Vehicle Recall Check
Air bags

TOYOTA air bags recall — 20V734000

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing reported recall 20V734000 to NHTSA on November 25, 2020.

Air bags

20V734000

Official NHTSA text (English)

Defect summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's air bag in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence

In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB17/20TA17.

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.

ManufacturerToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
ComponentAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Campaign number20V734000
MakeTOYOTA
Model year2020–2021
Report receivedNovember 25, 2020
Source: NHTSA — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Campaign number: 20V734000 · Report received: November 25, 2020
https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=20V734000

What does this record mean?

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing reported recall 20V734000 to NHTSA on November 25, 2020. The record falls under air bags and covers 4 make-model-year combinations across TOYOTA, model years 2020–2021.

A recall is the manufacturer identifying a safety-related defect or a non-compliance with a standard in a group of vehicles, and reporting it officially. It does not mean the whole vehicle is faulty: it covers a specific condition found in a specific part, within a specific build range.

This record concerns occupant restraint systems: air bags, seat belts or child seat anchorages. These systems only act in a crash, so a defect can be present with no symptom at all in everyday driving.

What should I do?

Waiting for a symptom does not work with this family. If an air bag or seat belt warning light is on, do not leave it. If the record concerns child seat anchorages, secure the seat using the alternative method the manufacturer specifies until the remedy is applied.

Work carried out under a recall is done at no cost to the owner. This does not depend on the vehicle still being in warranty: a recall is not a warranty claim, it is a separate obligation. The dealer should not charge you for labour or parts.

Whether a record covers your vehicle is determined by make, model and model year — but not every vehicle of that model year is necessarily included. The manufacturer usually covers a specific build date range. Only a VIN-based lookup gives a definite answer.

Where is the VIN?

The VIN has 17 characters and appears in four places: on a plate at the lower left corner of the windscreen, on the label inside the driver's door jamb, on the registration document, and on most vehicles on a label in the engine bay. VINs never use the letters I, O or Q; the similar-looking characters are the digits 1, 0 and 9.

Before you go to the dealer

The work is done at the manufacturer's authorised dealer. Quoting the campaign number when you book shortens the process, because the dealer can order the part in advance. If you are not sure whether your vehicle is covered, verify it on the manufacturer's own VIN lookup page; that link is provided on this page.

Before you go to the dealer, have three things ready: the VIN, the registration document and the campaign number. If you have seen a symptom related to the defect, note when and under what conditions; that speeds up diagnosis. Keep the paperwork showing the work that was done: it is useful when you sell the vehicle or if a second record appears.

Source and currency

The official text on this page is reproduced exactly as NHTSA published it. It has not been summarised, rewritten or interpreted. The rest of the page is written in this language.

NHTSA records cover vehicles sold in the US market. A model with the same name sold in Europe or elsewhere may have been built with different equipment and different suppliers, so whether a record covers your vehicle is settled only by the manufacturer's own lookup.

When a record stops appearing in the source, this page is taken down the same day and the address returns a 410 response; no text is left behind. If you have an objection about a record, you can send it from the correction page.

Frequently asked

What does recall 20V734000 cover?

The record falls under air bags and covers vehicles from TOYOTA in model years 2020–2021. The detail is in the official text on this page.

How do I know if my vehicle is included?

If make, model and model year match, your vehicle may be included; but the manufacturer usually covers a specific build date range. Only a VIN lookup gives a definite answer.

Is there a charge?

No. Recall work is free of charge and independent of warranty.

How soon should I have it done?

There is no reason to wait. If a part has to be ordered the dealer will give you a date; in the meantime follow the advisories shown on this page.

Why is the official text in English?

Because that is the record NHTSA published. It is not summarised, rewritten or interpreted; the rest of the page is in this language.

Manufacturer's own VIN lookup page