Toyota New Zealand is waiting to hear if some of its vehicles are affected by a power window defect that is seeing nearly 6.5 million cars recalled worldwide.
The issue is with the vehicles’ power window master switch potentially being manufactured with an insufficient amount of grease.
If insufficient grease was applied the switch may develop a short circuit that can cause the switch assembly to overheat and melt. In the worst case, the switch can produce smoke and potentially lead to a fire.
In Australia 300,000 cars have been recalled, while approximately 2.7 million vehicles in North America, 1.2 million in Europe and 600,000 in Japan are affected.
Toyota NZ has had no information provided yet on which New Zealand vehicles, or how many, are impacted in the recall. However it is likely there will be New Zealand vehicles involved.
New Zealand new vehicles which may be involved in the global recall are Yaris, Corolla, Camry, RAV4 and Highlander models.
Japanese imported used vehicles in New Zealand which may be involved in the global recall are Vitz, Ractis, Belta, Ist, Matrix, Auris, models.
Toyota NZ’s general manager of Customer Services, Spencer Morris, told Driven that the company was “awaiting confirmation from Toyota Motor Corporation”.
“As such we don’t know the number of vehicles in NZ that are affected … the remedy is the re-greasing of the switch by your Toyota dealer. The work will be carried out free of charge.”
Toyota dealers will inspect the power window master switch circuit board and apply heat-resistant grease to the switch. If the switch is already demonstrating signs of malfunction, the circuit board will be replaced. Toyota dealers will perform required rectification free of charge to the vehicle owner.
There have been no reported accidents or injuries in New Zealand, said Toyota.
The recall follows a previous campaign in October 2012, where 297,931 vehicles across the same six model lines built between 2006 and 2010 were recalled due a defect related to the incorrect application of lubricating grease inside the power window master switch. Toyota says motorists involved in this previous campaign will not be impacted by the latest recall.