Toyota Australia has issued an urgent notice advising dealers to stop deliveries of the Yaris Hybrid and Yaris Cross Hybrid due to a possible fault in the vehicles’ system that could cause the car to suddenly stall.

The recall affects approximately 1,300 vehicles manufactured between October 2019 and September 2020, that have either already been delivered to customers or are waiting to be sold in dealers showrooms.

Under the headline “Urgent Field Action Notice, Safety Related Recall Campaign,” the notice advises “Toyota has determined that a requirement exists for the initiation of a safety-related recall” for a range of “Yaris Hybrid and Yaris Cross Hybrid vehicles sold in Australia.”

The  notice continues stating “Within the hybrid transmission…an improper application of anti-corrosion oil on the transmission damper may cause abnormal slippage during rapid acceleration.” If this should occur, a warning light could be triggered which could “subsequently, potentially cause the hybrid system to stop.”

The warning light has already been activated in 20 reported incidents, fortunately, the vehicle has not stalled.

CarAdvice was told that the repair is costly and time-consuming. To access the affected part, the engine will need to be removed.

A statement from Toyota suggests “It is expected that it will take approximately 8.5 hours to replace the input damper. However, depending upon the dealer’s work schedule, it may be necessary for the owner to make the vehicle available for a longer period of time.” As with all warranty claims, customers will not be charged for the recall work.

The Toyota Yaris Cross has also had another recall notice issued for the replacement of the rear centre seatbelt.

Models of the 2300 Toyota Yaris Cross models that were manufactured between April to October 2020 are being recalled due to the “possibility that the seatbelt may be damaged by the sharp edge of the metal seatbelt anchor bracket during the impact of a collision, due to improper manufacturing of the bracket. If this were to occur, in the worst case, the seatbelt may be broken and not properly restrain the occupant.”

Owners of affected vehicles are advised to contact their closest/preferred Toyota dealership.

Source: CarAdvice | Urgent safety recall and “stop delivery” notice on Toyota Yaris Hybrid.

17 December 2020