Toyota Tundras Called Back Over Load Capacity Labels

Toyota is calling back tens of thousands of pickup trucks over a labeling snafu.

Some 20,000 pickup trucks were shipped to dealers with incorrect load-carrying capacity modification labels, Toyota recently told federal regulators. That means they are not up to snuff when it comes to vehicle safety standards.

“The subject vehicles are equipped with a spray-on bed liner accessory installed after final vehicle certification and received a load-carrying capacity modification label,” Toyota said in a defect notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Due to system errors, the weight of the accessory was incorrectly specified, causing the vehicles receiving the label to indicate an added weight less than the actual total weight of accessories installed.”

While the mislabeling may seem like a relatively minor issue, Toyota acknowledged that it can have real consequences for the trucks’ owners and everyone else on the road with them.

“A vehicle which is loaded beyond its load carrying capacity may have an increased risk of a crash,” the company told NHTSA.

The recall covers certain 2023 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid vehicles, which were produced between February and July of this year. 

Toyota plans to notify owners of recalled pickups via mail by November 12, the automaker told NHTSA. Owners in the meantime can check the agency’s website to see if their vehicles are covered by the recall.

Owners will be asked to bring their vehicles to authorized dealers to have labels replaced.

How the California Lemon Law Works

The announcement comes on the heels of another major recall from Toyota.

In September, the company said it was calling back some 168,000 vehicles, including the Toyota Tundra and Tundra Hybrid pickup trucks, over fire risks. 

Toyota and other global auto manufacturers call back millions of vehicles around the world every year, citing a wide variety of defects and malfunctions that increase accident risks. These recalls often come long after defective vehicles have left factory floors and dealership lots, sold to unsuspecting buyers.

That is where the California lemon law comes in. Car owners and lessors in the Golden State do not need to wait for a recall to get defective and malfunctioning vehicles fixed.

Formally known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the lemon law forces car manufacturers to perform various repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. The law also requires those companies to buy back vehicles that they cannot or will not fix. That includes covering the purchase price, financing fees and other related expenses.

There is no specific number of repair requests or attempts that must happen before the buyback or replacement requirement kicks in. An experienced California lemon law attorney can help you understand your rights and take action.

Talk with a California Lemon Law Attorney

If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle, a California lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.  

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney.