A manufacturing defect affecting just four model-year 2025 RAV4s prompted Toyota to file a voluntary recall (No. 26V256) with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on April 22, likely one of the smallest recall populations you'll see logged in a given week.
The issue: According to the NHTSA, during a routine supplier inspection in late November 2025, a tier 1 supplier identified missing welds on driver-side seat brackets and notified Toyota.
Further investigation found that some passenger-side seat brackets had missing or cold welds as well.
The root cause was traced to a welding robot that experienced mechanical interference, leading to intermittent or missing welds across multiple weld locations on affected brackets.
If the welds are missing or inadequate, the seat may not perform as designed in a crash, meaning occupants may not be properly restrained.
Toyota says that as of April 15, 2026, no field technical reports or warranty claims have been received from U.S. sources related to this condition.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the seat brackets for missing or cold welds and complete any that are found, at no charge. No "do not drive" advisory is in place.
Dealer notifications went out April 22. Owner letters are expected between June 7 and June 21.
OUTSMART THE CAR MARKET IN 5 MINUTES A WEEK
Get insights trusted by 55,000+ car dealers. Free, fast, and built for automotive leaders.
