SAFETY (NONCOMPLIANCE) RECALL 20TA17 – Steering Column Issue May Affect Airbag Performance – 2020-2021 Toyota RAV4 & Avalon

November 25, 2020 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V734000

Damaged Steering Column Can Interfere With Air Bag

In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not deploy as designed can increase the risk of injury.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V734

Manufacturer Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Components STEERING, AIR BAGS

Potential Number of Units Affected 161

 

Summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver’s air bag in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, “Occupant Crash Protection.”

 

Remedy

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s number for this recall is 20TB17/20TA17.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

Check if your Vehicle has a Recall

 


 

Model / YearsProduction PeriodApproximate Total VehiclesApproximate Stop Sale Dealer Inventory
2020 RAV4Mid-July 2020 – Late August 20201300
2020 RAV4 HybridMid-July 2020 – Late August 2020200
2020 – 2021 AvalonLate July 2020 – Late August 202052
2020 Avalon HybridLate July 202052

 

On November 25, 2020, Toyota filed a Noncompliance Information Report (NCIR) with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) informing the agency of our intent to conduct a voluntary Safety (Noncompliance) Recall on the vehicles listed below.

  • Certain 2020 model year RAV4
  • Certain 2020 – 2021 model year Avalon
  • Certain 2020 model year RAV4 Hybrid
  • Certain 2020 model year Avalon Hybrid

 

Condition

A component of the steering column on the subject vehicles may have been damaged during assembly.  This can potentially affect the performance of the driver airbag when it deploys.  This may cause the vehicles not to meet certain federal safety requirements and can result in an increased risk of injury during a crash necessitating airbag deployment.

 

Remedy

Any authorized Toyota dealer will replace the steering column with a new one FREE OF CHARGE.

 

Covered Vehicles

There are approximately 160 vehicles covered by this Safety (Noncompliance) Recall. There are no vehicles covered by this Safety (Noncompliance) Recall that were distributed to Puerto Rico.

 

Owner Letter Mailing Date

Toyota will notify owners by late December 2020. A sample of the owner letter has been included for your reference.

 


Frequently Asked Questions
Original Publication Date: November 25, 2020

 

Q1: What is the condition?

A component of the steering column on the subject vehicles may have been damaged during assembly.  This can potentially affect the performance of the driver airbag when it deploys.  This may cause the vehicles not to meet certain federal safety requirements and can result in an increased risk of injury during a crash necessitating airbag deployment.

 

Q2: What is Toyota going to do?

By late December 2020, Toyota will send an owner notification by first class mail advising the owner to make an appointment with their authorized Toyota dealer to have the steering column replaced with a new one FREE OF CHARGE.

 

Q2a: Will the driver airbag be replaced as part of the remedy repair?

A driver airbag replacement does not remedy this condition. A component of the steering column on the subject vehicles may have been damaged during assembly.  This can potentially affect the performance of the driver airbag when it deploys.  Thus, the steering column will be replaced to remedy this condition.

 

Q3: Which and how many vehicles are covered by this Safety (Noncompliance) Recall?

There are approximately 160 vehicles covered by this Safety (Noncompliance) Recall.

Model NameModel YearProduction PeriodApproximate Total Vehicles
RAV 42020Mid-July 2020 – Late August 2020130
RAV 4 Hybrid2020Mid-July 2020 – Late August 202020
Avalon2020 – 2021Late July 2020 – Late August 20205
Avalon Hybrid2020Late July 20205

 

Q3a: Are there any other Lexus/Toyota/Scion vehicles covered by this Safety (Noncompliance) Recall in the U.S.?

No, there are no other Lexus/Toyota/Scion vehicles covered by this Safety (Noncompliance) Recall.

 

Q4: How long will the repair take?

The repair should take between one and one half hours and two and one half hours depending on vehicle options. However, depending upon the dealer’s work schedule, it may be necessary to make the vehicle available for a longer period of time.

 

Q5: How does Toyota obtain my mailing information?

Toyota uses an industry provider who works with each state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to receive registration or title information, based upon the DMV records. Please make sure your registration or title information is correct.

 

Q6: What if I previously paid for repairs related to this Safety (Noncompliance) Recall?

Reimbursement consideration instructions will be provided in the owner letter.

 

Q7: What if I have additional questions or concerns?

If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact the Toyota Brand Engagement Center at 1-888-270-9371 Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, Saturday 7:00 am to 4:30 pm Central Time.

 


Percentage of Vehicles Estimated to Actually Contain the Noncompliance:

Unknown.  Toyota is unable to provide an estimate of the percentage of vehicles to actually contain the defect.  Whether the pins in the EA bracket in each steering column were damaged and may affect the performance of the driver airbag when it deploys depends on the press force used and the positioning of certain components during assembly of each affected steering column.

