of power.

Loss of power while driving at higher speeds can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EV fuse, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0R.

Toyota Motor North America is recalling about 28,600 model year 2018 C-HR vehicles and 39,900 model year 2012 - 2015 Prius Plug-In Hybrids.

C-HR

There is a possibility that the electronic parking brake (EPB) in the C-HR vehicles may not operate properly, causing the parking brake to not disengage after it is applied or prevent it from being applied.

If the electronic parking brake cannot be applied, this could result in a potential noncompliance with a federal safety standard.

What to do

Toyota dealers will update an electronic control unit’s software to correct the EPB issue at no cost to customers. All known owners will receive a notification by first-class mail starting in late-November.

Prius Plug-In Hybrid

The Prius Plug-In Hybrids contain an Electric Vehicle (EV) fuse that may malfunction if the vehicle is repeatedly operated in EV mode under high-load driving conditions, such as during a long hill climb.

If the fuse malfunctions, warning lights and warning messages will illuminate. In some cases, the vehicle can be driven, but with reduced power. In other cases, the hybrid system could shut down, resulting in the loss of motive power. Power steering and braking will not be affected.

Loss of motive power while driving at higher speeds can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota dealers will replace the fuse with an improved one at no cost to customers. All known owners will receive a notification by first-class mail starting in January 2018.

Owners with questions regarding either recall may call Toyota customer service at 800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 21 model year 2008-2016 Toyota Land Cruisers, model year 2006 Lexus LX470s, and model year 2008-2013 Lexus LX570s.

The vehicles may be equipped with an incorrect driver or front passenger air bag. As such, they vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

An incorrect driver or front passenger air bag may not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bag assemblies, free of charge. The recall was scheduled to begin September 25, 2017.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0S. Lexus' number for this recall is HLD.

Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling 1,121 model year 2017 Toyota Highlanders and Highlander Hybrids equipped with accessory roof rail cross bars.

The fasteners for the roof rails may not be torqued properly, may loosen and possibly detach from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

GST will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and properly torque the fasteners, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 25, 2017.

Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 17R3.

Toyota and Mazda announced that they will work together on certain automotive ventures that will include jointly building vehicles in the United States. It's a continuation of a partnership that began in 2015.

In addition, the two auto companies say they will team up to jointly develop and share new electric car technology, as well as share connected car technology and advanced safety features.

While the two companies will remain independent, Toyota and Mazda agreed to essentially acquire stock in each others' companies. Auto analysts said the tie-up will be mutually beneficial.

Where the auto industry is headed

"The Toyota-Mazda link for joint vehicle production and technology collaboration is indicative of where the global auto industry is heading," said Michelle Krebs, executive analyst at Autotrader, in an email to ConsumerAffairs. "Electric, self-driving and connected vehicles will require significant investment without an immediate return and economies of scale, particularly for a small automaker like Mazda."

Krebs says Toyota may benefit from a taste of Mazda’s corporate culture and beef up its global sales, but she believes Mazda may benefit more, especially in the area of increasing its U.S.-based production.

Toyota President Akio Toyoda says collaboration with Mazda has stepped up Toyota's competitive spirit. He predicts the result of the two auto companies working together will be even better cars. Mazda also views it as a win-win proposition.

"Nothing would please me more than if, through this alliance, we can help to energize the auto industry and create more car fans by bringing together two competitive spirits to spur each other on, leading to innovations and fostering talent and leaders," said Mazda CEO Masamichi Kogai.

Defensive move

Two rivals joining forces without joining the companies might seem unusual, but it could well be a defensive move to deal with the radical changes occurring in the industry. Traditional carmakers may feel threatened by advances in autonomous vehicle technology that are largely coming from Silicon Valley and not traditional automotive companies.

As part of their agreement, Toyota and Mazda have agreed to explore construction of a joint plant in the U.S. that could produce around 300,000 Mazdas and Toyotas each year. The plant could employ as many as 4,000 people.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 31,824 model year 2016-2017 Tacomas equipped with a six-cylinder engine.

The vehicles have a crank position sensor that may malfunction, potentially resulting in an engine stall that may increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crank position sensor with an improved design, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 17, 2017.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0H.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 1,325 model year 2013-2017 Toyota Tundras and Sequoias accessorized with Southeast Toyota accessory 20-inch Rockstar wheels.

The Rockstar wheels, installed by SET or an SET dealer, has lugnuts that may crack and detach causing the wheels to separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

SET will notify owners, and dealers will install new replacement lugnuts, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 23, 2017.

Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET17A.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 72,847 model year 2016-2017 Tundras equipped with a resin rear step bumper and resin reinforcement brackets. Vehicles with chrome step bumpers are not affected.

In the event of an impact to the corner of the bumper, the resin bracket may be damaged but not be noticed.

If a person steps on the corner of the bumper that is damaged, a portion of the bumper may break away, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the resin rear bumper reinforcement brackets with steel ones, and replace the rear bumper tread, free of charge. Remedy parts are not currently available.

Toyota will begin notifying owners of the recall on February 15, 2017. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts are available.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0C.

Toyota Motor Company is recalling 94 model year 2017 Toyota 86 vehicles manufactured July 1, 2016 through August 11, 2016 equipped with an automatic transmission and ignition key.

Vehicles with a push-to-start button or manual transmission are not affected.

It may be possible to remove the ignition key without the transmission being in the "Park" position. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

If the key can be removed from the ignition when the transmission is not in the "Park" position, the vehicle could roll away increasing the risk of a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition key/transmission interlock wiring connections, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in January 2017.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0E.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 12 model year 2016 Avalon, and 2017 Camry vehicles manufactured August 3, 2016, to September 12, 2016.

The front passenger knee air bag module may have been attached to the lower instrument panel with incorrect fasteners.

If the air bag was installed with incorrect fasteners, the fasteners may become loose over time, affecting the air bag deployment and increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fasteners, and if necessary, replace the instrument panel brace and body bracket and reattach the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in December 2016.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G05.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 744,437 model year 2011-2016 Toyota Sienna minivans manufactured January 4, 2010, to August 12, 2016.

If the power sliding door is unable to be opened when commanded, such as if the door is frozen shut, it may subsequently open unexpectedly, possibly while the vehicle is moving.

If door opens while the vehicle is moving, there would be an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants.

What to do

The remedy for this recall is still under development. Interim notices are expected to be mailed to owners by January 21, 2017.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G04.

Toyota will pay up to $3.4 billion to settle a class action lawsuit that alleged its pickup truck and SUV frames were prone to rust because they received inadequate rust protection at the factory.

The company has agreed to inspect the vehicles for 12 years from the day they were sold or leased to determine whether the frames need to be replaced. If rust is found, Toyota will replace the frame.

The settlement covers Tacoma trucks from the model years 2005 through 2010, Sequoias from 2005 through 2008, and Tundras from the 2007 and 2008 model years.

Toyota earlier recalled some of the vehicles covered by the lawsuit, but owners of other models have also reported rust problems. 

"Driving my 1998 Tacoma Toyota truck at 65 mph and heard a click. Drove home at a crawl and found the frame had cracked completely through. There was only 56,000 miles on the truck," said George of Millis, Mass., in a ConsumerAffairs review. "I scrapped the truck at a loss of $3,000. Most importantly I do not trust Toyota with the safety of my family!

The proposed settlement was filed last week before U.S. District Judge Fernando Olguin in Los Angeles.

"We want our customers to have a great ownership experience, so we are pleased to resolve this litigation in a way that benefits them and demonstrates that we stand behind the quality and reliability of our vehicles," Toyota said in a statement, according to Automotive News. 

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 7,056 model year 2016 Highlanders manufactured May 26, 2016, to September 16, 2016.

The brake fluid level sensor may not be connected to the wire harness, preventing the sensor from detecting the brake fluid level. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

If the brake fluid level is low and is not detected, braking performance may be decreased, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, connect the wire harness to the sensor, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 7, 2016.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this G03.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 91,585 model year 2016-2017 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2015, to October 3, 2016.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with a foot-operated parking brake system that has a parking brake cable that may disengage.

If the parking brake cable disengages from the mechanism and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while the ignition is on and the driver leaves the vehicle, the vehicle may roll unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a clip at the parking brake cable end to prevent the cable from disengaging, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 11, 2016.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G01.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 425 model year 2010-2015 Toyota 4Runners manufactured September 3, 2009, to December 1, 2014.

The vehicles may be equipped with accessory exhaust tips installed by SET or SET dealers that may contact people and possibly burn them while they are standing behind the vehicle.

Contact with an exhaust tip may result in personal injury.

What to do

SET will notify owners, and dealers will install a re-designed exhaust tip that is smaller in diameter and is more recessed behind the bumper, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 15, 2016.

Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16D.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 337,449 model year 2006-2011 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 31, 2005, to September 7, 2010, and 2010 Lexus HS250h vehicles manufactured July 6, 2009, to August 26, 2010.

The vehicles have rear suspension arms (rear tie rods) with adjusting lock nuts that may have been improperly tightened after servicing. As a result of being loose, the arm may have thread damage and may rust, possibly leading to the failure of the arm and an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.

Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace both rear suspension arms and encapsulate the locknuts, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 30, 2016.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are G0V for Toyota vehicles and GLK for Lexus vehicles.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. is changing the remedy for approximately 337,000 model year 2006 - 2011 Toyota RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS 250h vehicles recalled in 2013.

Dealers will replace -- at no cost to customers -- both rear suspension arm assemblies with new ones. They will also apply an epoxy to prevent future arm adjustment during vehicle service.

In the earlier action, if the nuts for adjusting rear wheel alignment were improperly tightened when an alignment was performed, rust could form on suspension arm threads. If this occurs, and if the condition is not identified and remedied during servicing or repair under the existing remedy procedure, the threads can wear over time, causing the arm to separate, which could result in a loss of vehicle control.

What to do

Toyota will notify all known owners of the involved vehicles by first class mail.

Owners with questions may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 2,520 model year 2016 Toyota Camry and Highlander, 2015-2016 Toyota Tundra, Scion FR-S, and tC vehicles.

The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

An incorrect label may lead an owner to overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

SET will notify owners, and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall will begin on July 14, 2016.

Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 7,749 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra; 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma; 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser; 2009-2010 Venza; 2010-2012 Prius; 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry; and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element.

The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

What to do

SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall is expected to begin on July 14, 2016.

Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA is recalling approximately 3,100 model year 2015 Yaris hatch back vehicles.

There is a possibility that a front upper shock assembly bearing could be damaged. If this occurs, the driver may experience an abnormal noises while driving on rough road surfaces or when turning the steering wheel.

If the vehicle continues to be operated in this condition, a front shock absorber piston rod could separate, causing a loss of vehicle stability and increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified by first class mail and Toyota dealers will replace the strut mounting bearings with improved ones. If a strut mounting bearing is found to be damaged, the dealer will replace the strut and front suspension support sub-assembly with a new one.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331 and Lexus customer experience at 1-800-255-3987.  

