The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched a wide-scale investigation covering nearly 1.9 million units of the Toyota RAV4 SUV in the United States. It affects models built for the 2013 to 2018 model years and could result in a recall.
The Associated Press was first to report the issue and, based on an article it published, the investigation was prompted by 11 complaints of fire starting from the engine compartment of the best-selling vehicle.
NHTSA said the problem could be coming from the positive terminal of the RAV4’s 12-volt battery shorting, “which may result in the sudden loss of electrical power, vehicle stalling, and/or a fire originating in the engine compartment.”
Seven of the 11 total complaints reported experiencing fire starting while the car was being driven, while the other four complaints said it occurred while the ignition was off. Moreover, in the instances where the car was on the move, around half the complainants claimed the car stalling prior to the fire.
No accidents or injuries have been reported in relation to the problem, but NHTSA said that improper battery installation or previous front-end collision repair could be contributing factors to the issue.
As of writing, Toyota has not been ordered to recall the vehicles in question, but it’s still possible depending on the outcome of the investigation.
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