Vehicle recall 12V373000 · August 2, 2012
Toyota RAV4 and Lexus HS 250 Hybrid
If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust, leading…
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles manufactured from October 2005 through September 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust, leading to thread damage and eventual failure. Failure of the rear tie rod will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.
- Consequence
- Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear tie-rod nut for looseness and replace any suspect tie-rod found loose. Dealers will also affix instructions in multiple places to prevent improper servicing in the future. The recall began on November 30, 2012. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
- Notes
- Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 12V373000
- Reported to NHTSA
- August 2, 2012
- Filed by
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
- Owner notification
- November 30, 2012
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 780,584
- Initiated by
- NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation
- Components
- Suspension › Rear
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Lexus HS 250 Hybrid (2010): 2010
- Toyota RAV4 (2006-2011): 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006
Has your Lexus been repaired?
Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.
NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. Recall repairs are free.