THE downfall of digital instrument clusters could be at hand after the latest recall revolving around them.
The criticality of dashboard information and the risks associated with a lack of it highlight the gamble manufacturers make by digitizing them.
Toyota has already confirmed its dealers will provide a free fix[/caption]
Affected Lexus models are vastly outnumbered by Toyota models[/caption]
This recall is Toyota’s second of the month[/caption]
Earlier this month, Toyota published a voluntary recall report for digital instrument clusters failing to display anything at all on startup.
Both the Toyota and Lexus brands have multiple models which could reportedly be suffering from the issue.
Affected models include the “Toyota Venza, Crown, Crown Signia, RAV4, GR Corolla, 4Runner, Camry, Grand Highlander, Tacoma, Highlander,” and the “Lexus LS, RX, and TX,” per Toyota’s official report.
Roughy 591,000 vehicles of these models are affected.
Toyota has yet to specify which model years are affected.
Should the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration publish the recall, which is currently a voluntary one, affected model years will likely be publicized.
Toyota will notify customers by mid-November 2025, but owners can also look up their vehicle information on the brand’s official website to see if their car is affected.
In the brand’s own words, the issue “could lead to an increased risk of a crash or an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash” as a result of not being able to see malfunction indicators.
Toyota claims it will have dealerships for both brands “inspect and update the programming of the combination meter or replace the combination meter with an improved one.”
Given how new digital instrument cluster technology is, this repair is expected to be free per federal law which mandates all safety-related recall repairs for cars 15-years-old or younger are provided at no cost.
Toyota declined The U.S. Sun’s request for comment beyond what was already present in its report.
This recall for Toyota follows one from earlier in the month which focused on HVAC system faults for its bZ4X and Lexus RZ vehicles, as well as the Subaru Solterra.
In these vehicles, the electrical compressors can fail and cause the HVAC system to enter a fail-safe mode due to a software programming issue, which disables the system altogether.
With defrosters and defoggers resultantly rendered inoperative, condensation can accumulate and reduce visibility.
Affected Vehicles in Digital Instrument Cluster Recall
Toyota’s recall affects both its own brand, and the company’s luxury offshoot Lexus to varying degrees:
- Toyota Venza
- Toyota Crown
- Toyota Crown Signira
- Toyota RAV4
- Toyota GR Corolla
- Toyota 4Runner
- Toyota Camry
- Toyota Grand Highlander
- Toyota Highlander
- Toyota Tacoma
- Lexus LS
- Lexus RX
- Lexus TX
Most repairs will simply require a software update, while those who’ve had their compressors fail will also need them replaced.
REVOLVING DOOR OF RECALLS
For Toyota and other brands, 2025 has been a chaotic nightmare filled with recalls.
The Japanese automaker recalled roughly 450,000 Tundra pickup trucks for reverse light failures due to adhesive separation which allowed moisture to trickle in.
Ford has consistently made headlines for its recalls in 2025, with over 100 issued and three months still left in the year.
These recalls have ranged from mild annoyances, such as faulty rearview cameras, to larger issues which all but rendered cars inoperable, such as defective digital instrument clusters or faulty fuel pumps.
One of the latest Ford recalls for the Ranger pickup truck effectively saw its side curtain airbags rendered useless thanks to a design flaw that caused them to rip open upon deployment.
