The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·13V383000·Announced 2013-08-28

Toyota Recalls RAV4 and Lexus HS 250h for Rear Suspension Defect

Toyota is recalling 2006-2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS 250h vehicles because rear tie rods may fail, causing loss of vehicle control.

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 (rear tie rod failure) that can cause loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash, meeting the criteria for a Severe rating.

Plain-English summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles. The recall covers approximately 780,584 vehicles manufactured between October 2005 and September 2010. The defect involves the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod), which may develop unwanted movement and rust if the nuts for adjusting rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service. This can lead to thread damage and eventual failure of the component.

Failure of the rear tie rod will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment. This could result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. No specific dates for when the defect occurs are provided, but the issue is linked to improper tightening during service.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tie rods and replace any that have rust or corrosion on the alignment adjustment threads. All rear tie rods will then be encased in an epoxy to prevent future environmental damage. The recall remedy will be launched in phases from September 2013 through mid-April 2014 due to parts limitations. This recall supersedes previous recall 12V-373, and vehicles previously remedied must be re-inspected.

The recalled product

Product
LEXUS, TOYOTA HS 250 HYBRID, RAV4
Brand
LEXUS
Manufacturer
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Category
Vehicle — SUV / Crossover
Hazard
Affected units
780,584

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 (2)

  • HS 250 HYBRID
  • RAV4

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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