 

Description of Noncompliance:

The subject vehicles are equipped with steering columns that have an energy absorption bracket (EA bracket) which contains pins that are designed to breakaway to help reduce the severity of injury during certain collisions.  There is a possibility that the pins were damaged during a specific step in the assembly process.  If these pins are damaged, it may cause a reduction of the steering column breakaway force.  This reduction in breakaway force can potentially affect the performance of the driver airbag when it deploys.  This may cause the vehicles not to meet certain performance requirements of FMVSS No. 208, paragraphs S5.1, S15.1, S15.2, and S17, resulting in an increased risk of injury to the driver during a crash necessitating airbag deployment.

 

Test Results and Other Information:

In Late-July 2020, a production team member at a Toyota facility identified an abnormality with the steering column during a functional check for the telescopic feature of the steering column.  The assembly was recovered and sent to the supplier for investigation.  The supplier investigated the recovered part and its production process and identified that the pins in the EA bracket for certain steering columns that were produced during a certain production period could be damaged because they may have been pressed into position with a press force that was higher than specified.  Based on production records, Toyota began an activity to attempt to contain vehicles that were produced under the aforementioned conditions.  However, not all suspect vehicles identified were contained.  In addition, the supplier tested steering columns produced using different press forces and determined that the damage to the pins at a higher press force could result in a reduction of the steering column breakaway force.   Based on this information, Toyota evaluated whether the reduction in breakaway force could affect the performance of the driver airbag when it deploys.  On November 19, 2020 Toyota decided that the subject vehicles may have been sold with this condition and may not meet certain performance requirements of FMVSS No. 208, paragraphs S5.1, S15.1, S15.2, and S17.

 

Description of Corrective Repair Action:

For all involved vehicles, Toyota dealers will replace the steering column with a new one, at no cost to customers.

Reimbursement Plan for pre-notification remedies

As the owner notification letters will be mailed out well within the active period of the Toyota New Vehicle Limited Warranty (“Warranty”), all involved vehicle owners for this recall would have been provided a repair at no cost under Toyota’s Warranty.

 

Recall Schedule:

Notifications to owners of the affected vehicles will occur by January 24, 2021.  A copy of the draft owner notification letter(s) will be submitted as soon as available.

 

Distributor/Dealer Notification Schedule:

Notification to distributors/dealers will be sent by November 25, 2020.  Copies of the dealer communications will be submitted as they are issued.

 


Chronology :

In Late-July 2020, a production team member at a Toyota facility identified an abnormality with the steering column during a functional check for the telescopic feature of the steering column. The assembly was recovered and sent to the supplier for investigation. The supplier investigated the recovered part and its production process and identified that the pins in the EA bracket for certain steering columns that were produced during a certain production period could be damaged because they may have been pressed into position with a press force that was higher than specified. Based on production records, Toyota began an activity to attempt to contain vehicles that were produced under the aforementioned conditions. However, not all suspect vehicles identified were contained. In addition, the supplier tested steering columns produced using different press forces and determined that the damage to the pins at a higher press force could result in a reduction of the steering column breakaway force. Based on this information, Toyota evaluated whether the reduction in breakaway force could affect the performance of the driver airbag when it deploys. On November 19, 2020 Toyota decided that the subject vehicles may have been sold with this condition and may not meet certain performance requirements of FMVSS No. 208, paragraphs S5.1, S15.1, S15.2, and S17.

 


TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS
FOR
20TA17
STEERING COLUMN ISSUE MAY AFFECT AIRBAG PERFORMANCE
CERTAIN 2020 – 2021 AVALON
CERTAIN 2020 AVALON HYBRID

Steering Column Issue May Affect Airbag Performance – 2020-2021 Toyota RAV4 & Avalon

 

 


5 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKEMODELYEAR
TOYOTAAVALON2020-2021
TOYOTAAVALON HYBRID2020
TOYOTARAV42020
TOYOTARAV4 HYBRID2020

 


12 Associated Documents

Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – Date: November 25, 2020 SAFETY (NONCOMPLIANCE) RECALL 20TA17 – (Interim Notice 20TB17)

RCMN-20V734-8254.pdf 209.671KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2020-4

RCLQRT-20V734-2332.PDF 211.151KB

 


November 25, 2020 NONCOMPLIANCE INFORMATION REPORT

RMISC-20V734-5242.pdf 28.023KB

 


Noncompliance Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-20V734-4486.PDF 217.867KB

 


Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-20V734-5269.pdf 334.366KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2021-1

RCLQRT-20V734-4823.PDF 211.254KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-20V734-9930.pdf 2647.153KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-20V734-8511.pdf 2190.979KB

 


ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-20V734-7793.pdf 357.334KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2021-2

RCLQRT-20V734-3398.PDF 211.339KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – Date: December 9, 2020 SAFETY (NONCOMPLIANCE) RECALL 20TA17 – Remedy Notice

RCMN-20V734-2191.pdf 851.947KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #4, 2021-3

RCLQRT-20V734-3720.PDF 211.444KB

 


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