In early February 2022, Toyota announced a safety recall issue over defective turn signals in the 2021 Toyota Venza SUV model. These faulty signals were found to stop working or flash dimly, failing to alert other drivers of the vehicle’s intention to turn. When these signals fail to work correctly, the risk of crash increases. Here’s what Toyota customers should know about this latest safety recall.
Understanding the Underlying Issue
According to a recent article detailing this auto safety recall, water may accumulate and make contact with the heat sink behind the circuit board in the turn signal assembly. When this happens, several malfunctions could cause a short circuit, leading to the temporary dimming or deactivation of the vehicle’s rear turn signals. The issue was first discovered in Japanese-market Toyota vehicles. Since then, Toyota’s investigation uncovered the same issue in their 2021 Venza SUV models.
The Scope of the Auto Safety Recall
So far, this turn signal recall only affects 2021 Toyota Venza hybrid SUVs. Vehicles manufactured between September 17, 2020, and May 26, 2021, are the only ones affected by this recall at the moment. Customers affected by this issue may notice that their turn signal indicator begins to flash more quickly, especially after a heavy rainstorm or carwash. If this happens, they should know that other drivers may not be able to see their signal lights blinking as intended.
Next Steps For Toyota Customers
Toyota is starting to alert customers about this recall. If you are affected by this recall, you can schedule an appointment at your local dealer, where they will replace both rear turn signal LED bulbs and replace the rear turn signal lamp assembly if necessary. Toyota maintains that all these recall repairs will be free of charge. For now, be aware that your turn signals may malfunction and cause confusion on the road until you obtain the necessary repairs.
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