Toyota Recalls 2012 Yaris Vehicles for Power Steering Defect
Toyota is recalling 2012 Yaris vehicles because a relay in the power steering system could short-circuit, disabling steering assistance and increasing crash risk.
What this means for you
Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).
The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.
Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect in the steering system that could disable power assistance, increasing the risk of a crash, which aligns with the 'Severe' criteria for significant injury risk.
Plain-English summary
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling certain model year 2012 Yaris vehicles manufactured between August 21, 2011, and August 31, 2011. The recall addresses a defect in the Power Steering Control Module of the electronic power steering system.
A relay in the module could experience a short circuit due to insufficient distance between terminals and moisture contamination of the relay coil windings. If this short circuit occurs, it could disable power steering assistance. If the power steering assistance shuts off, the driver may have difficulty steering the vehicle at low speeds, which increases the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering control module. The recall began on July 31, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
The recalled product
- Product
- TOYOTA YARIS
- Brand
- TOYOTA
- Manufacturer
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
- Category
- Vehicle — Steering System
- Affected units
- 74
Is your product affected?
Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.
Model numbers (1)
- YARIS
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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