Toyota Recalls Vehicles For Braking Problems

Toyota is issuing an auto defect recall for about 31,000 vehicles because the automated braking systems in some of those vehicles may malfunction increasing the risk of crashes and injuries.

According to a report in The Car Connection, the recall includes several models such as the 2013-2015 Toyota Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Lexus ES 300h, ES 350 vehicles from the 2013, 2014, and 2015 model years.

Issue with Automated Braking

Back in September, Ford recalled nearly 37,000 F-150 pickups for similar issues.

In that case Ford had said that when passing large highly reflective trucks, the adaptive cruise control in radar in some of the F-150 pickups could incorrectly identify the truck as being in the same lane of travel when it was not.

If that happened the F-150 could automatically hit the brakes potentially causing a collision.

Toyota’s pre-collision system also has trouble identifying metal objects. However, in this case, the problem is not with other vehicles, but steel joints and metal plates on the roadway. These things could cause the vehicle to brake automatically and increase the risk of a crash.

Toyota has said they will disable the PCS until improved components can be installed. If you own any of these vehicles, it would be in your best interest to visit Toyota.com/recall and enter your vehicles VIN for verification.

If you have questions, call 1-800-331-4331 for more information.

Dealing with a Safety Recall

If your vehicle has been recalled, it is important to know what steps you need to take right away. First and foremost, make sure that your vehicle is affected. Some recalls cover only some vehicles produced in a given model year.

Go the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall lookup tool (safercar.gov) and enter your vehicle identification number or VIN. You should be able to find this number on your registration document or at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side in most cars.

The website will show any outstanding recalls with the ID numbers for those recalls.

Also, look for a letter from the auto company. This is your official recall notification. However, if you have moved or are the second or third owner of the car, the letter may not reach you.

Next, you should schedule a free repair with a dealer. The auto company will pay the dealer to make the repair, which means that you should not have to pay anything.

If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of an auto defect, contact an experienced auto product liability attorney to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights.