Fire risk prompts Toyota recall of Camry, Sienna, Highlander, Lexus RX
Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it will recall about 20,000 model year 2014 Avalon, Camry, Highlander and Sienna vehicles and model year 2015 Lexus RX sport-utility vehicles equipped with a certain engine.
The automaker said that in cars sold with its 2GR-FE V-6 engine, the end cap on the right-hand fuel delivery pipe in the engine compartment could have been insufficiently welded during manufacturing by the supplier.
In that condition, fuel could leak from the fuel delivery pipe, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire, according to Toyota.
Toyota said it does not know of any fires, crashes, injuries or fatalities caused by the faulty weld. Owners of the vehicles involved will receive a notification by mail in a new federally mandated recall envelope.
In an effort to get more people to have recalled cars repaired, safety regulators have standardized recall notices sent to vehicle owners. They believe this will make the notices more prominent and prevent consumers from confusing them with advertisements and other mail.
The envelope says “Safety Recall Notice” in large red letters across its lower right corner and features the logos of the Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Toyota said that when owners take their cars back to the dealers, mechanics will inspect the fuel delivery pipe. If it was produced by the supplier responsible for the bad welds, it will be replaced, the company said. Toyota did not name the supplier.
Automakers have recalled about 46 million vehicles so far this year, a record for the industry.
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