Gulf States Toyota is recalling 844 model year 2015-2016 Toyota 4Runners manufactured September 22, 2014, to March 23, 2016 and equipped with accessories installed by Gulf States.

The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will install an accurate label, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 1, 2016.

Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Gulf States' number for this recall is 16R2.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 234 model year 2016 Toyota Siennas manufactured February 15, 2016, to February 19, 2016.

Incorrect front seat belt height adjusters may have been installed that may contact the B-pillar and tear or separate during a crash.

Failure and detachment of seat belt height adjuster would result in the occupant not being properly restrained in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front seat belt height adjusters, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 30, 2016.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0H.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 16,656 model year 2016 Toyota RAV4s manufactured October 30, 2015, to February 3, 2016; 2016 Lexus RX350s manufactured October 26, 2015, to February 8, 2016, and 2016 Lexus ES350s manufactured September 1, 2015, to February 29, 2016.

The vehicles are equipped with an ABS actuator that may have a damaged O-ring which could result in improper brake fluid pressure control during ABS, Traction Control, or Stability Control activation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."

Insufficient brake fluid pressure may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 5, 2016.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0I, GLC.

Toyota Motor Sales USA is recalling approximately 230 model year 2016 Sienna Minivans.

The vehicles may be equipped with incorrect front seat belt height adjuster assemblies mounted to the center-pillar. In the event of a severe crash, the incorrect height adjuster could separate.

If this occurs, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, which could increase the risk of injury.

What to do

Owners of the recalled vehicles will be notified by first class mail and dealers will replace the height adjusters with new ones at no cost.

Owners may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA is recalling approximately 4,170 model year 2016 Toyota RAV4; approximately 90 model year 2016 RX350; and approximately 12,400 model year 2016 ES350 vehicles.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with a Brake Actuator assembly that enables enhanced brake control

functions including the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Traction Control (TRAC), and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), among others.

There is a possibility that a component inside the actuator was damaged during manufacturing, preventing the actuator from operating properly. This could cause a loss of vehicle stability control, increasing the risk of crash.

What to do

All known owners of the recalled vehicles will be notified by first class mail. Toyota and Lexus dealers will check the serial number of the Brake Actuator and replace actuators assembled during a specific production period.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 and Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.

Toyota Motor Company is recalling 25,706 model year 2013-2016 Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles manufactured March 13, 2012, to January 14, 2016 and equipped an automatic transmission and ignition key. Vehicles with a push-to-start button are not affected.

In the recalled vehicles, it may be possible to remove the ignition key without the transmission being in the "Park" position. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

If the key can be removed from the ignition when the transmission is not in the "Park" position, the vehicle could roll away increasing the risk of a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition key/transmission interlock wiring connections, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on March 1, 2016.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0E.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA is recalling approximately 1.1 million model year 2006-2012 RAV4 and model year 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with lap-shoulder seatbelts in both second-row outboard seats. There is a possibility that, in the event of a very severe front crash, the lap belt webbing could contact a portion of the metal seat cushion frame, become cut and separate.

If this occurs, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, which could increase the risk of injury.

Toyota dealers will add resin covers to the metal seat cushion frame at no cost.

What to do

Consumers with questions may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA is recalling approximately 26,000 Model Year 2013-2016 Scion FR-S vehicles.

Connectors for the automatic transmission key interlock on some vehicles may not have been connected during pre-delivery service prior to sale. That would make it possible to remove the key in gear positions other than “Park,” increasing the risk of vehicle rollaway and a crash. Thus, theese vehicles do not comply with a portion of Federal/Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114.

All known owners of the subject vehicles will be notified by first class mail and instructed to return the vehicle to a Toyota dealer to have the ignition key interlock function confirmed, and if necessary, delivery mode connectors connected at no charge.

Owners may contact customer at 1-800-331-4331 for Toyota or 1-800-255-3987 for Lexus.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA is recalling approximately 320,000 model year 2003-2006 Land Cruiser; 2004-2006 4Runner; 2005-2006 Tundra and Sequoia; 2003-2006 LX470; and 2004-2006 GX470 vehicles.

The recalled 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 recalled vehicles will be notified by first class mail.

Toyota and Lexus dealers will replace the airbag control module with one that has improved programming at no cost to owners.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 30,812 model year 2013-2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 19, 2012 to October 27, 2015; and 2013-2015 Lexus ES350 and ES300h vehicles manufactured June 18, 2012 to July 6, 2015.

The vehicles are equipped with a Pre-Collision System (PCS) as optional equipment that may unexpectedly activate and apply the brakes when the radar detects a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object.

Unexpected braking increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy parts for a permanent fix for this issue are not yet available. Beginning November 16, 2015, Toyota sent owners an interim notification and dealers will temporarily disable the PCS.

When the improved PCS components are available for the permanent remedy, owners will be mailed a second notification. These repairs will be performed free of charge.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this campaign are F1V and F2E.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. is recalling of approximately two million vehicles related to the driver’s side power window master switch.

The power window master switch may have been manufactured with insufficient lubricant grease. If not enough grease is applied, under certain conditions the switch may develop a short circuit that can cause the switch assembly to overheat and melt. A melting switch can produce smoke and potentially lead to a fire.

The following vehicles are included:

• 2007 and 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid
• 2009-2011 Corolla
• 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid
• 2009-2011 Matrix
• 2006-2011 RAV4
• 2009-2011 Sequoia
• 2009-2011 Tundra
• 2006-2010 Yaris
• 2009-2011 Scion xB
• 2009-2010 Scion xD

Toyota previously recalled certain 2007-2009 model year vehicles for a similar condition. This recall adds vehicles not previously involved in the prior action that used a different lubricant application method.

Owners of the recalled vehicles will be notified by first class mail. Toyota dealers will inspect the switch and apply heat-resistant grease. If the switch is not operating normally, an internal circuit board will be replaced.

Owners may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987.  

Toyota Motor Sales, USA is recalling approximately 421,000 model year 2009-2012 RAV4 and approximately 2,500 model year 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles.

Water dripping onto the windshield wiper link can, over time, cause corrosion and wear at the wiper link joint. In some cases this could result in the separation of the wiper link from the wiper motor crank arm.

If separation occurs, the windshield wipers could become inoperative, which could reduce driver visibility and increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

Owners of the recalled vehicles will be notified by first class mail. Toyota dealers will replace the water channel, wiper link, and wiper motor crank arm with new ones.

Consumers may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.  

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 949 model year 2015 Toyota Prius C vehicles manufactured April 20, 2015, to June 30, 2015.

The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) may be improperly calibrated and, as a result, the TPMS may fail to warn the driver that the tire pressure is low. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

If the vehicle is driven on underinflated tires, the tires may fail. Sudden tire failure increases the risk of a crash.

SET will notify owners, and dealers will re-calibrate the TPMS, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 22, 2015.

Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET15E.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 2,530 model year 2010-2015 Toyota 4Runners manufactured March 29, 2010, to July 30, 2015.

The vehicles may be equipped with accessory exhaust tips installed by SET or SET dealers that may contact people and possibly burn them while they are standing behind the vehicle.

SET will notify owners, and dealers will install a re-designed exhaust tip that is smaller in diameter and is more recessed behind the bumper, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 21, 2015.

Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for the recall is SET15D.

Toyota Motor Sales USA is recalling approximately 109,000 Model Year 2012-2014 Prius v hybrid.

The software settings for the motor/generator control ECU and hybrid control ECU could result in overheating in certain transistors, potentially causing them to become damaged. If this happens, various warning lights will illuminate and the vehicle can enter a failsafe mode. In rare circumstances, the hybrid system might shut down while the vehicle is being driven, resulting in the loss of power and the vehicle coming to a stop.

Owners of the recalled vehicles will be notified by mail.

Toyota dealers will update the software for both the motor/generator control ECU and hybrid control ECU.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.  

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 144 model year 2015 Toyota Tundras manufactured March 11, 2015, to April 11, 2015 and equipped with Nitto Terra Grappler G2 275/60R20 116S XL tires.

The recalled vehicles have a tire placard that incorrectly states the recommended cold tire inflation pressure. If the operator inflates the tires according to the information on the tire placard, the tires may be underinflated, increasing the risk of tire failure which could result in a crash.

SET will notify owners, and dealers will install a new tire placard with the correct cold tire inflation pressure information, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 14, 2015.

Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET15C.

Toyota Motor Sales is recalling approximately 3,000 model year 2015 Lexus NX 200t vehicles.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with an Anti-Lock Braking system (ABS), Traction Control System (TRAC) and Vehicle Stability Control System (VSC) which are controlled by the ABS actuator. There is a possibility that a component inside the actuator could be damaged during assembly and later not operate properly. Under some driving conditions, if the ABS is activated, this could cause a loss of vehicle stability, which can increase the risk of a crash.

Toyota says it is not aware of any crashes, injuries or fatalities caused by this condition to date, .

All known owners of the recalled vehicles will be notified by first class mail. Lexus dealers will inspect the ABS actuator and if necessary replace it with a new one.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987.

Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling 387 model year 2015 Toyota Siennas manufactured January 23, 2015, to April 13, 2015, and equipped with non-Toyota-brand overhead entertainment accessories installed by GST.

During reassembly of the interior after the overhead entertainment system installation, a trim panel securing clip may have been reused instead of being replaced. If the clip was damaged during the entertainment system installation, the trim panel may detach in the event of a side curtain air bag deployment and strike a vehicle occupants increasing the risk of injury.

GST will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trim panel securing clip, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 8, 2015.

Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 15R1.

Toyota Motor Sales is expanding its recalls involving Takata air bag inflators.

First, the automaker is conducting a recall to replace Takata-supplied driver front airbag inflators on approximately 160,000 model year 2004 and 2005 RAV4 sport utility vehicles. The inflators could be susceptible to rupture when deployed in a crash, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

For similar reasons, Toyota is expanding 2 existing recalls for Takata-supplied front passenger airbag inflators, namely:

• The nationwide recall launched in April 2013 will expand to include approximately an additional 177,000 model year 2003-2004 Tundra and model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles; and
• The recall in areas of high absolute humidity launched in 2014 will expand to include approximately an additional 300,000 vehicles built through the 2006 or 2007 model year. This recall will now cover additional vehicles within model years 2005-2007 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, and Sequoia; model years 2005-2006 Tundra; and model years 2005-2007 Lexus SC.

Areas of high absolute humidity encompass Coastal Areas around the Gulf of Mexico for Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Louisiana; and Florida, Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Virgin Islands and Hawaii.

Multiple investigations into the root cause of the potential for inflator rupture are taking place, including by Orbital ATK, an independent engineering firm commissioned by an industry-wide joint testing initiative composed of the 10 automakers conducting Takata-related recalls.

All known owners of the affected Toyota / Lexus vehicles will be notified by first class mail to return their vehicles to a Toyota / Lexus dealer. The dealer will replace the airbag inflator with a newly manufactured one.

Consumers may contact Toyota at 1 800-331-4331, and Lexus at (1 800-255-3987).

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. is recalling approximately 114 model year 2015 Scion tC Release Series 9 vehicles.

