Plano, TX – August 5, 2023 – Toyota (NYSE:TM), which also owns the Lexus brand, has recalled 43,442 SUVs because their charging system may short circuit and overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.
The following vehicles are affected by this recall:
- 2021 – 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime
- 2022 Lexus NX450H+
Recall summary
Plug-in hybrids have two electrical systems – a high-current one to drive the wheels and a 12-volt system to power other components, such as lights or power windows. In between, there is a converter, which negotiates this voltage difference and ensures the 12-volt battery is being recharged.
In affected vehicles, the converter may develop an electrical short due to damage “during production by the supplier.” This may cause it to overheat, augmenting the risk of fire.
Recall risks
You can find out all about fire-related risks in this Hyundai recall from July 2022.
Other Toyota recalls
Some of these SUVs may have been affected by a Toyota recall caused by a potential loss of stability, which took place in May 2022, as reported
More recently, in October 2022, more than 83,000 Lexus SUVs and Toyota trucks were recalled because their parking brakes would stop working, also as reported.
The repair
Dealers will replace the faulty converters with improved ones free of charge.
In the meantime, Toyota advises owners “not to charge their vehicles when the ambient air temperature is below or expected to drop below 41 degrees Fahrenheit”.
Owners should be notified between August 7, 2023, and September 10, 2023.
Is your vehicle a part of this recall?
More than 40,000 SUVs are affected by this Toyota hybrid fire recall. To do a Toyota recall check and see if yours is one of them, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
