Toyota Expected to Announce Recall for Rear Suspension Failure

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on August 8, 2012

Toyota is expected to announce another recall in the near future, but the company has not yet made the recall officials, as they are still formulating a plan to fix the problem. Responding to concerns from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Toyota is expected to recall around 778,000 RAV4 and Lexus HS 250h models for problems with rear suspension failures. Orlando Toyota recall accident attorney James O. Cunningham is monitoring developments in this recall very closely, as these failures can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles.

Toyota has acknowledged at least four incidents where corrosion has caused a rear suspension arm to fail, resulting in a rear wheel going severely out of alignment and causing drivers to lose control. Toyota reports that it is working on a solution and will alert owners by mail as soon as possible. Toyota models expected to be recalled include:

• Around 760,000 Toyota RAV4 models manufactured between 2006 and early 2011
• Around 18,000 Lexus HS 250h models from the 2010 model year

The NHTSA recently began investigating problems with rear suspension arms in these models after receiving seven complaints about RAV4 models from the 2006 through 2008 model years. These rear suspension arms, also called tie rods, failed in at least four RAV4 models while the drivers were going 35 or more miles per hour, causing drivers to lose control. Toyota reports that rust can collect on the nuts holding the arms in position if they are installed incorrectly after a rear-end alignment. The company recently issued a statement about the problem, which said:

"If the nuts on the rear suspension arm are not tightened following the proper procedure and torque specification during a rear wheel alignment service, excessive play may occur at the threaded portion of the arm, followed by rust formation. If this were to occur, the threaded portion of the rear suspension arm may wear and cause the arm to separate."

Owners of RAV4 and Lexus models who are wondering if their vehicles are affected by the recall can visit Toyota’s recall website at http://www.toyota.com/owners/web/pages/resources/recalls and enter their vehicle identification number. Toyota suggests "if a driver hears an abnormal noise from the rear of the vehicle, the driver should contact any authorized Toyota dealer for diagnosis." If owners have questions, they should call Toyota at 800-331-4331 or Lexus at 800-255-3987 for more information.

If you or a close family member has been injured in an accident caused by a rear suspension failure in a Toyota RAV4 or Lexus HS 250h and you would like more information about your legal options, call 800-425-2004 today. Mr. Cunningham is an Orlando personal injury attorney with a proven record of success helping people injured by defective products. Call today to schedule your free consultation.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.