Safety Recall: Toyota Dealer-Installed Accessory Engine Block Heaters

Toyota Canada announced that it is conducting safety recalls of certain accessory engine block heaters installed by dealers in some Toyota, Lexus, and Scion vehicles.

Approximately 51,373 vehicles are involved in Canada.

The subject vehicles are equipped with a dealer-installed accessory engine block heater.

Due to insufficient consideration for thermal durability at the time of block heater applicability, certain engine models that were manufactured with an oblong block bore were recommended an inappropriate block heater shape that allowed for a gap when the block heater cartridge was inserted.

This can lead to an increase in temperature, which can exceed the allowable limit of the block heater electrical power cord insulation material.

In addition, the electrical power cord insulation material of some other block heaters produced after 2016 may have used certain compositions that, when exposed to the high temperatures generated by block heaters, may degrade over time. There is a possibility that these conditions may cause a short circuit and increase the risk of a thermal event.

Owners of involved vehicles will be notified by mid-January 2022.

Information about automotive recalls, including but not limited to the list of involved vehicles, is current as of today’s filing date and is subject to change thereafter.