TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1, 2004 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH THE 1MZ-FE OR 3MZ-FE ENGINE. THE AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE AGENT APPLIED BETWEEN THE OUTER RING AND THE TORSIONAL RUBBER DAMPER (INNER RING) IN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY MAY BE INADEQUATE. IF THE ADHESIVE IS INSUFFICIENT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE OUTER RING MAY BECOME MISALIGNED AND IT MAY NOT PROPERLY ROTATE WITH THE INNER RING, CAUSING NOISE AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BATTERY DISCHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT.
Safety risk
IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Manufacturer remedy
TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL CHECK THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TO IDENTIFY WHETHER IT WAS PRODUCED BY THE U.S. SUPPLIER. IF SO, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PULLEY WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING EARLY JANUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A FRONT PASSENGER POWER SEAT, WHEN INSTALLING CERTAIN REAR-FACING INFANT CHILD SEAT BASES ONTO THE SEAT WITH AN EXCESSIVELY HIGH SEATBELT TENSION, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO UNSEAT A COMPONENT CALLED THE BUCKLE STATUS SWITCH FROM THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE.
Safety risk
IF THE SWITCH BECOMES UNSEATED, THE FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM MAY MISTAKE THE REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT FOR AN UNBELTED ADULT OCCUPANT, AND MAY NOT SUPPRESS THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT BUCKLE STATUS SWITCH. THIS SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN (SSC 40M) BEGAN ON DECEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987..
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Vehicle speed control
46
24,500 mi
Power train: automatic transmission
31
5,000 mi
Air bags
17
80,000 mi
Power train
10
61,203 mi
Electrical system
7
8,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling
7
1,000 mi
Service brakes
7
78,557 mi
Unknown or other
5
50,000 mi
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
5
100 mi
Steering
4
300 mi
Engine
3
50,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline
3
300 mi
Engine and engine cooling: engine
2
63,224 mi
Exterior lighting
2
33,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic
2
30,500 mi
Structure
2
91,000 mi
Tires
2
11,000 mi
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification
1
101,000 mi
Electrical system: wiring: interior/under dash
1
1,000 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
—
Exterior lighting: headlights
1
—
Fuel system, other
1
69,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
1
50,000 mi
Interior lighting
1
1,000 mi
Power train: automatic transmission: control module (TCM/PCM/TECM)
1
200 mi
Power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: floor shift
1
100 mi
Seat belts
1
73,874 mi
Seat belts: rear/other
1
2,000 mi
Seats
1
101,000 mi
Service brakes, air
1
28,250 mi
Service brakes, electric
1
7,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
1
300 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: pads
1
1,000 mi
Structure: body
1
30,000 mi
Suspension: rear
1
1,000 mi
Visibility
1
33,000 mi
Visibility/wiper
1
100,000 mi
Wheels
1
—
The 2004 model has 7 times as many complaints as this one. The 2006 model has 2 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.