The rear suspension arm bolts and nuts could have been tightened improperly at two of the Toyota facilities at which accessory coil springs are installed prior to delivery to dealers. In this condition, the bolts could become loose during vehicle operation. Under some circumstances the control arm could eventually detach, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota says it is unaware of any accidents or injuries caused by this condition.

Vehicle owners will receive a notification by first class mail, and Toyota dealers will replace the bolts, nuts, rear suspension arms and rear suspension member sub-assemblies.

Consumers may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 16,582 model year 2012-2015 Yaris vehicles manufactured August 31, 2011, to February 9, 2015, and sold in Puerto Rico.

The recalled vehicles may have been manufactured with a roof headliner that does not provide the proper occupant protection in the event of a crash. This could increase the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headliner, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in mid-April 2015.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 110,085 model year 2015 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid, and 2014-2015 Rav4 vehicles.

A component of the electric power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may have been damaged during the manufacturing process. Over time, this damage may result in failure of the electric power steering system, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number of the EPS ECU or steering column assembly. If the number is within the affected range, the EPS ECU will be replaced, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin in April 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & manufacturing is recalling 2,497 model year 2012-2014 Rav4 EV vehicles manufactured July 24, 2012, to August 29, 2014.

Due to a software issue within a component of the Electric Vehicle Traction Motor Assembly, the electric propulsion motor may shift to "neutral" resulting in a possible loss of drive power. A loss of drive power may increase the risk of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners beginning in April 2015. The remedy is still under development, but will be provided free of charge.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Sales is recalling of approximately 2,500 Model Year 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles; and approximately 110,000 Model Year 2015 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, and 2014-2015 Model Year RAV4 vehicles.

In the RAV4 EV, components in the Electric Vehicle Traction Motor Assembly, which is part of the propulsion system, may cause the vehicle to shift to “neutral” due to a software issue. This condition will also trigger a “Check EV System” warning message on the instrument panel and turn on a malfunction indicator lamp. If the vehicle shifts to “neutral”, this will result in a complete loss of drive power, which can increase the risk of a crash.

Owners of the recalled vehicles will be mailed a notification. Toyota dealers will repair the electric vehicle traction motor assembly.

In the involved Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid and RAV 4 vehicles, a circuit board for the electric power steering (EPS) may have been damaged during its manufacturing process. This can result in the loss of power steering assist; an instrument panel warning lamp will also come on. Manual steering is maintained, but the loss of power steering assist results in increased steering effort at low vehicle speeds and increases the risk of a crash.

Owners of these vehicles will be notified by mail. Toyota dealers will inspect the steering column assembly and replace the power steering electronic control unit, if it falls within the affected range.

The automaker says it is not aware of any crashes, injuries or fatalities caused by either condition.

Consumers may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.  

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 226 model year 2015 Yaris vehicles manufactured September 8, 2014, to January 9, 2015.

The recalled vehicles may have improperly tightened rear axle bearing bolts. The improperly tightened bolts may loosen during vehicle operation and potentially cause the wheel to lock up or damage the rear brake components, reducing their effectiveness. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear axle bearing bolts, tightening them as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during March 2015.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. is recalling of approximately 16,600 Model Year 2012-2015 Yaris hatchbacks produced for sale in Puerto Rico.

An incorrect headliner was used in the involved vehicles, and, as a result, the vehicles may not meet certain requirements of a federal standard. This can increase the risk of an injury to occupants in the event of a crash.

Toyota says it is not aware of any injuries or fatalities caused by this condition.

Owners of the recalled vehicles will be notified by first class mail, and Toyota dealers will replace the headliner at no cost to the owner.

Consumers may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 116 model year 2014 FJ Cruisers manufactured August 7, 2013, to August 20, 2013.

The intermediate steering shaft connecting the steering wheel and the steering gear box may have an inadequate weld. If the weld fails, there would be a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the intermediate steering shaft, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in March 2015.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., is recalling approximately 230 Model Year 2015 Yaris hatchbacks and approximately 20 Model Year 2015 Tacoma TRD Pro model pickup trucks.

In the Yaris vehicles, the rear axle bearing bolts may not have been tightened sufficiently during vehicle assembly. If a bolt is loose and falls off during operation, the bolt could damage rear brake components, resulting in reduced brake performance or potential wheel lock up, which could increase the risk of a crash.

The Tacoma TRD Pro model pickup trucks were distributed to dealers in Puerto Rico without the correct B-pillar tire placard indicating the tire size and recommended cold tire inflation pressure for the front and rear tires. An improperly inflated tire can increase the risk of a crash.

Toyota is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or fatalities caused by either condition.

Owners of the involved vehicles will be notified by first class mail. Toyota dealers will repair the vehicles at no cost to the owner.

Consumers may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., is recalling approximately 120 model year 2014 FJ Cruiser.

The steering system contains an intermediate shaft connecting the steering wheel to the steering gear box, which could have received an inadequate weld. Under some circumstances, the weld could separate, resulting in the loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota says it is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or fatalities caused by this condition.

Owners of the involved vehicles will receive a notification by first class mail. Toyota dealers will replace the intermediate shaft.

Consumers may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., is recalling approximately 52,000 model year 2011-2012 Avalon sedans.

Cargo could contact one of the audio system subwoofer wires located inside the trunk, and move it out of its normal position. If one of these wires contacts the metal frame of the subwoofer, it may result in an intermittent short circuit, causing the subwoofer to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.

Toyota says it is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or fatalities caused by this condition.

Owners of the involved vehicles will receive a notification by first class mail. Toyota dealers will provide a repair for the audio system. Until the remedy is available, as a precaution, Toyota dealers will disconnect the rear subwoofer.

Consumers may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 1,140 model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module.

The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights, increasing the risk of a crash.

SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 23, 2015.

Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-15A.

Toyota Motor Sales is recalling approximately 5,000 model year 2014-2015 Prius V vehicles.

The front passenger seat is equipped with an Occupant Classification System (OCS), which activates / deactivates the passenger seat air bag system depending on the weight of the seat occupant. There is a possibility that some OCS's may not have been calibrated properly during the vehicle manufacturing process.

Under some conditions, this could result in the failure of the airbag to deploy, increasing the risk of an injury to a front seat passenger in the event of crash.

Toyota says it is not aware of any injuries or fatalities caused by this condition.

Owners of the recalled vehicles will receive a notification by first class mail, and dealers will recalibrate the OCS properly.

Consumers may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 3,942 model year 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, RAV4, Scion FRS and XB vehicles.

The vehicles may have accessories installed by SET, such as running boards or other items, that were incorrectly installed. The accessory attaching fasteners were not tightened with the proper torque, possibly causing the accessory to detach from the vehicle. Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.

SET will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the affected bolts, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 9, 2015.

Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-954-429-2000. SET's number for this recall is SET-14B.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 25,552 model year 2015 Sienna vehicles manufactured September 2, 2014, to November 14, 2014.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the curtain shield airbag (CSA), the second row overhead assist grips may detach, striking a vehicle occupant, increasing the risk of injury.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will modify the headliner near the second row overhead assist grip, free of charge. The recall is expected begin on January 15, 2015.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 3,233 model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner vehicles.

The recalled vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring. Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.

SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 24, 2014.  

Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-954-429-2000.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 5,650 model year 2014 Toyota Camry, Camry HV, Avalon, and Avalon HV vehicles equipped with 16-inch and 17-inch rims.

The left-side front suspension lower arm may have been manufactured incorrectly. As a result, the left side lower arm may not have enough clamping surface area for one of the bolts that secures the lower arm to the lower ball joint. Because of the insufficient clamping force, the lower arm may separate from the ball joint, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left side lower arm, free of charge. The recall was expected ti begin around mid-December 2014.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Gulf States Toyota is recalling 142 model year 2015 Toyota Tacoma vehicles manufactured September 2, 2014, to October 15, 2014.

The affected vehicles may contain an incorrect Load Carrying Capacity Modification label which may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

Gulf States has notified owners, and dealers will install an accurate label, free of charge. The recall began December 1, 2014.

Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Is recalling approximately 30,000 model year 2015 Sienna Minivans.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with left and right side second row overhead assist grips mounted to the roof rails. In the event of a collision that results in deployment of a curtain shield air bag (CSA), an assist grip could detach from the mounting bracket under some conditions.

If an assist grip completely detaches, it may contact an occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Toyota says it is not aware of any injuries or fatalities caused by this condition.

Owners of the recalled vehicles will receive a notification by first class mail. Toyota dealers will modify the headliner under the second row overhead assist grips at no charge to the customer.

Owners may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., is recalling of 56 Model Year 2011 Camrys distributed to the U.S. Territories of Guam and Saipan. Globally, the company is recalling approximately 170,000 vehicles.

The front suspension system in the involved vehicles contains a lower ball joint which connects the front suspension lower arm to the knuckle arm. In the assembly process, the rubber boot on the ball joint could have been damaged by insufficiently maintained equipment.

If the rubber boot is damaged, lubricant grease inside the ball joint could leak from the damaged boot, causing the ball joint to wear and loosen prematurely. If the vehicle is continuously operated in this condition, the lower ball joint may separate from the knuckle and could cause a loss of vehicle control.

Toyota says it is unaware of any crashes, injuries or fatalities related to this condition.

Owners of the recalled vehicles will receive a notification by first class mail. Toyota dealers will inspect the rubber boots, and if necessary, replace the ball joint with a new one.

Consumers may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Sales is recalling approximately 5,650 Model Year 2014 Toyota Camry, Camry Hybrid, Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles.

The left front suspension lower arm in the recalled vehicles may have an improperly manufactured bolt hole where it connects to the ball joint, affecting bolt clamping force.

In the event of a severe impact to the lower ball joint, which could result from varying road surfaces during normal driving, the lower arm could separate from the ball joint. Separation of the lower arm can cause a loss of steering control.

Toyota says it is unaware of any crashes, injuries or fatalities related to this condition.

Owners of the recalled vehicles will receive a notification by first class mail. Toyota dealers will replace the left front lower suspension arm with a new one.

Consumers may call Toyota Customer Service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 20,000 model year 2014 Toyota Avalon, Camry, Sienna, and Highlander and model year 2015 Lexus RX350 vehicles.

Fuel may leak from the one of the fuel delivery pipes in the engine compartment. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace any of the suspect fuel delivery pipes free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on November 3, 2014.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Is conducting a supplemental safety recall of approximately 247,000 Toyota Corolla, Matrix, Sequoia, Tundra and Lexus SC vehicles produced from 2001 to 2004 and equipped with front passenger air bag inflators supplied by Takata Corporation.

The new recall targets vehicles in consistently high absolute humidity areas, including southern Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, U.S Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa.

Recalls for affected vehicles were also issued in April 2013, and June 2014. Separately, in cooperation with NHTSA and Takata to investigate incidents of ruptured inflators, Toyota recovered inflators from recalled vehicles from areas in South Florida for evaluation by Takata.

