No one is safe from recalls, not even Toyota. In the first quarter of 2025, a total of 107 recalls were issued, affecting 3.4 million vehicles. Millions of cars were recalled last year to correct fabrication mistakes, affecting 35 million vehicles and other automotive equipment, with Tesla leading in the electric vehicles category, and Stellantis (Chrysler and Jeep) leading the industry with 72 recalls, followed by Ford (63) and BMW (36). The biggest challenge nowadays appears to be balancing innovation and maintaining the characteristics that attracted buyers in the past.
Recalls are becoming increasingly difficult to avoid
Japanese manufacturers like Nissan, Honda, and Toyota are famous for building reliable, powerful vehicles at an accessible price, but sometimes not even the most meticulous brands escape issuing recalls to work on affected cars.
On the other hand, most times, the electrical part of the car is what requires attention. As soon as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) inspects the vehicles to ensure they meet the safety standards, a recall is addressed if needed. Other times, the company itself can make the call. Toyota is not used to recalling vehicles, but occasionally it happens, and sometimes they create a car so good it doesn’t need mechanics for a long time, like the Etios.
Toyota recalls recent versions of the Tundra
Approximately 450,000 current-gen Tundra vehicles have been recalled to fix an issue. The car’s reverse light assembly was done incorrectly, and this may allow moisture to enter the electrical system. In the worst-case scenario, this can lead to subsequent corrosion of electrical components and lead to the reverse light failing, increasing the risk of a crash. The 2025 pickup is not the only model with this issue, and older models from 2022 to the current year may also need to be fixed.
The repair will be free, and if there was any corrosion in the wire harness connectors, it will also be replaced. The company will not leave behind those who paid for the repairs in the past as well, and customers will be able to seek reimbursement. The hybrid versions are also included in the recall issued on May 15, 2025. The owners will be notified officially between June 30 and July 24, 2025.
Hybrid cars present issues frequently
It’s not every day a full-size pickup has a hybrid muscle version. The Tundra is specifically built for the North American market (United States and Canada), but it became available in Australia after the engineers successfully made the necessary changes for right-hand driving. The vehicle is assembled at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas facility in San Antonio, Texas, but sold in hundreds of dealerships across the country.
The most recalls issued by Toyota in the last couple of years included multiple problems. The 2024-2025 Tacoma had break problems, with mud and dirt accumulating easily; The 2024 Rav4 and 2025 Lexus NX had loose bolts, possibly resulting in the front wheels detaching after a while; Two generations of Corolla Hybrid presented software errors, resulting in a hard brake pedal – 8,000 entry model also had cracks in the steering intermediate shaft, which may lead to a loss of steering control.
Main reasons for recalls
Famous manufacturers have been dealing with recalls constantly, and one of the main reasons why it seems like every car has a problem is the electrical developments. Pieces of software might fail on electric and hybrid cars, while some combustion engine cars have some pieces not properly tightened. Toyota is not the first to recall hundreds of thousands of cars at once, but this was the largest in the company’s history. For more information about this recall, you can check the 25V-322 recall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.