Over 100,000 SUVs and pickup trucks in the U.S. have been recalled by Toyota due to the potential for the car to stall because of debris buildup in the engine.
Included in the recall are some 2022-2023 Toyota Tundra pickup trucks and Lexus LX600 SUVs outfitted with Toyota’s V35A six-cylinder engine according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
NHTSA Issues Warning
There is potential for the engine to stall and lose drive power due to a manufacturing process which could contaminate the engine resulting in the main bearings failing.
According to Toyota in their news release Toyota and Lexus vehicles are involved in the recall totaling roughly 102,000 cars.
Statement from Toyota
In a statement from Toyota, the company said: “There is a possibility that certain machining debris may not have been cleared from the engine when it was produced.”
They went on to say: “In the involved vehicles, this can lead to potential engine knocking, engine rough running, engine no start and/or a loss of motive power. A loss of motive power while driving at higher speeds can increase the risk of a crash.”
Notice of Recall
Toyota has said that the affected vehicle owners will be contacted by late July for their recall request.
The defective V45A engine apparently contains crankshaft main bearings which permit the crankshaft to rotate within the engine assembly while running.
Production Period
As per a statement from Toyota to The Drive: “During a specific production period, there is a possibility that engine machining debris of a particular size and amount may not have been cleared from the engine during manufacturing.”
They went on to state that this then “Subsequently contaminated the engine assembly during the production process.”
Potential For Bearings to Fail
In their statement Toyota mentioned that: “if the aforementioned machining debris adheres to the bearings and operation of the engine continues at higher loads over time, failure of the bearings may occur.”
For now, it is recommended for those living in the U.S. and Canada who drive one of the recalled vehicles to turn on the feature which automatically locks the doors when shifting from Park.
Electric Latch Issue
This is the latest in a series of recalls from Toyota as last month roughly 55,000 Prius and Prius HEVs from 2023-2024 in the U.S. were identified to have an issue with the rear door electronic latches.
According to Toyota: “Water can enter and short-circuit the electronic rear door latches in the involved vehicles, if the doors are not locked they could open while the vehicle is moving or in a crash, increasing the risk of injury to occupants.”
Voluntary Recalls
For affected Prius’ owners can take their vehicle to a Toyota dealer in order to get their rear door opener switches swapped for “improved” switches at no charge.
The same issue has been noted in other 2023-2024 Prius and Prius HEVs outside of the U.S. with 156,000 vehicles recalled in Japan, North America, Europe and Asia.
More Serious Advisories
Other recalls have had more serious advisories attached to them including a ‘do not drive’ warning to owners of 50,000 car owners in January.
The affected Corolla, Corolla Matrix, and RAV4 vehicles had a potentially deadly airbag issue which Toyota said they would fix at no charge.
Takata Air Bag Recall
The airbags in the affected cars could lead to accidents for owners as the vehicles have a part “more likely to explore and shoot sharp metal fragments” according to Toyota.
The models are from 2003-2004 for the Corollas and Corolla Matrix cars along with 2004-2005 RAV4 vehicles.
Wider Issue
The NHTSA has recorded over 67 million cars that are at risk of potentially deadly accidents involving Takata air bags which necessitate recalls.
The faulty inflators have already caused 27 fatalities and roughly 400 injuries according to the road safety agency.
Rear Axle Fault
The Toyota Tacoma pickup saw 381,000 recalls due to a rear axle experiencing issues with parts falling off.
Toyota stated that: “Welding debris left on the ends of the rear axle assembly during manufacturing could cause certain retaining nuts to loosen over time and eventually fall off.”
The recent slate of Toyota recalls includes several models over different years so owners should be aware if their car is among the affected vehicles.