Takata provided data to Toyota indicating that a number of the returned inflators performed improperly during component testing. The cause of the potential for ruptured inflators and the influence of high absolute humidity are under investigation.

To date, Toyota has received no reports of injuries or fatalities related to this condition.

Al known owners of the affected Toyota and Lexus vehicles will be notified by first class mail to return their vehicles to a Toyota or Lexus dealer.

The dealer will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with a newly manufactured one. If a replacement part is not available at the time of vehicle service, the dealer will follow procedures to temporarily disable the front passenger air bag assembly.

In addition, the dealer will install a glove box hang tag informing occupants that the front passenger seat should not be occupied until the inflator assembly is replaced and the airbag is fully functional.

Consumers may call Lexus Customer Service at 1-800-255-3987 or Toyota Customer Service at 1-800-331-4331 for more information.

Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. is recalling approximately 423,000 Lexus vehicles including 2007 - 2010 model year LS; 2006 - 2011 model year GS; 2006 - 2011 model year IS; 2010 model year IS C and 2008 - 2010 model year IS-F vehicles.

The fuel delivery pipes in the engine compartment of the recalled vehicles were manufactured with a plating to protect against corrosion. Some of the pipes could have been produced with plating particles on the gasket seating surface where the fuel pressure sensor is installed.

In this condition, the sealing property of the gasket seated between the pressure sensor and the pipe could become degraded. During vehicle operation, fuel could leak past the gasket. In the presence of an ignition source, this could increase the risk of a vehicle fire.

The company says it is unaware of any fires, crashes, injuries or fatalities caused by this condition.

Owners of the vehicles involved will receive a notification by first class mail. Lexus dealers will repair the gasket seating surface of the fuel delivery pipe where the fuel pressure sensor is installed, replace the gasket with a new one, and re-install the fuel pressure sensor.

Lexus owners may obtain more information by calling customer service at 1-800-255-3987.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 1,787 model year 2014 FJ Cruiser vehicles equipped with an optional "Trail Teams Ultimate Edition" package, in which the front shock absorbers and springs were replaced at vehicle processing centers.

In some of these vehicles, the two bolts that secure the front lower ball joint to the steering knuckle might have been tightened with insufficient torque when the front shock absorbers and springs were replaced during the installation process.

The bolts could become loose during driving and fall out. If both bolts fall out, the front lower ball joint could detach from the steering knuckle, causing a loss of steering control, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners of vehicles with the optional package installed, and dealers will inspect the torque of the bolts. If the bolts are found to be loose, dealers will retighten them to the proper torque. For any missing bolts, dealers will install new ones. The recall began on September 30, 2014.

Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 690,000 model year 2005-2011 Toyota Tacoma Pre-Runner and 4x4 vehicles manufactured September 14, 2009, to October 11, 2010.

One of the leaf springs in the recalled vehicles may fracture due to stress or corrosion. While being driven, the broken leaf could move out of position and contact surrounding components including the fuel tank, possibly puncturing the tank and causing a fuel leak, increasing the risk of fire.

The remedy for this recall is still under development. The recall is expected to begin November 28, 2014.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 132,624 model year 2014 Toyota Tundra CrewMax and Double Cab vehicles manufactured July 29, 2013, to August 22, 2014.

Due to the possible misinstallation of the upper tab of the B-pillar interior trim, the Curtain-Shield Air Bags may not deploy properly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the B-pillar interior trim installation and will replace it if it is not installed correctly, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on September 30, 2014.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 20,000 model year 2008-2014 FJ Cruiser and Tacoma vehicles equipped with accessory wheels and tires installed by Toyota or dealers prior to the vehicle's first sale.

The affected vehicles may list incorrect spare tire size and/or cold tire inflation information on the tire placard. If the spare tire is inflated to the incorrect pressure provided on the placard, tire failure may occur while the vehicle is being driven on, increasing the risk of a crash.

Overlay stickers to correct the tire placard will either be mailed to owners of the recalled vehicles or provided to dealers for placement over the incorrect information on the placard. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling 16,249 model year 2013-2014 Toyota Tundras modified by GST as part of certain vehicle packages to be equipped with a combination of non-Toyota-brand 20-inch alloy wheels and chrome plated lug nuts.

The coating on the lug nuts may give, causing the lug nuts to loosen or the wheel studs to fracture. The wheel could separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

GST will notify owners, and dealers will replace 20 lug nuts and torque them to specification, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in August 2014.

Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 263 model year 2014 Sienna vehicles manufactured June 17, 2014, through June 24, 2014.

The affected vehicles have a transmission shift control cable whose protective cable sleeve may have been damaged during assembly. This could cause the control cable to bind or separate during gear shift operation causing incorrect gear selection.

If the transmission shift cable separates while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash.

Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the 'PARK' position, the transmission may not be in 'PARK.' If the vehicle is not in the 'PARK' position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter, increasing the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the transmission shift control cable, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in early August 2014.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Back in January, we reported that federal safety regulators were looking into reports of braking problems in 2007 and 2008 Toyota Camry hybrids, potentially affecting about 30,000 cars.

While it's possible that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) may eventually decide there is ample evidence for a safety recall, that process is a lengthy one that often leads nowhere.

Toyota, however, appears to be trying to get out in front of the problem by issuing what's called a "warranty enhancement," under which at least some Camry owners are qualifying for warranty coverage of their problems with their brake actuator system. 

A Toyota official said there are about 177,500 vehicles covered by the warranty enhancement program. Cindy Knight, public affairs manager for Toyota Motor Sales USA, said the program applies to model year 2007-2011 Camry Hybrids. 

Letters going out

"We began sending Owner Notification letters in early July, and will continue mailing over several months," Knight told ConsumerAffairs.

At least one of those receiving the letter had been pressing Toyota about the problems he had encountered. 

"I have a Camry and had been fighting for two months to get them to pay for a replacement brake accuator (almost $2K job). They just relented and I thought you might want to do an update on your story, so others could benefit," said a ConsumerAffairs reader named Andy, who sent us a copy of the letter he received from Toyota, informing him of the warranty enhancement covering malfunctions of the brake actuator system.

In a follow-up, Andy told us the work has been done on his car and he's now a happy Camry owner. While that's good news for Andy, other Camry Hybrid drivers aren't as happy, although perhaps they will be if they are included in the enhancement program. Until then, complaints continue to pile up at SaferCar.gov, the NHTSA site where consumers can report problems with their vehicles.

Just yesterday (Aug. 4), a Toyota owner filed this complaint with NHTSA:

REGULARLY WHEN I DRIVE THIS CAR I PRESS THE BRAKES AND THEY DO NOT ENGAGE OR THEY ENGAGE ON A DELAY. I HAVE MENTIONED IT TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER SEVERAL TIMES. I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUES IMMEDIATELY AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR. I REPORTED MY CONCERNS TO TOYOTA WHO DISMISSED MY COMPLAINT. TOYOTA ALWAYS TELLS ME NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD COST MY $140 TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM.

The day before, another consumer said this:

WHILE DRIVING I ATTEMPTED BRAKE TO SLOW ENTRY INTO UPHILL DRIVEWAY. ALL LIGHTS ON DRIVER PANEL LIT UP. BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP. WITH FULL FORCE I DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL. SINCE DRIVE WAY WAS UPHILL, I COASTED TO STOP JUST SHORT OF GARAGE DOOR BEFORE CRASHING. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE BRAKES TOTALLY FAILED DURING LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

Consumers who are having what they think may be brake actuator problems who have not received a letter from Toyota may want to follow Andy's lead and write directly to the company. The address is:

Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc.
19001 South Western Ave.
PO Box 2991
Torrance, CA 90509-2991

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 10,462 model year 2013 Lexus GS 350 vehicles manufactured June 8, 2012, through December 26, 2012.

In the affected vehicles, the switch that senses the amount of pressure that the driver is applying to the brake pedal may fail. If the switch fails, the vehicle may begin braking without the driver's input, and without illuminating the brake lights, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake pedal support assembly which includes the brake pedal load sensing switch, free of charge.

Parts for the remedy are not currently available. Toyota will send owners an interim notification letter in late June 2014 to advise owners of the recall, and will mail owners a second letter when remedy parts are available.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing is recalling 844,277 model year 2002-2004 Toyota Sequoia and Lexus SC and 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Tundra, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles.

A safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag.

This recall addresses both the passenger side frontal air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts. A replacement air bag may have been installed, as one example, if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the passenger side frontal air bag.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the passenger seat occupant or other occupants.

This recall supersedes one in which some vehicles were inspected and received a replacement inflator, while others were inspected but did not have their inflator replaced. All owners of vehicles that did not get an inflator replacement, or owners that do not know if they got an inflator replacement, should contact their Toyota or Lexus dealer.

Toyota will notify owners of affected Toyota and Lexus vehicles and General Motors will notify owners of affected Pontiac Vibe vehicles. Toyota, Lexus, and GM dealers will replace the passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Pontiac Vibe owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 231 model year 2014 Highlander vehicles manufactured April 23, 2014, through April 29, 2014.

The seat may not fully lock into the inboard seat track in the forward first, second and third adjusting positions, which could increase the risk of the seat coming out of the track and injuring the occupant in the event of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the second row right hand seat, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in June 2014.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 370,000 model year 2004-2011 Sienna vehicles originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

The recalled vehicles have a spare tire carrier assembly mounted under the vehicle whose attachment cable may corrode due to high concentrations of road salt splashing onto the spare tire carrier. That could cause the spare tire to separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota will send owners an interim notification to advise owners of the recall and dealers will remove the spare tire and relocate it to the luggage compartment, free of charge.

Owners will be mailed a second letter when remedy parts are available and dealers will replace the spare tire carrier assembly with an improved one, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

The 2004-2010 model year Siennas subject to this recall were recalled in 2010. Those owners are advised that they must have their vehicles remedied again under this campaign and that having the earlier recall completed did not remedy their vehicles.

Additionally, model year 1998-2003 Siennas were recalled as part of that same 20110. Owners of those vehicles that have not had not the remedy performed on their vehicles, should contact their Toyota dealer to schedule a free repair.

Toyota is recalling 472,388 model year 2006-2010 Yaris vehicles manufactured August 22, 2005, through May 12, 2010, and 2008-2010 Scion xD vehicles manufactured April 4, 2007, through May 12, 2010.

In the affected vehicles, the springs used for the seat rails on the driver's seat and the seat rails of the front passenger seat of three-door models may break, preventing the seat from locking in position. In the event of a vehicle crash, the seat could move increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat rail, and replace it with a new one, if necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Problems ranging from faulty airbags to defective windshield wipers have reportedly prompted Toyota to issue a recall of more than 6 million vehicles worldwide.

Toyota says approximately 1.3 million vehicles are in the U.S. including certain modelyYear 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2008-2010 Highlander, 2009-2010 Tacoma, 2006-2008 RAV4 and 2006-2010 Yaris vehicles.

Detailed information is available to customers at www.toyota.com/recall, the Toyota Customer Experience at 1 800-331-4331, www.lexus.com/recall and Lexus Customer Satisfaction (1 800-255-3987). 

