More than 600,000 Toyota pickup trucks and SUVs in the United States were voluntarily recalled over the past week because of different issues that could increase the risk of crashes, the vehicle manufacturer said.
The first announcement, on Feb. 21, stated that about 280,000 vehicles, including Toyota Tundra, Tundra Hybrid and Lexus LX600 vehicles from the model years 2022-2024 and Sequoia Hybrid vehicles issued from 2023-2024, were recalled because “certain parts of the transmission may not immediately disengage when the vehicle is shifted to the neutral position,” Toyota said in a statement.
The defect “can allow some engine power to continue to be transferred to the wheels and can allow the vehicle to inadvertently creep forward at a low speed when it is on a flat surface and no brakes are applied, leading to an increased risk of a crash,” Toyota said.
A defect information report posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website said that affected vehicles could “inadvertently creep forward at a low speed (up to approximately 4 m.p.h.).”
The second recall, announced on Tuesday, affected roughly 381,000 Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks from 2022 and 2023, according to the company.
Toyota said in a statement that welding debris left on the ends of the rear-axle assembly could “cause nuts to loosen over time and eventually fall off, potentially causing a part to separate from the axle.
“If separation occurs, this can affect vehicle stability and brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash,” Toyota said.
Amanda Roark, a spokeswoman for Toyota, said in an email that only the Tacoma model from 2022 and 2023 is “ affected by this recall.”
“If the vehicle is operated with loosened nuts, the driver may experience a vibration, hear an abnormal noise, and/or observe leaking of differential oil,” she said.
Toyota declined to comment on whether any of the issues that prompted the recalls had led to any crashes or injuries.
Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified of the recalls by late April, Toyota said, and they should go to their local dealerships for the appropriate repairs.