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

By Trevor Mogg Published January 15, 2020

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.

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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.

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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.

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Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

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