Recall timing

Reuters quotes Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons as saying the recalls were announced simultaneously, even though they are unrelated, due to the timing of the investigations.

This latest recall comes less than a month after the automaker agreed to a pay a penalty of $1.2 billion in connection with unintended acceleration in its vehicles.

Recall breakdown

A Reuters report lists the latest recalls and their causes as follows:

• Faulty spiral cables for driver’s air bags: 3.5 million
• Possible locking problems on seat rails: 2.32 million
• Failing steering column brackets: 760,000
• Windshield wipers with drainage problems: 160,000
• Possible fire hazard in starter motors: 20,000

In these vehicles, the driver’s airbag module is attached to a spiral cable assembly with electrical connections that could become damaged when the steering wheel is turned. If this occurs, the air bag warning lamp will illuminate. In addition, the driver’s air bag could become deactivated, causing it to not deploy in the event of a crash.

The automaker is currently preparing the remedy for this condition. For all involved vehicles, a Toyota dealer will replace the spiral cable with an improved one. Once preparations are complete, Toyota will send an owner notification letter by first class mail and the remedy will be provided at no charge.

Toyota is recalling119,140 model year 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, through December 20, 2004.

In these vehicles, the supplemental restraint system (SRS) circuits are susceptible to internal shorting. The electrical short may create an abnormal current flow and increased heat which can damage the circuits. This could result in an inadvertent deployment of the front air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners, increasing the risk of an injury or crash.

Toyota will notify owners and dealers will install a noise filter between the air bag control module and the wire harness, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota is recalling 7,067 model year 2014 Highlander vehicles manufactured November 20, 2013, through January 18, 2014.

The third row middle seat belt assembly might not have been properly secured to the vehicle floor anchorage during vehicle assembly, which could increase the risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third row middle seat belt anchor, and, if necessary, properly secure it to the vehicle floor anchorage, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in March 2014.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota is recalling 261,114 model year 2012 and 2013 Toyota Tacoma, Lexus RX350, and model year 2012 Toyota Rav4 vehicles.

In the affected vehicles, the brake system contains a brake actuator that adjusts the fluid pressure of each wheel cylinder. An electrical component within the actuator may experience an increased resistance resulting in the illumination of various warning lights, including those for the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, Antilock Brake System (ABS), and Traction Control system.

If this occurs, these systems could become inoperative, reducing the directional control assistance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and Toyota and Lexus dealers will update the software for the Skid Control electronic control unit, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Earlier this week, ConsumerAffairs reported that Toyota was preparing to recall 700,00 model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles.

In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module (a component of the hybrid system) contains transistors that may become damaged from high operating temperatures.

That recall has now been announced.

Toyota will notify owners and dealers will update the software for both the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge.

If an owner experiences a failure of the inverter before the vehicle receives updated software, the dealer will replace the inverter assembly with a new one at no charge. The recall is expected to begin in late February 2014.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Federal safety regulators are looking into reported braking problems in 2007 and 2008 Toyota Camry hybrids, potentially affecting about 30,000 cars.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received 59 consumer complaints of intermittent loss of assisted braking. Two accidents have been reported but, so far, there are no known injuries although numerous close calls are among the reported incidents.

"As I was approaching a pedestrian crossing, the ABS light and Check VSC light and brake light went on," one consumer wrote. "When I tried to apply brakes to stop, I realized that the brakes completely failed. I did a sharp evasive turn and hit the curb hard in an attempt not to run over [the] pedestrians."

The consumer said the brakes then returned to normal but that similar incidents occurred several times in subsequent days. After seven hours of testing, a dealer said the problem appeared to be with the brake control unit.

VSC System

In many of the complaints to NHTSA, consumers say the Check VSC System light as well as the ABS and other brake warning lights came on. 

"While driving my wife's 2007 Toyota Camry hybrid, the 'check VSC system' warning came on. Power brake system turned off and the car became difficult to stop," one consumer reported. "I was told by the dealer that the VSC computer had failed and that it was a $2,200 repair." 

Similar incidents are widely reported on automotive websites, including GreenHybrid.com. 

The NHTSA probe, technically a "preliminary evaluation," is the first step in a process that can eventually lead to a recall.

In announcing the evaluation, NHTSA noted that "each complaint alleges multiple incidents of either delayed braking actuation or increased brake pedal effort" and said that about 40 percent of the incidents occurred at speeds of 40 miles per hour or more.

NHTSA also said the complaints show an apparent increasing trend, with over 55 percent received within the past eight months.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America is recalling 3,795 model year 2013-2014 Tacoma vehicles manufactured July 1, 2013, through October 11, 2013.

The engines of the affected vehicles contain valve springs that may break over time. If the valve springs break, the engine could fail and stall while the vehicle is being driven, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the valve springs, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in December 2013.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Engineering & manufacturing North America is recalling 9,795 model year 2013-2014 Camry and Camry HV, model year 2013 Avalon and Avalon HV and model year 2014 Corolla vehicles.

In the affected vehicles, the windshield wiper switch assembly may short circuit. A short circuit could cause inoperative windshield wipers, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiper switch assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 8, 2013.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) is recalling 979 model year 2012-2013 Tacoma vehicles equipped with 18" Maverick Alloy Wheels.

In the recalled vehicles, the spare tire requires the use of a different style of lug nut to attach it to the vehicle than the other wheels use. These lug nuts were not provided with the vehicle. If the spare tire/wheel is installed on the vehicle using the lug nuts from another wheel, damage to the wheel could result and may eventually lead to a loose wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.

SET will notify owners, and dealers will: (a) Install a Warning Label on the spare tire/wheel, (b) supply a bag containing proper spare wheel lug nuts, and (c) place an Owner's Manual Addendum in the vehicle's glove box. The recall is expected to begin in November 2013.

Owners may contact SET at 1-954-429-2000.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., is recalling approximately 803,000 model year 2012-2013 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid and Venza vehicles due to a problem with the air conditioning condenser unit housing.

Water from the air conditioning condenser unit housing could leak onto the airbag control module and cause a short circuit, resulting in illumination of the airbag warning light. In some instances, the air bag(s) could become disabled or could inadvertently deploy.

In some cases, the power steering assist function could also become inoperable if a communication line in the airbag control module is damaged. Loss of power steering assist results in increased steering effort.

Owners of the involved vehicles will be notified by first class mail to return their vehicles to a Toyota dealer for the repair. Dealers will apply sealant and install a cover to the air conditioning condenser unit housing seam located above the airbag control module.

Detailed information is available to customers by calling the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota is recalling 614,722 model year 2004-2005 Sienna vehicles manufactured January 10, 2003, through August 10, 2005; and model year 2007-2009 Sienna vehicles manufactured February 20, 2007, through December 12, 2008.

Due to a problem within the shift lock solenoid, there is a possibility that the shift lever could be moved out of Park position without depressing the brake pedal. Should that occur, the transmission will either engage a drive gear or Neutral, increasing the risk of a backover or roll-away crash.

Toyota will mail interim notifications to owners beginning in late October 2013. When parts are available, owners will be sent a second notice and dealers will replace the shift lock solenoid, free of charge.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota is recalling 101,584 model year 2007-2011 Lexus GS350 vehicles manufactured June 19, 2006, through July 12, 2011; model year 2006-2011 Lexus IS350 vehicles manufactured May 27, 2005, through July 13, 2011; and model year 2010-2011 Lexus IS350c vehicles manufactured November 25, 2009, through July 19, 2011.

These vehicles, equipped with the 2GR-FSE engine, use bolts to secure the housing and sprocket of the Variable-Valve Timing (VVT) system gear assembly. These bolts could become loose due to abnormal impacts generated within the gear assembly immediately after a cold start-up. The loose bolts could cause the VVT gear housing and sprocket to separate and result in the engine stopping while the vehicle is being driven, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and Lexus dealers will replace the VVT unit free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota is recalling nearly 800,000 model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles manufactured from October 2005, through September 2010.

If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tire rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust leading to thread damage and eventual failure. Failure of the rear tire rod will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment, which could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tie rods and replace any that have rust or corrosion on the alignment adjustment threads. All of the rear tie rods will then be encased in an epoxy to prevent future environmental damage.

Due to limitations in parts, the recall remedy will be launched in phases from September 2013, through February 2014. All owners will receive notification of the recall, with most receiving second notifications when parts are available in their area.

This recall supersedes a Toyota and Lexus recall issued about a year ago. All vehicles that have been inspected and remedied under the previous recall need to be re-inspected and have the appropriate remedy applied.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., is recalling some 235,000 vehicles in two separate actions

The first involves approximately 133,000 MY 2006-2010 Highlander Hybrid and MY 2006-2008 Lexus RX 400h vehicles.

In the recalled Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX 400h vehicles, transistors within the hybrid system's inverter assembly can experience heat damage due to variations in characteristics of the transistors built in parallel circuits. Should this occur, various warning lights on the instrument panel will illuminate, and in most cases the vehicle will enter "limp home mode." In limited instances, the hybrid system will shut down and resulting in the vehicle stopping while the vehicle is being driven.

The second recall involves approximately 102,000 MY 2006-2011 Lexus IS 350, IS 350C, and GS 350 vehicles.

In these vehicles, bolts used to secure the variable valve timing control device can become loose, causing the vehicle to stop while being driven. Early warning for this condition can be an abnormal noise just after start-up.

Owners of vehicles subject to these recalls will receive a notification by first class mail.

Toyota is recalling 342,451 model year 2005-2010 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles manufactured September 14, 2004, through March 29, 2010; and model year 2011 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles manufactured July 1, 2010, through September 7, 2011.

If the access doors are repeatedly and forcefully closed, the screws that attach the seat belt pre-tensioner to the seat belt retractor can loosen over time. If the screws loosen completely, the seat belt pre-tensioner and the retractor spring cover could detach from the seat belt retractor and the seat belt pre-tensioner will not perform as designed, increasing the risk of injury in a severe crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt assemblies. Based on the inspection, the seat belt assembly will be replaced or new pre-tensioner screws will be installed with thread-locking sealant and a retractor spring cover with stopper ribs to prevent loosening of the screws. These services will be provided at no cost to the owner. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota is recalling 74 model year 2012 Yaris vehicles manufactured August 21, 2011, through August 31, 2011.

A relay in the Power Steering Control Module of the electronic power steering system could experience a short circuit due to insufficient distance between terminals in the relay and moisture contamination of relay coil windings. A short circuit in the relay could disable power steering assistance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering control module. The recall is expected to begin in late July 2013.

Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota is recalling 2010 Prius and Lexus HS 250h vehicles to fix a problem with the brake pressure accumulator. The recall affects 86,500 vehicles in the United States, 242,000 worldwide.

The company said the accumulators could develop a fatigue crack due to vibration. No accidents or injuries have been linked to the problem anywhere in the world, the company said.

The recall targets only Prius models manufactured from March-October 2009. The affected HS hybrids were made from June-October 2009.

