The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS (TDS) SUPPLIED BY AUDIOVOX CORPORATION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE ALARM WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE ALARM HARNESS TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT. A PERCENTAGE OF THE FEMALE TERMINALS USED IN THE ALARM CONNECTOR WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AN 'OPEN CIRCUIT' CONDITION WHEN MATED TO THE MALE IGNITION SWITCH TERMINALS.
The risk
THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Toyota Avalon | 1998, 1999 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 1998, 1999 |
| Toyota Sienna | 1998, 1999 |
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Avalon | 1998 | 178 | 1 |
| Toyota Avalon | 1999 | 92 | 1 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 1998 | 77 | 4 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 1999 | 62 | 4 |
| Toyota Sienna | 1998 | 294 | 2 |
| Toyota Sienna | 1999 | 215 | 2 |
Other electrical system recalls in 1998
34 of the 367 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1998 concerned the electrical system; SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS filed 7 campaigns in all.
| 98V240003 22 Dec 1998 | DAMON CORPORATION |
| 98V313000 14 Dec 1998 | BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY |
| 98V300000 8 Dec 1998 | AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO. |
| 98V307000 7 Dec 1998 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 98V299000 24 Nov 1998 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 98V275000 3 Nov 1998 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE |
| 98V279000 3 Nov 1998 | GULF STATES TOYOTA, INC. |
| 98V252000 7 Oct 1998 | SPARTAN MOTORS, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1998