2014 Toyota Avalon

Issue: 
This recall is for certain block heater kits installed on certain vehicles or sold as accessories at Toyota or Lexus dealerships. 

On certain vehicles, the engine block heater cable may not have enough heat protection and could be damaged by high temperatures. If this happens, the cable could short circuit while plugged in, and cause the wiring to overheat or melt. 

Note: This recall only affects the following block heater/cord part numbers: 

C014003034                         PK5A408J09                         PU14000904 
C014003151                         PK5A408J13                         PU14000905 
C014000885                         PK5A489J11                         PU14000907 
C014000888                         PK5A489J22                         PU14000909 
C014000907                         PK5A410H00                        PU14000911 
C014100904                         PU14000900                         PU14000913 
C014100907                         PU14000901                         PU14003571 
C014100911                         PU14000902                         PK5A489J14 
PK5A408J05                        PU14000903 

Safety Risk: 
Engine block heater wiring that overheats or melts could create the risk of a fire. 

Corrective Actions: 
Toyota recommends that you should stop using the engine block heater immediately. Toyota will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to disable the engine block heater. For some vehicles, the corrective actions for this recall are under development. For others, a new engine block heater cannot be installed, and the owner will receive a refund of the purchase price of the engine block heater.

Issue: 
On certain vehicles, the circuits within the airbag control module could be damaged in a crash. This could cause the airbags and seat belt pretensioners to not deploy in certain crashes.

Safety Risk: 
Airbags or seat belts that do not work properly in a crash could create an increased risk of injury. 

Corrective Actions: 
Toyota will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to install an electrical noise filter to prevent damage to the airbag control module.

On certain vehicles equipped with Pre-Collision System (PCS), the system could unexpectedly activate while operating the vehicle.  Under certain situations, the system may interpret a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an obstacle, and the system may apply the service brake automatically. If the PCS applies unexpected braking force during normal vehicle operation when no impending collision object is present, it could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property.  Correction: Dealers will disable the Pre-Collision System (PCS) as an interim measure, and when parts become available, will replace the PCS components with improved parts.

On certain vehicles, the end cap on the right-hand side fuel delivery pipe, located in the engine compartment, could have been improperly welded at time of manufacture.  This could result in a fuel leak which, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire causing injury and/or property damage.  Correction:  Dealers will inspect the fuel delivery pipe and replace with a revised part if necessary.