Toyota said it received its first report of the problem in May 2010.

Detailed information is available to customers at www.toyota.com/recall, the Toyota Customer Experience at 1-800-331-4331,www.lexus.com/recall and Lexus Customer Satisfaction at 1-800-255-3987.

Southeast Toyota Distributors is recalling a total of 7,389 of the following vehicles:

• 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra,
• 2010-2012 Rav4,
• 2012 Toyota Sequoia,
• 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla,
• 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid,
• 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid,
• 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser,
• 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser,
• 2010-2013 Toyota Venza,
• 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner,
• 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma,
• 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna,
• 2012 Toyota Prius,
• 2013 Scion FR-S,
• 2011 Scion XD,
• 2011 Scion XB, and
• 2012 Scion TC .

These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added, failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims." An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.

Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additional remedies which are still being developed. The recall is planned to begin on, or about, May 7, 2013.

Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

Toyota is closing yet another chapter in its long unintended-acceleration saga, agreeing to pay $29 million to 29 states and American Samoa to settle disputes about how it handled recalls.

Besides the payment, Toyota agreed to make vehicle information more easily accessible to consumers to help them operate their vehicles safely and make more informed choices. 

“Companies have an obligation to quickly and openly inform customers of product safety concerns,” Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said. “That’s particularly true of an automobile maker, where consumers’ lives may be at stake.”

Toyota sought to put a positive spin on the settlement.

“Resolving this inquiry is another step we are taking to turn the page on legacy issues from Toyota’s past recalls in a way that benefits our customers," said Christopher P. Reynolds, group vice president and general counsel, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. "Immediately after this inquiry was launched in 2010, Toyota began cooperating fully with the Attorneys General and implementing ‘customer-first’ initiatives to address their concerns and those of our customers."

Toyota also agreed to continue other customer-focused initiatives, including its rapid-response service teams, its expanded network of product quality field offices across the U.S., and a range of customer care amenities for owners of vehicles subject to certain recalls. 

Other actions

In December 2012, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) fined Toyota  $17.35 million -- the maximum fine allowable under the law -- claiming the automaker failed to report a safety defect to the federal government in a timely manner. It's the single highest civil penalty amount ever paid to NHTSA for violations stemming from a recall.

Also in December, Toyota agreed to pay more than $1 billion to settle lawsuits growing out of unintended acceleration incidents. About 16 million owners of Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles are eligible for payments and safety updates to their cars.

Toyota recalled millions of Toyota and Lexus vehicles to replace accelerator pedals that could get trapped in floor mats or carpeting. 

A 10-month investigation by NASA engineers determined that electronic flaws were not to blame for the unintended acceleration incidents.

Toyota is conducting two separate safety recalls involving about 752,000 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles and 270,000 Lexus IS vehicles.

In the 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix, the airbag control module may deploy inadvertently. The seat belt pretensioners could also malfunction.

The second safety recall involves the front wipers on certain 2006-2012  Lexus IS vehicles where the wiper arm nut might not be sufficiently tight. Under certain circumstances, one or both of the wipers could become inoperative.

Owners of vehicles covered by these safety recalls will receive an owner notification letter via first class mail in the near future.  Any authorized Toyota or Lexus dealer will perform this recall at no charge to the vehicle owner.

Detailed information is available to customers at www.toyota.com/recall and the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331 or www.lexus.com/recall and Lexus Customer Satisfaction (1 800-255-3987).

A federal investigation into reports of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles "may have been too narrow," an influential U.S. Senator is suggesting.

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) says that information his office has received from whistle-blowers indicates that a probe by NASA and federal highway safety officials may not have uncovered the real culprit in the incidents, which led to a massive recall of Toyota and Lexus vehicles.

The joint probe by NASA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concluded that Toyota's electronic throttle control system was not to blame for the incidents, which included numerous accidents, some of them fatal.

In August 2009, a California highway patrolman and his family were killed in their runaway Lexus ES 350 on a San Diego freeway. Someone calling from the car before it crashed at over 100 miles per hour said they couldn't stop it. Seconds later, it struck an SUV.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Grassley has written to NHTSA Administrator David Strickland, asking for detailed information about the investigation -- specifically whether vehicles were tested for the presence of an electronic phenomenon known as "tin whiskers" that could have been the cause of unintended acceleration.

In February 2011, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced with great fanfare that the joint investigation by NHTSA and NASA engineers had found no evidence the automaker's electronic throttle system played a part in incidents of unintended acceleration.

"There is no electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas," LaHood said.

Instead, the agencies said the acceleration problems were most likely mechanical in nature. They blamed floor mats that could jam the gas pedal and sticky accelerator pedals.

Tin whiskers

The NASA engineers did consider the tin whiskers phenomenon but concluded it did not play a role in the incidents.

The term is used to describe small crystalline "whiskers" that sometimes grow from electroplated tin. Under certain conditions, the whiskers could conceivably create a short circuit that "could theortetically lead" to unintended acceleration, Grassley said in his letter to LaHood.

The Times, however,  quoted a Toyota spokesman as saying, "No one has ever found a single real-world example of tin whiskers causing an unintended acceleration event."

NHTSA said the agency is reviewing Grassley's letter.

Huge recalls

Toyota has recalled more than 18 million vehicles since 2009. Five million of those recalls were to fix floor mat problems and four million were to fix gas pedals that were prone to stick.

Toyota faces hundreds of lawsuits filed on behalf of victims of accidents blamed on unintended acceleration. It has already paid $48 million in fines in three separate cases and faces potential liabilities of $10 billion or more in the cases that are still pending.

While the 2011 report exonerated Toyota's electronic throttle system, it did not directly examine the prevalence of pedals that became trapped in place by floor mats or pedals that stuck in the open position.

However, the report said that most of the incidents NASA and DOT engineers examined occurred at low speed and appeared to be caused by driver error, with the driver inadvertently stepping on the gas rather than the brake, or in some bases depressing both pedals at once.

The few high-speed incidents that have been documented were likely caused by the floor mat jamming the accelerator pedal into the wide-open position, the investigators said, basically blaming driver error for the problem.

Toyota Motor North America is recalling as many as 154,036 2010 Lexus RX350 and RX450h vehicles, manufactured from November 28, 2008, through September 1, 2010. 

The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide-open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat, resulting in very high vehicle speeds that make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death. 

 Lexus will notify owners of affected vehicles and dealers will modify or replace the accelerator pedal and replace any Lexus driver's floor mat not specified for the vehicle. Lexus will begin notifying owners in early august 2012. 

Owners may contact Lexus at 1-800-255-3987 and may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

You wouldn't expect your car door to catch fire but that's apparently what's been happening on some 2007 through 2009 Toyotas, according to federal safety regulators.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it has received 32 reports of electrical fires or burned switches from fires that started in the driver's side door -- specifically in the power-window switch.

Some of the fires have been serious and have destroyed the entire car, although there is so far only one report of personal injury, which occurred when a passenger in a 2007 Camry tried to extinguish a door fire.

In that case, which occurred on Dec. 26, 2011, the consumer reported that she was driving normally with three passengers in her Camry when black smoke suddenly filled the car.

"The flames caught the left side of my arm and started to burn my coat," she reported to NHTSA. "After exiting, the flames quickly increased and began shooting into the air untrollably. My husband was able to retrieve a piece of clothing from the trunk of the car and used it to put out the fire while sustaining a burn on his hand." 

The investigation centers on several models -- the 2007-2009 Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4, Yaris and the 2008 Highlander Hybrid. About 1.4 million vehicles have the switches that are implicated in the fires.

NHTSA said it is now doing an engineering analysis of the problem. That's a key step in deciding whether a recall will be issued.

Toyota refuses to help

Perhaps most striking about the 32 NHTSA reports examined by ConsumerAffairs is the response many of the consumers received from Toyota's headquarters and its dealers: many reported getting no help at all and two said the dealers had laughed at their issues. 

In one case, a Toyota RAV4 caught fire while parked and unattended, NHTSA's case file indicated. The owner of the RAV4 said she had spoken previously with Toyota of Braintree, Mass., about problems with the power windows. After her car burned to the ground, she said she was offered $13,000, which was not enough for her to replace her paid-off car without taking out a loan. She said she contacted Toyota headquarters, which refused to help her in any way.

One Camry owner said that after his door caught fire, he quickly extinguished it and took the car to Ventura Toyota, which charged him $437.36 in parts and $57.50 in labor to replace the switch assembly.

An Atlanta-area woman said that she and her children narrowly escaped injury when their car caught fire and filled with smoke, forcing them to run accross a busy intersection to safety. She said her Toyota dealer "actually made jokes about us being 'in a fire'" and ignored her request that they save the burned parts for examination by her insurance company. Although her car smelled of smoke for months after the incident, she said the Toyota dealer refused to detail the car or replace any of the smoke-damaged interior.

Another consumer reported that he was cleaning his car with the ignition on so that he could listen to the radio when the door began smoking. He extinguished the fire before it could spread but had to pay $422 to replace the master switch assembly. Toyota refused to offer any assistance, he said.

A Toyota Camry owner said that after his door caught fire, the Toyota dealer refused to offer any assistance because his car was out of warranty and claimed that "the fire was the first of that kind they have heard of." 

Infamous for recalls

Toyota became infamous for being slow to recognize and respond to consumers' reports of problems with unintended acceleration a few years ago. The problem was eventually traced to ill-fitting floor mats and sticky accelerator pedals, forcing Toyota to recall more than nine million vehicles worldwide. The recall hurt the company's sales and is blamed for reducing its share of the U.S. market.  

Toyota is recalling about 660 Lexus GS350 vehicles from the 2013 model year. 

The company said the electronic steering control unit may malfunction, causing the steering wheel to becoe off-center when the car is started with the steering wheel turned.

This could cause the car to go in an unexpected direction.

Toyota will notify owners and Lexus dealers will update the softeare free of charge. Customers may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

With sky-high gasoline prices, carmakers are turning out more hybrid vehicles. But who's buying them? An automotive research firm suggests it's mostly first-time buyers.

While the incentives to drive a gas-stingy car have never been greater, Polk, an automotive research firm, says only 35 percent of hybrid owners chose to purchase a hybrid again when returning to market in 2011. Toyota Prius owners tend to be the exception, more often replacing their old Prius with a new one.

If repurchase behavior among the high-volume audience of Prius owners isn’t factored in, hybrid loyalty drops to under 25 percent.

Satisfied with the brand, not necessarily the car

But just because a consumer doesn't buy another hybrid, that doesn't mean they are disillusioned with the car brand itself. The Polk researchers found they appear to maintain brand loyalty when returning to the new car market.

For example, in 2011, 60 percent of Toyota hybrid owners returned to the market to purchase another Toyota, according to Polk, while 41 percent of them purchased another hybrid from any brand. In the case of Honda hybrid owners, more than 52 percent of them stayed with the Honda brand, while just under 20 percent of this same owner group bought another hybrid vehicle from any brand.

The findings suggest that not all drivers are sold on a hybrid after driving one for a few years. But that doesn't mean offering a hybrid is bad news for the car company.

