Recall Alert: 280,000 Toyotas May ‘Creep Forward’ in Neutral
Toyota announced three recalls on February 21st, 2023. The biggest of these was for 280,000 trucks and SUVs that may “creep forward” even after you’ve shifted them into neutral. Read on to see when you should be careful around Toyotas, and what other recalls are in play.
First, a bit of history. Toyota completely redesigned its full-frame truck/SUV chassis for the third-gen Tundra which it released in 2022. Then it moved the 2022 Lexus LX 600 and 2023 Toyota Sequoia SUVs over to the same chassis. The new powertrain includes a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 and a 10-speed automatic transmission built by Aisin. But it may have a major safety malfunction.
In its recall announcement, Toyota said: “Certain parts of the transmission may not immediately disengage when the vehicle is shifted to the neutral position.” What happens? The car or truck could “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.”
Which recent Tundras, Sequoias and LX 600s are affected? It is probably all of them. Toyota threw out that 280,000 vehicle number. And since the redesign, it only made 220,000 new Tundras and 20,500 new Sequoias.
Those Sequoias, Lexus LX 600s, and certain top-trim Tundras are actually hybrids, with an electric motor sandwiched between the motor and transmission. But if this problem only affected hybrids, the projected recall numbers would be much lower.
So should you be worried about parked Toyota Tundras, Sequoias, and Lexus LX 600? Only if they are still running and not shifted into “park.” Every one of these trucks and SUVs is an automatic. And Toyota claims the problem only affects them when shifted into “neutral” and only with the engine running. It also said “without brakes applied.” And that presumably includes the parking break. So the “creep” requires a very unique situation. The reason this problem took two years to spot may be that either turning off the engine, or putting the vehicle in park, prevents it from “creeping forward.”
Toyota announced three recalls at the same time. It is also recalling 19,000 Mirai and Lexus vehicles for a problem with their backup camera software. It seems there is a lag from the time you shift into reverse until the time the image shows up. Finally, it is recalling 4,000 Toyota Camrys with fold-down rear seats for unsafe rear seat headrests.
If you are curious about open recalls on your vehicle, you can always call you local dealership and read them your VIN. You can also call the NHTSA’s toll-free hotline at 888-327-4236.
Next, find out how many new V6 Toyota Tundras truly suffered the limp-mode, turbocharger waste gate failure, or you can learn more about Toyota’s recent airbag recall in the video below:
