In just a few days, Toyota issued two recalls covering more than half a million vehicles. A total of 661,663 trucks and SUVs are potentially affected, with both recalls being driveline-related.
The largest recall affects approximately 381,000 2022 and 2023 Tacoma pickup trucks, according to Toyota. In a statement, the company says the rear axle of some trucks may contain welding debris on the ends, left during the manufacturing process. This could cause the retaining nuts to loosen and possibly come loose. If this occurs, Toyota states that vehicle stability and braking performance could be affected.
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There is currently no information regarding any potential accidents or injuries that may have already occurred. An official recall announcement and associated documents through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have not yet been released, but we’ve reached out to Toyota for a little more information. We will update once we have more details. For now, we can tell you that Toyota dealers will inspect the rear axle assemblies for loose components and will tighten or replace the items as necessary. Owners will be informed of the problem starting in April.
The second recall is a little smaller, at 281,663 vehicles. But it covers more models. The 2022 to 2024 Toyota Tundra (including the Tundra Hybrid) and Lexus LX600 as well as the 2023 and 2024 Sequoias could experience unexpected movement if they go into neutral. According to Toyota, the transmission’s clutch plates may not disengage immediately in neutral. This could cause the vehicle to move slowly, up to 4 mph. Toyota does not mention any injuries or collisions related to this issue, but there are five field reports and one warranty claim.
This fix isn’t as complicated as the Tacoma’s. A software update to the transmission ECU should resolve the issue. Dealers were informed on February 21; notification to the owner will begin in April.
While 661,000 recalled vehicles is certainly a lot, Toyota has nothing on recall leader Ford. The Dearborn-based brand has the distinction of being the best-known automaker in America for several years running. The year 2024 began with the recall of two million Explorers.