Hybrids are profitable

"Having a hybrid in the product lineup can certainly give a brand a competitive edge when it comes to attracting new customers," said Brad Smith, director of Polk's Loyalty Management Practice. "The repurchase rates of hybrid vehicles are an indication that consumers are continuing to seek alternative solutions to high fuel prices."

Online cross-shopping data from Edmunds.com shows consumers are doing their due diligence to compare hybrids with similar gasoline-powered vehicles. As an example, the Honda Civic is the second most cross-shopped vehicle among both Toyota Prius and Honda Insight shoppers.

Hybrid vehicles represent just 2.4 percent of the overall new vehicle market in the U.S., according to Polk, down from a high of 2.9 percent in 2008. And Polk researchers don't see it as what consumers are really looking for when it comes to selecting their vehicle.

"The lineup of alternate drive vehicles and their premium price points just aren't appealing enough to consumers to give the segment the momentum it once anticipated, especially given the growing strength of fuel economy among compact and midsize competitors," said Lacey Plache, Edmunds.com chief economist. "For EVs and PHEVs in particular, certain obstacles -- including consumer unease with unfamiliar technology and the lack of an adequate recharging infrastructure -- will need to be overcome before sales increase."

The line between American cars and imports has been hazy for years, and the latest announcement from Toyota makes it even more so.

Toyota today announced plans to export U.S.-assembled Camry sedans to South Korea. Initial forecasts are that about 6,000 Camrys will be exported annually.

The Camrys will be produced at Toyota’s manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Ky.  The plant is Toyota’s largest manufacturing facility outside of Japan, employing nearly 7,000 workers directly and creating nearly 20,000 additional jobs with vendors and suppliers in Kentucky and other states.

“We are pleased with the reaction that the redesigned Camry is receiving from our customers, and the sales success it is having in the U.S. and overseas,” said Yoshimi Inaba, president and COO of Toyota Motor North America, Inc.  “The export of thousands of Camry vehicles to South Korea is an important development that builds on the great work of our talented U.S. team members as well as our extensive investments across North America."

The Toyota Camry has been the top-selling car in America for 13 of the past 14 years and a best-selling vehicle around the world. This is the first time the U.S.-assembled Camry will be exported outside of North America.  The vehicles are scheduled to arrive in South Korea beginning in January.

Since 1988 

Toyota began exporting U.S.-assembled vehicles in 1988. The  exports increased 30% in calendar year 2010 to approximately 100,000 units. Toyota now exports U.S.-assembled vehicles to 19 countries around the world.  The company began exporting Indiana-made Sienna minivans to South Korea last month.

Other exports include the Kentucky-produced Avalon sedan, the Indiana-produced Sequoia SUV and the Texas-produced Tacoma and Tundra pick-up trucks.

The Toyota Camry has been the best-selling car in America for nine years running and 13 of the last 14 years. Since it was introduced in 1983, more than 8.5 million vehicles have been sold in the U.S. and 15 million worldwide. For the past three years, the Camry has also been named the “Most American Car” in Cars.com’s annual American Made Index. 

Toyota says it is recalling 420,000 vehicles solid in the U.S. because of potential problems in the steering.

The carmaker said the recall includes certain models of the 2004 Avalon; the 2004 and 2005 Camry, Highlander, Sienna, and Solar and the 2006 Highlander HV. Some Lexus models - the 2004 and 2005 ES330 and RX330 and the 2006 RX400h – are also included in the recall.

Toyota says the issue involves the misalignment of the outer and inner rings of the crankshaft pully. If not corrected, the driver could lose the use of power steering.

Toyota has ordered recalls in the past to deal with steering problems. In 2006 the company recalled 2003 to 2005 Prius models to repair a flaw that could cause drivers to lose control of steering. Then last year Toyota recalled approximately 373,000 2000-2004 Model Year Toyota Avalons sold in the United States because the vehicle's steering lock bar could break under certain conditions.

Despite the recalls, at least one Prius driver is still having problems.

“We own a 2005 Toyota Prius,” Ray, of Denver, Colo., told ConsumerAffairs.com in September. “Recently, the steering made a grinding sound and then broke completely, leaving the car utterly uncontrollable. Luckily, no one was hurt in the failure, this time. We checked and found that Toyota had issued a recall for this exact failure, but they claim they had already repaired this car in 2006. Obviously not.”

Ray reports the repair bill topped $2,300, as the air bag sensors were damaged when the steering sheared off in his wife's hands.

Toyota will not be sending out formal notifications in this latest recall until January, but the company said owners should make earlier appointments if the hear abnormal noises coming from their vehicles' steering columns.

Toyota is recalling 550,000 vehicles worldwide after discovering a potential flaw that may suddenly affect steering.

The company said 283,200 Toyota and 137,000 Lexus vehicles are being recalled to replace the crankshaft pulley on the V6 engine.

There is a possibility that the outer ring of the crankshaft pulley may become misaligned with the inner ring, causing noise and/or illumination of the discharge warning light. If this condition is not corrected, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley and the driver may notice a sudden increase in steering effort.

There have been no reports of accidents or injuries.

The vehicles involved are certain:

• 2004 Avalon
• 2004 and 2005 Camry, Highlander, Sienna, and Solara
• 2006 Highlander HV
• 2004 and 2005 ES330 and RX330
• And 2006 RX400h

No other Toyota or Lexus vehicles or these Toyota models with 4-cylinder engines are involved. 

Toyota is currently working on obtaining the necessary replacement parts. Once the replacement parts have been produced in sufficient quantities, Toyota will send an owner notification by first class mail advising owners to make an appointment with an authorized Toyota or Lexus dealer to have the crankshaft pulley inspected and if necessary, replaced at no charge. The owner notifications will be mailed by first class mail beginning in January, 2012. 

In the meantime, if an abnormal noise is heard coming from the engine compartment, the owner is asked to make an appointment with any Toyota or Lexus dealer to have the vehicle inspected for this condition. 

Detailed information and answers to questions are available to customers at www.toyota.com/recall and the Toyota Customer Experience Center (1 800-331-4331) or www.lexus.com/recall and Lexus Customer Satisfaction (1 800-255-3987). 

About 80 percent of the vehicles are in the U.S., Amiko Tomita, a spokeswoman for the automaker said today.

Toyota recalled the vehicles to replace the crankshaft pulley on the V6 engine, Tomita said. No accidents have been reported, she said.

"If this condition is not corrected, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley and the driver may notice a sudden increase in steering effort," Toyota said in a statement.

The vehicles being recalled are the 2004 Avalon, the 2004 and 2005 Camry and 2006 Highlander HV. Within the Lexus brand, the 2004 and 2005 ES330, the RX330 and the 2006 RX400h are being recalled, according to the statement.

Toyota recalled millions of U.S. vehicles last year and in 2009, mostly for defects related to unintended acceleration, and paid a record $48.8 million in fines because of the way some of the recalls were conducted.

The recalls caused the company to briefly halt sales of some models in 2010 and contributed to its 0.4 percent U.S. sales decrease last year, the only such decline among large automakers.

The carmaker recalled 1.7 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles in January for defects in fuel pipes and pumps, pressure sensors and spare tire carriers. It called back 2.17 million in February for carpet and floor-mat flaws that could jam gas pedals.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111109/COPY01/311099837/1292#ixzz1dDa0lCt3

Porsche owners fumed when Porsche A.G. began churning out the big Cayenne SUV. Heresy, they harrumphed. Now, of course, the Cayenne is Porsche's biggest seller in the United States, followed by the equally gargantuan Panamera four-door sedan.

Since Prius is to greenies as Porsche is to those locked perennially in mid-life crisis mode, might we expect a similar reaction to the introduction of the Prius V, a tall hybrid hatchback with more cargo space than most crossovers and compact SUVs?

The V adds about 230 pounds of weight as well as six inches of length and three inches of height to the diminutive dimensions of the original, and that equates to a fuel economy loss of about 16 percent, for an overall 42 mpg rating.

That still puts it well ahead of nearly any of its gas-powered competitors, which would have to strain some to hit 30 mpg. Despite the bigger bulk, Toyota promises the V will display acceleration equal to a standard Prius.

The "V?" It stands for "versalitility," Toyota tells us.

“The Prius v brings leading-edge hybrid technology to customers who need more room and provides more cargo space than 80 percent of all small SUVs,” said Toyota Division Group Vice President and General Manager Bob Carter. “And because it’s a Prius, it produces 66 percent fewer smog-forming emissions than the average new vehicle and will have the best mileage ratings of any SUV, crossover, or wagon sold in America. We think that’s a win-win for everybody.”

Of course, it comes with an AM/FM/CD audio system with Bluetooth, USB and iPod connectivity. It will also feature the optional EnTune "telematics" system, which means it can connect to Bing, pandora, OpenTable and so forth, just in case the driving gets too dull.

Speaking of sound, the Prius V automatically generates what Toyota calls a "low whirring noise" at around-town speeds, alerting pedestrians and wandering hounds to its approach.

If that's not enough, the car features what Toyota calls "anti-porpoise" technology. It is said to modulate the throttle to keep the car from undulating over those pesky freeway expansion joints. Reviews who've driven the car give it overall high marks but warn that the extra height and a 60-40 front-to-rear weight balance make it ill-suited to any funny stuff in the curves.

The Prius V is expected to make its debut in American showrooms this fall.

A panel of experts appointed by Toyota says the automaker hasn't done enough to address the safety problems that have plagued the company and its customers.

The panel headed by former U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater said the recalls of more than 10 million vehicles since 2009 were largely attributable to Toyota's centralized decision-making process and the company "skepticism and defensiveness" towards consumers, Automotive News reported.

But the panel said it is optimistic about Toyota's future, noting that a federal investigation found no electronic causes for instances of unintended acceleration and crediting the company with being "eager to implement positive changes."

In its 60-page report, the panel said Toyota still needs to give local managers more authority. The company has said it will establish regional advisory committees for North America, Europe and Asia, but the panel said it doubts that will be adequate.

"Toyota needs to continue to adjust its balance between global and local control, giving weight to local control in order to improve its communications and speed in responding to qualify and safety issues," the panel said.

Toyota paid nearly $50 million in fines in the U.S. last year and millions more conducting recalls and fighting lawsuits, most of them related to alleged incidents of unintended acceleration.

Some critics have claimed that Toyota's electronic acceleration system is to blame for the incidents but federal investigators found no evidence to support that. Instead, misplaced floor mats and other mechanical causes were blamed for most of the incidents in which a cause could be found.

Toyota is recalling 2.17 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles in the United States to inspect and, if necessary, replace accelerator pedals that may get trapped in floor mats or carpeting. Toyota conducted a massive recall in 2009 to address the same problem.

Toyota said 20,000 2006 and early 2007 Lexus GS 300 and GS 350 all-wheel-drive sedans will be recalled to modify the shape of the plastic pad embedded in the driver's side floor carpet. Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified in early March.

