What do you need to know about this Safety Recall?
There is a possibility that the outer ring of the crankshaft pulley may become misaligned with the inner ring, causing noise and/or illumination of the discharge warning light. If this condition is not corrected, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley and the driver may notice a sudden increase in steering effort. As of November 9th, 2011, there have been no reported accidents or injuries related to this condition.
The vehicles involved are certain:
- 2004 Avalon
- 2004 and 2005 Camry, Highlander, Sienna, and Solara
- 2006 Highlander HV
- 2004 and 2005 ES330 and RX330
- And 2006 RX400h
No other Toyota or Lexus vehicles or any Toyota models with 4 cylinder engines are involved.
What should you do if you own one of the vehicle models that are effected by this Recall?
Toyota is currently working on obtaining the necessary replacement parts. Once the replacement parts have been produced in sufficient quantities, Toyota will send an owner notification by first class mail advising owners to make an appointment with an authorized Toyota or Lexus dealer to have the crankshaft pulley inspected and if necessary, replaced at no charge. The owner notifications will be mailed by first class mail beginning in January, 2012.
In the meantime, if an abnormal noise is heard coming from the engine compartment, the owner is asked to make an appointment with any Toyota or Lexus dealer to have the vehicle inspected for this condition.
Detailed information and answers to questions are available to customers at the Toyota website or consumers can call Toyota Customer Experience Center (1 800-331-4331) or Lexus Customer Satisfaction (1 800-255-3987).
