Toyota Recalls 230,000 Camry Vehicles for Brake Malfunction
» Posted December 13, 2021 • Resources | Share This Post
Some 230,000 Toyota Camry will soon be alerted by the carmaker that their vehicles may have a serious defect that puts their safety at risk.
Toyota says a broken vane cap on the cars’ vacuum pumps could cause the vehicles to suddenly lose power-braking assistance. That, in turn, increases the risk that a defective car causes an accident.
“While the service brakes remain operational with a broken vane cap, depending on the brake application by the driver, brake performance could be suddenly reduced prior to any warnings,” Toyota said in a report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “A sudden loss of braking assist while driving could increase the risk of a crash.”
The recall covers certain 2018 and 2019 Camry sedans, which were built between mid-January 2017 and mid-September 2018.
Toyota told NHTSA that the company will notify owners of recalled cars by Jan. 16, 2022. Owners will be advised to bring their cars to a local dealer to have fuel pump vacuums inspected and repaired or replaced at no cost.
Owners who have already paid to have the problem fixed will be eligible for reimbursement, according to the company.
Safety Defects and California Car Owners' Rights
This is not the first time that Toyota has had to call back cars long after they were produced and sold, citing serious defects. Along with many other major auto manufacturers, the company recalls millions of vehicles around the world each year.
Toyota recalled more than 260,000 Prius vehicles last year, for example, because of a software glitch that the company told NHTSA could cause covered cars to stall without warning, increasing the risk of a collision. Toyota also called back another roughly 700,000 vehicles, pointing to a separate fuel pump issue that it said also put those cars at risk of stalling.
Fortunately, car owners in California do not have to wait for an official recall to get defective and malfunctioning vehicles fixed. The state’s lemon law gives you a number of rights and options.
The Song Beverly Consumer Warranty Act requires carmakers to perform a variety of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. The state law also forces manufacturers to buy back cars that they are unable or not willing to fix.
Although a carmaker can offer to replace the vehicle instead, it is up to the owner or lessor to decide whether to accept this alternative arrangement.
How a California Lemon Law Attorney Can Help You
If you are a car owner or lessor stuck with a detective or malfunctioning vehicle, an experienced California lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. We have represented hundreds of people and families across California.
Our offices are conveniently located in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney today.
