Deerfield Beach, Florida – Dec. 19, 2017 – Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC, recently issued a recall for 431 Toyota 4Runner sport utility vehicles from model years 2015 to 2018, citing concerns over the front grille of the vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The recall revolves around billet grille overlay kits sold by Southeast Toyota Distributors with U-nuts that can fracture, potentially leading the overlay to detach from the grille itself and potentially lead to a road hazard for following traffic. That, in turn, can increase the risk of crashes and injuries.
In all, 100 percent of the recalled vehicles are expected to have this issue, one from the 2015 model year, five from 2016, and the rest from either 2017 or 2018. These vehicles were produced from Dec. 5, 2014, to Oct. 26, 2017.
The Defect
Southeast Toyota Distributors began receiving accessory billet grille overlays in October 2014, but in mid-July 2017 those kits began coming with revised U-nuts treated with phosphate. Soon after, the organization began receiving reports from technicians about fractures, as well as two field reports in which the U-nuts fractured. However, only the newer U-nuts have reportedly fractured.
Timeline of Events
In November 2017, reports of these issues started to come into Southeast Toyota Dealers, leading to the company contacting the grille overlay supplier, T-Rex Truck Products in Corona, California. However, neither company could replicate the conditions that led to the phosphate-treated U-nuts fracturing, even when applying torque above and beyond normal conditions. Despite that, SET has issued a recall for all vehicles with the grille overlay made since the revised U-nut was added to the kit.
Beginning Nov. 20, the parts supplier is issuing new hardware for the grille overlay kits.
The Solution
SET is currently working with IHS Automotive to get as much current contact information for owners of the 4Runners in the recall, and will mail recall notification letters on or around Jan. 26, 2018. Dealers were already notified in late November.
Owners who take the vehicles into local dealerships will have the U-nuts replaced with upgraded hardware free of charge.