If the floor carpet around the accelerator pedal is not properly replaced after service, Toyota said there is a possibility that the plastic pad embedded into the floor carpet may interfere with operation of the accelerator pedal.

If this occurs, the accelerator pedal may become temporarily stuck in a partially depressed position rather than returning to the idle position. Toyota said it recently received two complaints about the problem.

In addition, Toyota is recalling 372,000 2004 through 2006 and early 2007 Lexus RX 330, RX 350, and RX 400h units, and about 397,000 Toyota Highlander and Highlander HV vehicles sold from the 2004 through 2006 model years to replace the driver's side floor carpet cover and its two retention clips.

The Japanese automaker has now recalled a total of 19.2 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles worldwide and more than 13.7 million in the United States to address safety problems since the fall of 2009.

It was just a few weeks ago that federal safety regulators found that Toyota's unintended acceleration incidents were not caused by the automaker's electronic system. But that doesn't mean there haven't been any incidents.

Now Toyota is recalling 2.17 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles in the United States to inspect and, if necessary, replace accelerator pedals that may get trapped in floor mats or carpeting. Toyota conducted a massive recall in 2009 to address the same problem.

A 10-month investigation by NASA engineers determined that electronic flaws were not to blame for widespread consumer complaints of unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus models, the U.S. Department of Transportation said this month.

The Japanese automaker has now recalled a total of 19.2 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles worldwide and more than 13.7 million in the United States to address safety problems since the fall of 2009.

Toyota said 20,000 2006 and early 2007 Lexus GS 300 and GS 350 all-wheel-drive sedans will be recalled to modify the shape of the plastic pad embedded in the driver's side floor carpet. Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified in early March.

If the floor carpet around the accelerator pedal is not properly replaced after service, Toyota said there is a possibility that the plastic pad embedded into the floor carpet may interfere with operation of the accelerator pedal.

If this occurs, the accelerator pedal may become temporarily stuck in a partially depressed position rather than returning to the idle position. Toyota said it recently received two complaints about the problem.

In addition, Toyota is recalling 372,000 2004 through 2006 and early 2007 Lexus RX 330, RX 350, and RX 400h units, and about 397,000 Toyota Highlander and Highlander HV vehicles sold from the 2004 through 2006 model years to replace the driver's side floor carpet cover and its two retention clips.

Not electronic

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said on Feb. 8 that federal investigators had found no evidence the automaker's electronic throttle system played a part in incidents of unintended acceleration.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched the study ten months ago and called on NASA engineers to help determine whether cases of unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus models were caused by any cause other than sticky gas pedals and floor mats that trapped the gas pedals.

“We enlisted the best and brightest engineers to study Toyota’s electronics system, and the verdict is in. There is no electronic-based cause for unintended, high-speed acceleration in Toyotas.” LaHood said.

Toyota won a major victory today as U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said federal investigators had found no evidence the automaker's electronic throttle system played a part in incidents of unintended acceleration.

"There is no electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas," LaHood said in a statement issued to news organizations.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched the study ten months ago and called on NASA engineers to help determine whether cases of unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus models were caused by any cause other than sticky gas pedals and floor mats that trapped the gas pedals.

“We enlisted the best and brightest engineers to study Toyota’s electronics system, and the verdict is in. There is no electronic-based cause for unintended, high-speed acceleration in Toyotas.” LaHood said, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The finding is a major victory for Toyota, which has recalled more than 18 million vehicles since 2009. Five million of those recalls were to fix floor mat problems and four million were to fix gas pedals that were prone to stick.

Toyota faces hundreds of lawsuits filed on behalf of victims of accidents blamed on unintended acceleration. It has already paid $48 million in fines in three separate cases and faces potential liabilities of $10 billion or more in the cases that are still pending.

Human error

While the report exonerated Toyota's electronic throttle system, it did not directly examine the prevalence of pedals that became trapped in place by floor mats or pedals that stuck in the open position.

However, the report said that most of the incidents NASA and DOT engineers examined occurred at low speed and appeared to be caused by driver error, with the driver inadvertently stepping on the gas rather than the brake, or in some bases depressing both pedals at once.

The few high-speed incidents that have been documented were likely caused by the floor mat jamming the accelerator pedal into the wide-open position, investigators said.

A federal judge in Santa Ana, Calif., has refused to dismiss about a dozen cases charging that Toyota failed to inform consumers about a defect in the antilock braking systems of certain Prius and Lexus models.

U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney ruled that the plaintiffs had established enough evidence to proceed under California's Unfair Competition Law and Consumers Legal Remedies Act as well as the implied warranty laws of various states.

The case was filed last February after Toyota recalled 150,000 Priuses and Lexus HS-250h models from the 2010 model year because of a defect in their antilock braking systems.

The suits claim that Toyota refused to repair the alleged defect. Furthermore, they say, Toyota knew about the alleged defect as early as 2004.

The claims were brought on behalf of consumers who bought or leased a 2004 to 2009 Prius, 2006 to 2010 Highland Hybrid, 2006 through 2008 Lexus RX 400h, or 2010 Lexus RX 450h. The suits allege that the antilock braking systems do not engage properly, causing drivers to take longer to stop.

The results included accidents that cost plaintiffs "several thousand dollars worth of damage to their cars and other's cars," according to Carney's order.

At the time of the Feb. 9, 2010, recall, ConsumerAffairs.com reported that, although the recall was limited to 2010 models, owners of Priuses from other model years had reported similar problems.

“From day one I have noticed the brakes do not work properly,” Lisa of South Salt lake, Utah, said. “At first I thought it was just a terrible car for rain or snow but it was having problems in the slightest rain shower.

“Now that I'm aware of the brakes slipping I've noticed it's every day, the roads will be perfectly dry, I have brand new tires, the brake pads just barely checked at the dealer, but if I hit a bump I have no brakes,” she said.

Toyota said it would update software in the vehicles' anti-lock brake system. The ABS, in normal operation, engages and disengages rapidly as the control system senses and reacts to tire slippage.

The brake problem recall came on top of the highly-publicized “sudden acceleration” recall that prompted Toyota to not only recall eight popular models of its cars, but to temporarily suspend their sale in the U.S.

Responding to Judge Carney's ruling, Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons said: "We are confident Plaintiffs will be unable to introduce evidence that actually proves the allegations in their complaint that the Court relied on in denying Toyota's motion."
Sudden acceleration

Another case in the Santa Ana court involves more than 200 claims associated with unintended acceleration. On Nov. 19, U.S. District Judge James Selna refused to dismiss economic damages claims brought by consumers against Toyota and, on Dec. 8, refused to dismiss claims that the alleged defect caused injuries or death.

Toyota Motor Corporation has agreed to pay an additional $32.425 million in civil penalties as the result of two separate government investigations into its handling of auto recalls.

The automaker will pay the maximum fines allowable under the law -- $16.375 million in one case and $16.050 million in the other -- in response to the Transportation Department's (DOT) assertion that it failed to comply with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act for reporting safety defects to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

"Safety is our top priority and we take our responsibility to protect consumers seriously," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "I am pleased that Toyota agreed to pay the maximum possible penalty and I expect Toyota to work cooperatively in the future to ensure consumers' safety."

Accelerator probe

The first investigation resulted in a $16.375 million fine and involved Toyota's recall of nearly five million vehicles with accelerator pedals that can become entrapped by floor mats. As its initial remedy, Toyota recalled 55,000 all-weather floor mats on September 26, 2007.

In August 2009, a fatal crash in Santee, California, occurred as the result of pedal entrapment in a loaner Lexus equipped with an all-weather floor mat intended for another Lexus model. After the fatal crash, NHTSA reviewed crash evidence and other data, and found that removing floor mats was insufficient and that there was a need to redesign the accelerator pedal.

At NHTSA's urging, Toyota then conducted a recall for 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles for floor mat entrapment on October 5, 2009. The October recall was expanded on January 27, 2010, to include another 1.1 million vehicles.

In February 2010, NHTSA launched an investigation to determine when Toyota first learned of the pedal entrapment defect and whether the company notified NHTSA in a timely manner. Federal law requires all auto manufacturers to notify NHTSA within five business days of determining that a safety defect exists and to promptly conduct a recall.

NHTSA's investigation led the agency to believe that Toyota had not fulfilled its obligation to report a known safety defect within five days, as is required under the law.

The defects involving pedal entrapment by floor mats and "sticking" accelerator pedals are currently the only two known causes of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles, although NHTSA continues to explore other possible causes.

The agency has enlisted the expertise of researchers and engineers from the prestigious National Academy of Sciences and NASA for a pair of studies that seek to get to the bottom of unintended acceleration.

Steering control probe

The second investigation resulted in a $16.050 million fine. In that case, NHTSA investigated whether Toyota properly notified the agency of a safety defect in several Toyota models that could result in the loss of steering control. In 2004, Toyota conducted a recall in Japan for Hilux trucks with steering relay rods prone to fatigue cracking and breaking, causing the vehicle to lose steering control.

At that time, Toyota informed NHTSA that the safety defect was isolated to vehicles in Japan and that the company had not received similar field information within the United States. In 2005, however, Toyota informed NHTSA that the steering relay rod defect was present in several models sold in the U.S. and conducted a recall for nearly one million vehicles.

Then, in May 2010, NHTSA was alerted to additional information, including complaints from U.S. consumers, that Toyota had not disclosed when it initially notified NHTSA that a U.S. recall was unnecessary.

"Automakers are required to report any safety defects to NHTSA swiftly, and we expect them to do so," said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. "NHTSA acknowledges Toyota's efforts to make improvements to its safety culture, and our agency will continue to hold all automakers accountable for defects to protect consumers' safety."

Payments

Toyota will pay the maximum in civil penalties for each of the two violations stemming from the pedal entrapment and steering relay rod recalls. The maximum civil penalty established under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act is adjusted for inflation, and was set at $16.050 million at the time of the steering relay rod recall in 2005.

In April, Toyota agreed to pay the maximum penalty of $16.375 million in response to the Department's assertion that it failed to notify NHTSA within five days of learning of the "sticky pedal" defect. That brings the total civil penalties assessed for Toyota in 2010 to $48.8 million. The fines will be paid into the Treasury Department's General Fund.

A faulty coolant pump that causes an overheating problem has triggered a recall of about 650,000 Toyota Prius models, most of them sold in the U.S.

The repairs cover the 2004 to 2007 model years. The flaw can cause the car to overheat and, ultimately lose power. Toyota said there are no safety issues involved in the action. It says it has received o reports of any accidents for injuries from the problem.

As part of the repair, Toyota will replace the coolant pumps in affected vehicles. The pump design allows air bubbles to enter the system, with the result that the flow of coolant is slowed. With less coolant getting to vital engine parts, the systems begin to overheat.

The first indication that something is amiss is a dashboard warning light. Left unattended, Toyota said the engine will begin to reduce power to protect itself.

Owners of affected models should expect to begin hearing from Toyota throughout December. They will be instructed where to take their cars for the needed repairs.

Toyota said it would cover the cost of the repairs, with includes the new pump and more than $100 in labor.