Toyota Recalls 2012: Latest Recall Involves RAV4, Lexas HS 250h Vehicles
Toyota Motor Corp. has announced a voluntary safety recall on certain RAV4s and 2010 Lexus HS 250hs due to suspension problems discovered in the affected vehicles.
The latest recall by the automotive giant covers 760,000 RAV4s, its top-selling SUV, from the 2006 to early 2011 model years, and 18,000 Lexus HS 250h hybrid sedans from the 2010 model year.
In a press release published on their official website Wednesday, the company wrote:
“Toyota has determined that if the nuts on the rear suspension arm are not tightened following the proper procedure and torque specification during a rear wheel alignment service, excessive play may occur at the threaded portion of the arm, followed by rust formation,” the company said on its website. “If this were to occur, the threaded portion of the rear suspension arm may wear and cause the arm to separate.”
According to Reuters, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in a defect investigation opened June 4 into a similar problem with 2006-2008 Toyota RAV4s, said the rear suspension arm assembly “may fail due to corrosion, potentially causing a loss of vehicle control.”
While Toyota gave no immediate solutions to the suspension problems, they did reveal they were developing a plan to fix the issue and will notify owners by mail when it’s time to take them to dealers for a free repair.
In the meantime, the company says drivers should contact their dealers if they hear an abnormal sound in the rear of the vehicle.
For more information about this Toyota recall, customers are being advised to visit www.toyota.com/recall and call the Toyota Customer Experience Center (1 800-331-4331) or www.lexus.com/recall and Lexus Customer Satisfaction (1 800-255-3987).
