Skip to main content

Toyota to recall nearly 700,000 newer vehicles that could stall mid-drive

Toyota announced this week it is recalling almost 700,000 of its vehicles in the U.S. to fix a faulty fuel pump, which, if it fails, could lead to a stall, increasing the chances of an accident.

The safety recall, announced by the Japanese automaker on Monday, January 13, involves certain 2018-2019 model year Lexus LS 500, LC 500, RC 350, RC 300, GS 350, IS 300, ES 350, LX 570, GX 460, and RX 350 vehicles; 2019 Lexus NX 300, RX 350L, and GS 300 vehicles; 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner, Camry, Highlander, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma, and Tundra vehicles; and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla vehicles.

Approximately 696,000 cars are involved in the recall, Toyota said, all of them fitted with a fuel pump that has the potential to stop operating as it should.

Toyota: “Could increase crash risk”

“If this were to occur, warning lights and messages may be displayed on the instrument panel, and the engine may run rough,” Toyota said in a notice posted on its website at the start of the week. “This can result in a vehicle stall, and the vehicle may be unable to be restarted. If a vehicle stall occurs while driving at higher speeds, this could increase the risk of a crash.”

Toyota said it is currently investigating this issue and plans to develop a solution when it fully understands the situation.  When the remedy becomes available, all known owners of the affected automobiles will be notified by first class mail by mid-March 2020. Arrangements will then be made to take the vehicle to the nearest dealer for the necessary repairs, which will, of course, be done at no cost to the car’s owner.

Asked by Digital Trends if the fuel pump issue has led to any accidents or injuries, Toyota declined to comment.

To find out if your vehicle is involved in a safety recall — whether this one or another one previously issued by Toyota — visit Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or license plate information.

The car giant also offers customer support via the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331 or the Lexus Guest Experience Center at 1-800-255-3987, so get in touch if you have any queries.

Toyota’s recall is the first major one of the year by a single automaker, though judging by recent years, we can expect many more as 2020 rolls on.

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Tesla recalls nearly 10,000 Model X and Model Y vehicles
tesla driver selection process model x crashes 1200x0

Tesla is recalling nearly 10,000 of its Model X and Model Y vehicles to sort out a couple of safety issues.
Model X
Announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this week, the recall includes 9,136 Model X cars from model year 2016. It concerns a potential issue with two external trims, or appliques, which could come away from the top of the car as it’s in motion, risking the safety of the occupants of a vehicle following close behind.

As per the NHTSA: “The Model X is equipped with a cosmetic applique at the front of the roof just behind the windshield, known as the front applique, as well as an applique at the center of the roof in between the upper falcon door roof glass, known as the spine applique. Both appliques are adhered to the vehicle using urethane. If the applique-to-urethane interface lacks primer, then, over time, the adhesion may weaken, causing the applique to separate from the vehicle.”

Read more
Ford recalls 230,000 vehicles over suspension issue that could cause a crash
ford recall concerns steering wheels logo

Yet another vehicle recall has come to our attention. And this one affects nearly a quarter of a million motors.

American car giant Ford said this week it’s calling in around 230,000 select 2013-18 Ford Flex, Ford Taurus Police Interceptor Sedan, Ford Taurus SHO, and Lincoln MKT vehicles over safety concerns.

Read more
GM recalls 640,000 vehicles for carpet fire risk
2019 Chevrolet Silverado Full Line review

General Motors notified dealers recently about a recall of 640,000 2019 and 2020 Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierras at risk of carpet fires, according to a November 14 NHTSA safety recall report. Included in the recall: the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 and the heavy-duty Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500/3500 trucks.

"Following a crash that causes the seatbelt pretensioners to deploy, smoke or a burning odor from the area at the base of the B-pillar may be noticeable before a fire propagates sufficiently to be visible," the report states. This applies only to listed models and year trucks with a carpeted interior; vehicles with a vinyl floor covering are not included.

Read more