Toyota recalls 7.43M vehicles for fire risk

Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY | USATODAY

Toyota just announced a huge recall over a problem that can cause fires. At least it's easy to fix.

Toyota says it is recalling 7.43 million vehicles globally, including in the U.S., Japan and Europe, for a faulty power-window switch that might stop working in more than a dozen models produced from 2005 through 2010.

Toyota said Wednesday that the switch on the driver's side didn't have grease applied evenly during production, causing friction and sometimes smoke. No crashes or injuries have been reported related to the problem.

In the U.S., Toyota is recalling 2.5 million vehicles to inspect and, if necessary, smear grease on driver's side power window master switches.

The switch might be sticky -- Toyota describes it as "notchy." If it's not repaired, Toyota warns it could catch fire.

This could be a tricky recall for Toyota since it includes some of the models that were the subject of myriad recalls in the fallout of the unintended acceleration hullabaloo a couple of years back.

The vehicles involved include:

• 2007 to 2008 Yaris (approximately 110,300)

• 2007 to 2009 RAV4 (approximately

336,400)

• 2007 to 2009 Tundra (approximately 337,100)

• 2007 to 2009 Camry (approximately 938,100)

• 2007 to 2009 Camry Hybrid (approximately 116,800)

• 2008 to 2009 Scion xD (approximately 34,400)

• 2008 to 2009 Scion xA (approximately 77,500)

• 2008 to 2009 Sequoia (approximately 38,500)

• 2008 Highlander (approximately 135,400)

• 2008 Highlander Hybrid (approximately 23,200)

• 2009 Corolla (approximately 270,900)

• 2009 Matrix (approximately 53,800)

Owners will get official notification of the recall by mail later this month. The repair takes about an hour, Toyota says.