Japanese vehicle manufacturer Toyota is recalling more than 100,000 Tundra pickups and Lexus LX cars in the United States over an issue that could cause their engines to lose power while driving, increasing the risk of crashes.
According to the vehicle maker, some engines in those models may contain machine debris that was not cleared during production.
There is a possibility that “certain machining debris may not have been cleared from the engine when it was produced,” Toyota said in the recall notice. “In the involved vehicles, this can lead to potential engine knocking, engine rough running, engine no start and/or a loss of motive power.”
The company noted that a loss of motive power while driving at higher speeds can increase the risk of a crash.
Approximately 102,000 Toyota and Lexus branded vehicles are involved in the recall, the company said. However, the automaker has been unable to estimate the exact percentage of vehicles that contain the defect.
Debris ‘May Not Have Been Cleared’
In a separate notice, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said both models subject to the recall are fitted with the Japanese automaker’s V35A six-cylinder engine.They were manufactured “during a certain period at particular engine plants” that may not have had machining debris cleared during assembly, the agency said.
According to the NHTSA, those production periods were between July 30, 2021, and Nov. 25, 2022.
“The subject vehicles are equipped with a specific V35A engine that contains crankshaft main bearings which allow the crankshaft to rotate within the engine assembly while running,” the agency said. “During a specific production period, there is a possibility that engine machining debris of a particular size and amount may not have been cleared from the engine during manufacturing and subsequently contaminated the engine assembly during the production process.
“For these engines in the subject vehicles, the pressure on the main bearings due to the engine configuration is such that, if the aforementioned machining debris adheres to the bearings and operation of the engine continues at higher loads over time, failure of the bearings may occur.
“This can lead to potential engine knocking, engine rough running, engine no start and/or an engine stall.”
Other V35A engines of the same configuration that were manufactured after that production period were “manufactured with new or improved processes that better clear machining debris,” the NHTSA said.
Other Toyota or Lexus vehicles sold in the United States are not equipped with the same V35A engines or have a different V35A engine configuration with different pressure on the main bearings, according to the agency.
NHTSA noted that once a fix has been determined, repairs will be carried out at no cost to customers whose vehicles are subject to the recall under Toyota’s warranty.
Neither Toyota nor the NHTSA has stated whether there have been any reports of injuries associated with the engine problems in the recalled vehicles.
A spokesperson for Toyota declined to comment when contacted by The Epoch Times.
