460,000 Toyota and Lexus Vehicles Recalled to Fix Stability Control
These vehicles will need a free software update
By Keith Barry
Toyota announced that it is recalling about 460,000 vehicles from the 2020 through 2022 model years, including the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, RAV4 Hybrid, RAV4 Prime, and Venza SUVs, the Toyota Sienna minivan, the Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell sedan, the Lexus LS500h sedan, and the Lexus LX600, NX350h, and NX450h+ SUVs.
Because of a problem with the vehicles’ software, their electronic stability control (ESC) systems may not automatically turn on when the car is started. As a result, the vehicles are not in compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards. To fix this issue, Toyota dealerships will perform a software update, free of charge.
ESC is a critical safety feature that can keep a car from sliding out of control in a sharp turn. It can also avoid the types of crashes where vehicles are likely to roll over.
On all cars, if a vehicle’s ESC is turned off, you may see a steady warning light on your dashboard that looks like a car with two squiggly lines coming from the tires. (This light may also briefly illuminate when the ESC feature is actively keeping the car from skidding.) It may have the word “OFF” underneath it, or in Toyota and Lexus models it could say “VSC.” That last one stands for “vehicle stability control,” which is what Toyota calls ESC. You should be driving with ESC on, so if you see one of these lights, check your owners’ manual to learn how to turn ESC back on again (it’s usually by pushing a button with a similar logo.)
The Details
Vehicles Recalled
• 2020-2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV
• 2020-2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime SUV
• 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUV
• 2020-2022 Toyota Sienna minivan
• 2020-2022 Toyota Venza SUV
• 2020-2022 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell sedan
• 2020-2022 Lexus LS500h sedan
• 2020-2022 Lexus LX600 SUV
• 2020-2022 Lexus NX350h SUV
• 2020-2022 Lexus NX450h+ SUV
The problem: On certain vehicles, the ESC system may not automatically turn on when the vehicle is started. This is in violation of federal safety regulations.
The fix: Toyota dealerships will update the ESC software, free of charge.
How to contact the manufacturer: Toyota and Lexus will notify owners of affected vehicles starting in June 2022. Owners may also call Toyota at 800-331-4331 or Lexus at 800-255-3987.
NHTSA campaign number: NHTSA has not yet added this recall to its database. We will update this article as soon as a NHTSA campaign number is available.
Check to see whether your vehicle has an open recall: NHTSA’s website will tell you whether your vehicle has any open recalls that need to be addressed.
If you plug your car’s 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) into NHTSA’s website and a recall doesn’t appear, it means your vehicle doesn’t currently have any open recalls. Because automakers issue recalls often, and for many older vehicles, we recommend checking back regularly to see whether your vehicle has had a recall issued.
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