Toyota recalls 1.8 million RAV4 SUVs due to fire risk

The automaker is preparing a fix. “When a remedy is available, Toyota dealers will replace the battery retaining clip, battery tray and positive terminal cover” at no cost, she added. The company will notify affected customers by late December.

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The move comes after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in 2021 that it received 11 complaints alleging fires on the left side of the RAV4’s engine that were not caused by car crashes. The majority of the incidents occurred “during driving conditions, including four with the engine turned off,” the agency said in a statement. a report.

In December 2020, one RAV4 owner reported leaving the vehicle in a parking lot with the ignition off, according to NHTSA. The driver returned a few minutes later to find the car on fire. “The fire appears to have originated in front of the vehicle,” NHTSA wrote in a summary of the incident. Firefighters were called, but the car was a complete loss.

In August 2020, the owner of a 2017 RAV4 Hybrid said the vehicle was traveling 50 mph when warning messages began to appear on the dashboard display and white smoke began to emerge from under the hood. “Moments later, flames were coming from the engine compartment,” according to the NHTSA report. The car was destroyed during the accident.

“The total number of claims of vehicle battery fires due to the region of origin is greater than that of their counterparts,” NHTSA books.

Toyota representatives could not be reached for comment during after-business hours on Wednesday.