Toyota RAV4 Recall - Information & Updates

This will go down in automotive history as one of the weirdest automotive recalls of all time.

Toyota has issued a global safety recall on 6.58 million vehicles, with the impact hitting the popular Hilux ute, RAV4 SUV and Yaris small car.Statements issued by Toyota Australia today said that 179,000 of the Hiluxes built between April 2004 and December 2009 have been recalled for a defect that could see a cable between the steering wheel and  column sustain damage when the wheel is turned, activating the airbag warning light and preventing the driver's airbag from deployingA separate safety recall on 118,600 of the Yaris hatches and sedans built between June 2005 and May 2010 is to fix a defective seat track spring on the driver's and front passenger's seats. The statement says the spring can break and become stuck, giving the false impression that the seat is properly locked in place.In the meantime, the Yaris can still be driven but if there is any difficulty in locking the seats in position, owners should contact a dealer to arrange an inspection. The repairs will take about 1.5 hours for the five-door hatch and sedan, and about three hours for the three-door hatch in which the front passenger seat will also have to be removed.The number of RAV4s being recalled is not yet confirmed. Toyota says neither of the problems with the Hilux and Yaris have resulted in any accidents or injuries in Australia. Vehicle owners are being contacted by Toyota, but can get more information on the brand's campaign helpline on 1800 643 242. 

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The company admits there is a potential problem with the rear suspension of the popular SUV but says it has no plans for a safety-related recall. Instead, it intends to notify owners of more than 65,000 cars by letter, advising an inspection at a Toyota dealership.In the USA, the RAV is the subject of a major recall involving more than 778,000 vehicles -- the others are the Lexus HS250h sedan not sold here -- that continues a long string of safety scares for the world's best selling carmaker.Toyota recalled more than 3 million vehicles last year in the USA, including a group of RAVs built in 2007 and 2008, because there was potential for their airbags to fire without warning. The RAV is also being investigated by the Federal government over door fires potentially linked to electric-window switches.In Australia, there was a recall in November involving 21,792 locally-made Camrys over a steering issue. In the latest case involving the RAV4, the problem has been traced to insufficient tightening of rear-suspension nuts after a wheel alignment. This can lead to wear and potential failure of a rear-suspension arm.Six case of failure have been reported in Australia but company spokesman Beck Angel says there have been no crashes attributable to the problem. Even so, owners of 66,377 RAVs built between October 2005 and November 2010 will be contacted by Toyota Australia.“The rest of the regions -- Japan, Oceania, Europe, Asia and others -- will conduct a customer review,'' she says. ``North American dealers conduct a rear wheel alignment before the cars go to the customers. Other regions don't do that. So the problem is more likely in North America.“In Australia, the customer review is more precautionary.'' Toyota says the problem is attributed to insufficient tightening of the rear suspension bolts. No accidents attributable to the problem have been reported to Toyota. Ms Angel says in Australia, 66,377 RAV4s, built from October 2005 to November 2010, are affected.Toyota will notify owners by letter and request a vehicle inspection at a Toyota service centre. There is concern that some vehicles have changed owners and may not be able to be contacted by Toyota. ``We will notify all automotive groups and associations to capture those cars that are no longer on our records,'' Ms Angel says.

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