Plano, Texas – Jan. 18, 2018 – Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing recently issued a recall of nearly 650 vehicles across a number of its most popular models over concerns that a software error led to incorrect information being printed on capacity labels, according to a filing made with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The recall includes the following types of Toyota vehicles:
- 4Runner light SUVs produced in the 2017 and 2018 model years, produced from July 11 to Oct. 6, 2017.
- Highlander SUVs from the 2018 model year produced between Oct. 24 and 26, 2017.
- RAV4 light SUVs from the 2018 model year produced from Sept. 11 to 25, 2017.
- Sienna minivans from the 2017 model year, produced on Oct. 12, 2017.
- Tacoma trucks from the 2017 model year, produced from July 11 to Nov. 2, 2017.
- Tundra trucks from the 2017 and 2018 model years, produced from July 11 to Nov. 4, 2017.
The recall also includes Lexus GX460 SUVs from the 2018 model year, produced from Aug. 9 to Oct. 20, 2017.
The Defect
Due to the programming error, which led to incorrect accessory weight calculations, labels about the vehicles’ load-carrying capacities were printed with the incorrect information. That issue, in turn, means the vehicles do not meet basic Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards requirements. Moreover, drivers who overload their vehicles based on the inaccurate information could increase their risk of a crash.
All vehicles in the recall are expected to carry this defect, but not all of them were sold in the U.S.
Timeline of Events
In late November, Toyota received information from a vehicle processing center that indicated a number of trucks and SUVs had been given load-carrying capacity labels with inaccurate information, and the issue was quickly tracked back to a software error that was corrected in short order.
The company then determined that the affected period in which the incorrect information was being printed lasted from Sept. 7 to Nov. 17, 2017 and conducted a review of affected vehicles based on their vehicle identification numbers to determine the extent of the issue and find out whether the software error resulted in noncompliance with the FMVSS.
On Dec. 14, 2017, Toyota noted that the incorrect labels did put the vehicles outside FMVSS requirements and initiated the recall.
The Solution
Toyota has already begun mailing replacement labels and instructions to owners of affected vehicles via first-class mail. Because all these vehicles were still under their New Vehicle Limited Warranties, the company would have covered any associated repair costs free of charge.
The automaker notified dealers of the recall on Dec. 20, 2017, and planned to mail the replacement labels and instructions to vehicle owners from Jan. 15, 2018 to Feb. 18, 2018.
