Toyota Announces Voluntary Recall of Certain 2011 Sienna Vehicles to Replace Stop Lamp Switch Bracket

TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 13, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today announced that it will conduct a voluntary Safety Recall involving approximately 94,000 2011 Model Year Sienna vehicles produced before early November 2010 to replace the stop lamp (brake light) switch bracket.  Due to the proximity of the stop lamp switch bracket to the parking brake pedal when the parking brake is fully applied, the stop lamp switch bracket could, in limited circumstances, be deformed by the driver's foot during parking brake operation.  

Depending on the amount of bracket deformation, this condition could cause the brake lights to remain on or, if the deformation is significant, the brakes could become partially engaged due to contact from the bracket, resulting in brake drag with associated brake noise, brake vibration, and/or illumination of the brake warning light.  If this condition is not noticed and the vehicle continues to be driven, braking effectiveness could be reduced.

No other Toyota or Lexus vehicles are involved in this recall, and Toyota is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this condition.

The stop lamp switch bracket is welded on to the left side of the brake pedal support assembly.  The stop lamp switch provides a signal that indicates the brake pedal has been depressed and illuminates the brake lights.  

Owners of the involved vehicles will receive an interim notification advising them of this recall by first class mail beginning in mid-January 2011, along with instructions for what to do if they experience this condition and how to minimize the possibility of inadvertently contacting the stop lamp switch bracket while operating the parking brake.  Toyota will also post this information on its website.  

Owners will receive a second notice by first class mail in approximately late February, once replacement parts become available, and asked to make an appointment with any Toyota dealer to have the remedy performed at no charge.  

Toyota dealers will replace the bracket assembly, which includes the stop lamp switch bracket, with a new one that has been redesigned to take into account the proximity of the component to the parking brake pedal.  

Detailed information and answers to questions are available to customers at www.toyota.com/recall and the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20030501/TOYLOGO)

SOURCE Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.