Enormous Car Recall Announced In Idaho, Utah And Washington State

Just weeks after two car manufacturers issued an urgent “park outside” recall for 22 different models, a third manufacturer is recalling one of the best-selling vehicles in Idaho. 

According to USA Today, Toyota is recalling nearly 1.9 million Toyota RAV4 SUVs because the vehicle could catch fire while in motion. The fire risk increases when the vehicle is in a very specific situation. Toyota revealed that the 12-volt batteries used in some 2013-2018 RAVs have smaller top dimensions. The newspaper explains: 

If the hold-down clamp is not tightened correctly and the SUV is driven with forceful turns then the battery could move causing the vehicle to short circuit

It appears that Toyota hasn’t given dealerships new clamps that better fit these batteries, but once they’re ready, dealerships can offer customers with affected vehicles new clamps, a new battery tray and a positive terminal cover for free. The manufacturer anticipates that they’ll reach out to customers before the end of 2023. 

So how big of a deal is this recall for Idahoans and other states in our region? It’s pretty significant. According to Edmunds, the Toyota RAV4 is the fourth best-selling car in the Gem State.  It’s the best-selling car in Washington State and Oregon, the #2 best-selling car in Nevada, the #4 best-selling car in Idaho AND Utah and #5 best-selling car in Wyoming. 

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The recall comes just a few days after Toyota issued a recall for more than 750,000 Highlanders and Highlander Hybrids. The bumpers of these cars were falling off while the car was in motion, which is a huge hazard for motorists who approach them just lying in the road. You can check to see if your car is part of that recall by entering your VIN or license plate number here. 

Urgent “Park Outside” Recall For Hyundai and Kia Owners

As we previously mentioned, two manufacturers are telling customers to park their vehicles outside until their recall has been fixed. 22 different models were recalled because of a problem with the anti-lock brake system shorting. It doesn’t matter if the cars are running or shut off, they’re just catching fire.

These are the models affected.