In just a matter of days, Toyota has issued two recalls covering well over half a million vehicles. In total, 661,663 trucks and SUVs are potentially affected, with both recalls being driveline-related.
The largest recall covers approximately 381,000 Tacoma pickups from 2022 and 2023, according to Toyota. In a statement, the company says the rear axle assembly on some trucks could have welding debris on the ends, left during the manufacturing process. This could cause retaining nuts to loosen and possibly come off. Should that happen, Toyota states vehicle stability and braking performance might be negatively affected.
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There’s currently no information regarding potential crashes or injuries that may have already taken place. An official recall announcement and associated documents through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) haven’t been released yet, but we’ve contacted Toyota seeking a bit more information. We’ll jump in with an update once we get more details. For now, we can tell you that Toyota dealers will inspect rear axle assemblies for loose components and retighten or replace items as needed. Owners will be notified of the problem starting in April.
The second recall is a bit smaller, at 281,663 vehicles. But it covers more models. The Toyota Tundra (including Tundra Hybrid) and Lexus LX600 from 2022 through 2024 and Sequoias for 2023 and 2024 could experience unexpected movement if shifted into neutral. According to Toyota, clutch discs in the transmission may not immediately disengage in neutral. This could cause the vehicle to creep forward slowly, up to 4 mph. Toyota doesn’t 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’s ECU should take care of the problem. Dealers were notified on February 21; owner notification 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 most-recalled automaker in America for multiple years running. It started 2024 with a recall of two million Explorers.
